Profiles in Sports Courage - Hardcover

Rappoport, Ken

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1561453684 ISBN 13: 9781561453689

Publisher: Peachtree, 2006

Synopsis

A dozen of the twentieth-century's greatest and most courageous athletes show how they overcame difficult obstacles to make a lasting impact not only in their sport but also on society.
Veteran author and journalist Ken Rappoport showcases some lesser-known athletes such as Junko Tabei, the first woman to climb Everest, as well as famous athletes like Jackie Robinson, the first Black American to play in Major League Baseball, and race car pioneer Janet Guthrie, the first woman to qualify for the Indy 500.
Each dramatic, action-packed profile shows how these talented athletes overcame such serious challenges as racism, sexism, and severe illness. Young readers will find in each of these inspiring men and women the bravery, perseverance, and dedication that made them outstanding athletes during their own times and strong role models for today.

About this title

About the Author

Ken Rappoport is the author of dozens of sports books for young readers and adults. He was a writer for The Associated Press for thirty years, covering every major professional and college sport. He died in 2020.

From the Back Cover

Sean is an angry and confused 15 year-old who has never had it easy. He's estranged from his father and abused by his mother. Suspended from school and with a mounting police record, he is one step away from serious trouble. Sentenced to community service for violating curfew, Sean is sent to Mr. Hassler's farm, where he's forced to confront his fears and take charge of his own life. When Sean is faced with a dangerous situation that tests his true character, he learns just what it means to be a hero.

Reviews

Grade 5-8–In this collective biography of 20th-century athletes, Rappoport asks, What is true courage? That question is answered in the well-written profiles of 12 men and women whose talents and drive took them to the pinnacle of their sports (boxing, bicycling, gymnastics, mountain climbing, basketball, baseball, race-car driving, track, football, and skating) only to find themselves challenged by personal values, racism, injured limbs, crime, illness, or death of a loved one. A well-known and respected sports writer, Rappoport describes with vivid descriptions and dialogue how each athlete faced and overcame overwhelming challenges to leave a positive legacy on the lives of others. Each chapter includes average-quality, black-and-white photographs. An introduction and conclusion effectively draw the purpose of the book together. Anyone interested in sports will enjoy reading about the challenges and accomplishments of these individuals.–Janice C. Hayes, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gr. 4-7. This book shares 12 inspiring stories about athletes from different countries, races, and time periods. Less familiar names, such as Junko Tabei, the first woman to climb Everest, and Jim Abbott, the one-handed Yankee pitcher who threw a no-hitter in 1993, fit in well with more recognizable stars such as Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, and Kerri Strug. Rather than giving extensive biographical information, Rappoport concentrates on the athlete's specific challenges (Ali's conscientious objection to the Vietnam War, Armstrong's cancer) that demanded courage. The author takes some liberties by making up interior dialogue for the athletes, and there are no source notes, although a bibliography is appended. Still, this title may encourage readers to discover their own athletic potential, courage, and self-confidence. A few grainy black-and-white photos illustrate. Roger Leslie
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Peachtree
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1561453684
• ISBN 13: 9781561453689
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 160