Sports & Sports Biographies

All sports books proposed on this page will be written

by Lew Freedman, author of more than 50 books on

sports, outdoor pursuits, and fascinating people,

300 journalism awards with The

Chicago Tribune, The Anchorage Daily

News, and The Philadelphia Inquirer.

He’s now a full-time author. For more

on Lew, please visit the Author Bios

page on this website.

As in his NEW YORK GIANTS and CHICAGO BEARS

complete histories, Lew Freedman would like to write

a series of authoritative histories on any and all

professional football, basketball, and baseball teams.

Lew proposes beginning with the Boston Red Sox.

He'd also like to write books on storied college football

teams, such as USC, Notre Dame, Alabama, Oklahoma,

and Georgia or, in basketball, UCLA and North Carolina.

Lew’s Giants and Bears books, shown here, each had

about 55,000 words and 250 photos. <091008>

THE LOYOLA IRON MEN: College Basketball’s Best

Untold Story. In 1963, underdog Loyola beat Cincinnati

to capture the NCAA men's basketball championship. Earlier

in the 1962–63 season, Loyola was the first NCAA Division I team

to put five black players on the court in a game. After defeating

all-white Mississippi State––a game later determined by the NCAA

to being a historically courageous encounter––the Loyola won the

1963 crown with only five players that became known as the

Iron Men. 75,000 words, 25 photos.

BASEBALL'S EXTRAORDINARY 1950s: In this anecdotally rich book, Lew will present baseball history and personalities

on a rapidly changing stage. In this decade, Major League baseball became the National Pastime, aided greatly by television and legendary players and managers, as well as classic World Series games. Franchise moves broke up New York’s hold on the three major rivals (Yankees, Giants, Dodgers), sending the Giants and Dodgers to the West Coast and moving other teams to the Midwest. This was also baseball’s first decade of complete integration of all teams, allowing all the nation’s best players to participate, while also admitting players from Hispanic countries. Stars included many of the greatest of all time, a sampling alphabetically: Hank Aaron,  Ernie Banks, Yogi Berra, Roberto Clemente, Whitey Ford, Harmon Killebrew, Mickey Mantle, Willy Mays, Stan Musial, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, and Ted Williams. Much, much more. Publisher: This could begin a series of Baseball Decade Books. <091008>

THE NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS:

A Complete History. Year by year from the start of the

event in the 1930s, Index would list winners and placers,

as well as coaches, MVPs, and future NBA stars. Author

Lew Freedman has covered six Final Fours. 55,000 words, documentary photos.

THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE’S 6 ORIGINAL TEAMS: Now with 30 teams, the NHL began with just six: the Montreal Canadiens, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Boston Bruins, the New York Rangers, the Chicago Blackhawks, and the Detroit Red Wings. Although most of the teams were US-based, most of the early stars were Canadians, including Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Glenn Hall, Jacques Plante, Jean Beliveau, and Alex Delvecchio. In those days goalies astoundingly wore no face masks, resulting in toothless grins. Having played pond hockey as a kid in the Boston area, author Lew Freedman grew up a Bruins fan, while keenly following the other NHL teams before covering the old World Hockey Association, as well as minor league and college hockey.

(The WHA was a completely separate pro league, though a

few of its teams were absorbed into the National Hockey League when the WHA folded.) <091112>

WARREN SPAHN: Baseball’s Greatest Lefty. This would

be the first biography for adults on the winningest left-handed pitcher of all time. Spahn notched 363 wins even though his career was delayed by service in WWII, where he gained hero status. Unlike today's pitchers, Spahn typically pitched the

full nine innings. He was also a good hitter. He played solely

for the Braves, beginning in Boston through franchise moves

to Milwaukee and then Atlanta. In Milwaukee, the Braves

were an instant sensation, setting attendance records and reaching two World Series behind the pitching of Spahn and Lew Burdette and the play of Hank Aaron, Joe Adcock, and Eddie Mathews. <091008>

THE NFL’s WORST CHAMPIONSHIP

MASSACRE. The 1940 NFL title game

remains the most lopsided in NFL

history. The Chicago Bears trounced the

Washington Redskins 73–0. 65,000 words,

25 photos.

BASEBALL'S ALL-STAR GAME:

A Complete History: This would take the

reader through the event’s entire history,

game by game, telling what happened and

featuring a photo or photos from each

game. 50,000 words, 150-200 photo.

THE NFL’s MOMENTOUS 1963. The year culminated with the Chicago Bears’ championship upset over the Greenbay Packers, 14-10, interrupting the Lombardi-Packers dynasty. That year, too, the NFL was involved in a huge battle with the upstart AFL. Commissioner Pete Rozelle flexed his muscles and Alex Karras and Paul Hornung full year suspensions for gambling. And the Football Hall of Fame was established. From a Chicago standpoint, this was George Halas’ last championship and the last time the Bears won a championship until the 1985 Super Bowl under Mike Ditka. 80,000 words, 25 photos.

SPORTS MEMORABILIA. A collectibles book featuring reproduced sports cards, postcards, figurines, magazines, programs,etc. 50,000 words, 1000+ photos.

BASEBALL’S 20 FUNNIEST MEN EVER:

Based on their quips, behaviors, and

writings, including Bill "Spaceman" Lee,

Jay Johnstone, Steve "Psycho" Lyons,

Casey Stengel, Joe Gargiola, Rube Waddell,

Nick Altrock, Max Patkin, and others.

70,000 words, 30-40 photos.

THE BOSTON MARATHON:

The Complete History. At Publisher’s

option, this could be year by year, or era

by era. Lew Freedman grew up near the

Marathon course and has run in it himself.

He has also written about the Marathon

for newspapers and watched it for more

than 40 years. 55,000 words, 100 photos.

BASEBALL IN THE MOVIES: A list of all movies alphabetically in which baseball is a key element. Would tell what the movie

is about, who the stars were, where the movie figured into the stars' careers. Illustrated with movie stills and posters.

45,000–50,000 words. Index would list actors, directors, and awards.

WAR-WOUNDED LUMBERJACK FIGHTS BACK. While covering the 2009 World Lumberjack Championships in Hayward, Wisconsin, Lew Freedman met J.R. Salzman, a

young many-time world champion in logrolling. Salzman

had also won 14 medals in the ESPN Outdoor Games. ESPN announcers described him one of the best timber-sport

athletes in the world.

   However, following the 9/11 terrorist attacks of 2001, Salzman joined the Minnesota National Guard. In 2006, he went with his unit to Iraq. There an Iraqui bomb in Baghdad destroyed the vehicle he was in, badly wounding him. He

has since endured more than a dozen operations involving traumatic brain injury, loss of his right arm, nerve damage

to his left hand, loss of a finger, and other wounds. He l

earned to tie his shoes and write again with his right hand.

    In 2008, he returned to the lumberjack championships,

but couldn't be competitive. But in 2009, he worked his way through the brackets in log rolling. But in best-of-5 matches,

he fell behind 2–0 to the two previous champions who had taken control of the event while he was away. In one competition his artificial arm nearly flew off, and his sister,

a 10-time champ in the event whom he had followed into

the sport, came out of the crowd and taped it back tightly.

He won the event, and then broke down crying in the water. When presented with the gold medal, he received a sustained standing ovation from the 4,500 fans, who knew what he’d been through. Much more here: His web site links his lumberjack story to his experiences in Iraq, and his family,

who were heavily involved with his recovery. 70,000–75,000 words, 50 photos.

AMERICAN HORSE RACING'S TRIPLE CROWN: The Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont. Historical detail from the beginnings of each venue. Index would list winners and placers, as well as jockeys and owners. 55,000 words, documentary photos.

  

Outdoor Recreation

A SEASON ON ALASKA’S KENAI RIVER. Author Lew Freedman has fished this world-famous river for 25 years––

its king salmon in early summer and its coho salmon later

on. Fed by pure glacial melt, the Kenai is also the favorite

river of most Alaskans. Lew envisions this as a gentle nature narrative from April into October, an entire season on the

river. To his fishing stories, he’ll add a blend of river history, ecology, and social effects. For this book, Lew fish the Kenai several more times in 2010. First, in April before the fishing season; then in May into July during king-salmon fishing;

and again in August-September for cohos, wrapping up in October, when people have departed and the surface begins freeze up. 70,000 words, lightly illustrated either with line

art or author photos.

FISHING THE GREAT LAKES. For this book, Lew Freedman would return to fish all five lakes again, some of them among the largest freshwater bodies in the world. He’ll focus mainly

on fishing stories, while also describing each lake in detail, its fish species and scientific issues, and listing guide services for various types of fish.

CATCHING FISH EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR by Lew Freedman. When Chicago angler Kenny Schneider retired

in his 50s, he posed a challenge for himself. He

decided to try to catch a fish every single day for a year, starting on January 1 and finishing on December 31.

Although Schneider managed to fulfill his quest, the feat

proved harder than he imagined. For example, when anticipating an overnight hospital stay, Schneider made

sure he caught a fish before being admitted. The next day

had someone drive him to fishing spot, keeping his

streak going.

    Based closely on Scheider’s diary that year, this

book would describe Schneider's challenges and

successes day by day, but against a backdrop of what

few people realize––that Chicago has diverse fishing

options because of Lake Michigan, the Chicago River,

and a network of lagoons. Author Lew Freedman will

enrich this book with his own experiences and

collected stories about fishing and nature itself in

the big city. 65,000 words, 20–30 photos.

THE MISSISSIPPI DEEP SEA FISHING RODEO

by Lew Freedman. Held in Gulfport/Biloxi, along the

Gulf Coast, this phenomenal annual event offers salt

and fresh water competition for all ages. It has been

held since 1948 and will be conducted for the 62nd

time in 2010. Its several days are scheduled to overlap

with July 4. For prizes, fishermen, women, and kids

chase the largest fish among two-dozen species. Strange and funny things happen. The event is the biggest thing in town each year. In August of 2005, when Hurricane Katrina wreaked devastation and death along the Gulf Coast, homes, hotels, and businesses along the waterfront were ruined; people died; and the Rodeo’s weigh-in stage was destroyed. Even though many event volunteers were still living in FEMA trailers, the Rodeo went on and helped pull the community back together. The people of the area had long looked at the ocean as their friendly provider and their backyard recreation hangout. They were betrayed by it, but they bounced back and rebuilt, the Rodeo still functioning as the community's great unifier. 75,000 words, 25 photos.