4 comments about Dempsey in Nevada.

1. An amazing book.
   I am a hugh Dempsey fan.
   I have most publications ever written about Jack Dempsey.
   This book stands out as one of the best



2. Who knew that one of the greatest sports figures of the 20th century spent so much time in sparsely populated Nevada? Longtime Nevada sportswriter Guy Clifton did a tremendous job of assembling the facts that tell the story of how and why Dempsey spent so much time in this far-west outpost. No less than boxing historian Bert Sugar and famed Muhammad Ali trainer Angelo Dundee praise Clifton for bringing out never-before-printed facts about Dempsey, and I agree with them. The author also captured facts from period newspapers and magazines that if not likely to have been lost forever, they were close to it. The best part is you don't even have to be a boxing fan to enjoy this book, which is a quick read. It's fascinating for anyone who has ever wondered, as I have, about how people really lived in the Wild West. The author is a newspaper columnist, so he's always looking for interesting nuggets to build upon, and he finds them in abundance. Many chapters are often just a few pages or more, which tells me the author made a conscious decision to not simply write page after page trying to expand the narrative when it wasn't necessary. Dempsey came to Nevada well before anyone even knew he was a boxer and came back after he had conquered the world, which is interesting in itself. The Las Vegas we know today barely existed when Dempsey arrived in Reno, Tonopah and Goldfield. After boxing made The Manassa Mauler one of the most famous people in the world, he returned to Nevada to live and promote boxing matches in Reno. It appears that Dempsey's good nature and charming demeanor had as much to do with his immense popularity as his exploits inside the ring. I learned a great deal about history, boxing history and the life of a meteoric sports superstar who came from a different time even though he lived until 1983. The great number of photos included help explain this amazing little story of Jack Dempsey's life and times in Nevada. This is a gem of a book that is definitely worth reading.



3. By John L. Smith
   Las Vegas Review-Journal
   
   One of Goldfield's claims to fame is that it was the place a young Jack Dempsey worked as a bar bouncer.
   
   Dempsey fought a handful of bouts in Nevada early in his career and returned to the Silver State to box briefly in the summer of 1931. On May 31, 1915, Dempsey fought a 10-rounder in Goldfield against Johnny Sudenberg.
   
   So, it would only make sense that the "Manassa Mauler" pocketed extra coin by breaking up fights and busting a few heads while in the employ of one of Goldfield's whiskey dens or buckets of blood.
   
   If only it were true.
   
   Alas, that's a Nevada legend involving Dempsey that doesn't rise to the count of veracity. There are plenty of others, however, that actually happened. And I've come to believe Guy Clifton has collected every one of them in his latest book, "Dempsey in Nevada." It's a technical knockout for any boxing aficionado who seeks to understand one of the fight game's historical giants.
   
   In the Golden Age of sport, newspaper headlines were filled with the names Ruth, Grange and Dempsey.
   
   But while Babe Ruth earned the outrageously high salary of $85,000 a year for the Yankees, Dempsey's share of his fight against Gene Tunney was $717,000.
   
   Take that, Alex Rodriguez and Floyd Mayweather.
   
   And Dempsey loved Nevada. He hooked up with willing women and cut ties with a couple of wives here. He was a favorite of Reno gambling kingpins Bill Graham and James McKay. He dug in mining claims for exercise and entertainment, and even spent time in his later years in Las Vegas.
   
   For Clifton, an award-winning reporter for the Reno Gazette-Journal, working Dempsey's corner was as natural as a hook off a jab.
   
   Like many Nevada newspaper reporters, especially those who get their mail in Reno, Clifton had heard colorful stories about Dempsey.
   
   Clifton goes a long way to returning the legend to life and cutting through the hyperbole that followed his career. Along the way, he realized Dempsey was fond of Nevada in part because it was a place he could meet some women and part ways with others.
   
   "I was surprised that all four of his wives had a Nevada connection," Clifton says.
   
   Dempsey's first wife was a Wells prostitute. He divorced his second wife in Reno. He married his third wife in Elko, and his fourth wife signed the farewell papers in Reno.
   
   Reporters and fans followed Dempsey's one-man parade throughout his life, and Clifton draws from newspaper archives for many of his anecdotes.
   
   "The reason I ended up focusing on Dempsey in Nevada is that is really a part of his story and Nevada's history that has never been told," he says.
   
   Thanks to Clifton, the Manassa Mauler's Silver State rambling is secure for all time.
   
   Clifton's work tops my list of favorites by local authors in 2007.



4. Book as represented. Christmas present for my husband & he is enjoying the book.

5 comments about The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America.

1. The Soul of Baseball illuminates what life can be. It would help anyone get past their bitterness and see that life is about what I can do today and not what happened yesterday or what will happen tomorrow.



2. Poz is one of the best writers in the business. Thanks for writing a really great book about a great baseball man. Buck's is a great American story and the way it's written makes you feel like you're on the road trip with them.



3. My son, Jeremy, always gives me good books. He doesn't just pick up the latest best-seller, but takes the time to choose something special just for me. He hit a home run with The Soul of Baseball by Joe Posnanski. It's the story of an extended road trip Posnanski took with legendary Negro League player and manager Buck O'Neil. The lessons learned along the way are great ones for sons and fathers to share.
   
   Posnanski, an award-winning sports columnist for the Kansas City Star, chose not to write a biography of the irrepressible O'Neil, even though the story could bear to be told over and over again. Instead, he penned a moving memoir of the year he spent with the then-93-year-old O'Neil as he toured the country promoting the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City and the memory of those men who played the game in the days before whites and blacks could share the field. The trip takes them everywhere from Nicodemus, Kansas, to New York, New York, and O'Neil has a fascinating story to tell at every stop.
   
   He talks about Satchel Paige, Willie Mays, and Josh Gibson, names that will always be enshrined in baseball's collective memory. But he also tells the tales of forgotten men like Dan Bankhead, the first black pitcher in the major leagues, who would have been a great hurler if he hadn't been afraid to pitch fastballs inside against white batters.
   
   The key theme of the book is Buck O'Neil's spirit-lifting embrace of the best in every person he met. Despite years of back-breaking struggle, O'Neil never turned bitter, never condemned anyone for their prejudice, never had a bad word to say about the often ugly conditions the black ball players endured. Even when he failed to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, Buck O'Neil refused to be angry about it. To make up for the egregious mistake, the Hall awarded him a Lifetime Achievement Award after his death.
   
   The lessons Posnanski drew from his experiences with O'Neil are well worth telling and the book he created from them is well worth reading.
   
   Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds: A Novel of Scandal, Love and Death in the Congo



4. This book got to me, in a very good way.
   
   Buck's stories are funny and poignant, and we as readers definitely learn some history if we pay attention. But even more than that we can learn from Buck O'Neil's outlook on life. He was patient, caring, outspoken in an articulate and positive way (something our politicians should learn how to do), and he had grace. More than anything else reading about Buck O'Neil was a lesson on how to live with grace.
   
   I want to tell you the last words of the book, but I won't.
   
   If you like baseball, people or life you will like this book.
   
   Highly recommended!!



5. Sometimes a great author writes a 5-star book, and sometimes he must only get out of the way and let 5-star material shine through. "The Soul of Baseball" is one of the latter. This isn't a knock on Joe Posnanski. The decision to tell the story by reporting on a year in O'Neil's life, rather than interpreting O'Neil's history, was a brilliant judgment. The reader benefits from Posnanski's willingness to set his writer's ego aside.
   
   Another good Posnanski decision was reporting O'Neil's occasional querulousness. Rather than seeing O'Neil as a mindless happy face, the reader sees O'Neil as someone who must work to maintain his positive approach. The occasional lapses serve to highlight the effort that O'Neil makes to bring the light into the lives of those around him.
   
   But ultimately, the star of the book is Buck O'Neil. Not because he was a great ballplayer or manager. But because he was a decent, good-hearted human being whose attitude toward life is worthy of emulation.
   
   I give few 5-star rankings, but this book deserves it several times over.

4 comments about Bobby Allison: A Racer's Racer.

1. We got this book as a gift for our son who is really into racing like us. I thought I'd just thumb through it and ended up reading the whole thing. Then, I listened to the CD of Bobby telling some of the stories that are in the book and I went back and re-read those chapters. Needless, to say I have to get another copy for my son now because his gift is worn a little bit - oh well.

   It's nice to see a book about one of NASCAR's greatest that tells the lighter side of his career. It made me look at Bobby Allison in a whole new light and respect. If you are an old fan of NASCAR you'll love this because of the pictures alone. If you're a new fan, you need to read this so you know where the sport came from and what racing was really like.

   Just get the book and you'll see why. Bobby, thanks for sharing these with us. It makes me wish you were on the track, still, even more.




2. I just bought this book from Bobby and Tim at Atlanta Motor Speedway and just loved it. We listened to the CD on the way home as my wife read the book. Then, I read the book and listened to the CD, again.

   The stories in this book are told by Bobby Allison himself and done only the way he can tell a story. I watched him race for years and this brought back some great memories of great moments in racing.

   I'm going to get one for each of my son's for Christmas. They are always wanting to know the history of NASCAR and this will give them a lot of answers as to why guys like Bobby made NASCAR what it is today.

   Thank you Bobby and Tim for sharing these with us.




3. The book is a great read and the photos brought back a lot of memories from watching Bobby kick [...] on the NASCAR tracks. There are some great pictures of Davey and Clifford when they were younger, and of Bobby and Judy's whole family.

   I enjoyed the heck out of the CD and they way Bobby told some of those stories was just hysterical. Bobby did help make NASCAR what it is today and the book captures why and how he did it.




4. I just purchased this book and found it to be a wonderful account of some great stories that took place during this man's life. Bobby Allison gave a lot so NASCAR could be what it is today and the pictures and stories are wonderful.

   I laughed out loud so many times at the stories told in only the way Bobby can tell one. Reading it was one thing, but the CD that comes with the book is him actually telling some of the stories in the book.

   If you're a racing fan, this is a must by for you or a friend. Bobby, you done good on this book and you should be proud.

2 comments about Michael Schumacher: The Rise of a Genius.

1. a highly anticipated book for a very good reason. this is by far one of the most perfect books to buy for the rabid ferrari/michael schumacher fan. it contains countless information on the rise of michael schumacher during his benetton and ferrari days. from his first drive for jordan in 1991 to his first test of the 412 t2 in 1996, his last championship winning race in belgium 2004 and to the very last win of his career in china 2006. the book shows great details of all his great deeds. full of pictures that will make you remember the good old days when ferrari were still human. overall a very good book that will capture everyone's heart to why michael schumacher is the best of his time.



2. The life history of a genius said in the best way. The book is amazing covering every nook and corner of Schumacher's F1 career. The book was shipped in no time. I strongly suggest this book for every Schumi fan

No comments about Vertical World: Conversations with Today's Masters of Rock.

5 comments about Missy Hyatt: First Lady of Wrestling.

1. Reading this book was what I imagine sitting down to talk to Missy Hyatt over coffee about her career in wrestling would be like. From her beginnings as the girlfriend of Jake "The Snake" Roberts to the present day, this book clearly shows why she is the "First Lady of Wrestling" in a way that feels like you are chatting with your best friend. The writers do not throw in too much technical lingo of the profession and they keep the information flowing in a chronological manner that has an organic flow so it should appeal to even non-wrestling fans who would like to read about a remarkable woman's career. I'm a fan of the old USWA shows out of Memphis, and reading about her and Gilbert's time there brought back a flood of memories of my childhood. If you are a wrestling fan, you must read this book.



2. What I thought would be a tawdry tell-all, turned out to actually be a sweet look back at the career of probably the greatest valet/female manager in the history of professional wrestling. Like many other who have read it, my favorite recollections were of her love story with Eddie Gilbert. With the volatile nature of professional wrestling, I really believe that if Missy and Eddie had met under different circumstances and in a different profession...Eddie would still be alive and they would still be married, with children and enjoying a life together. And somehow, I think Missy would agree.
   
   A good book as far as wrestling publications go, but reading it disarmed me. I thought I was going to get a lot of dirt, and what I got was totally different...and refreshingly welcome.



3. It was nice to read about the expereinces of Missy Hyatt in the world of Professional Wrestling. Up until the WWE became the monopoly in Pro wrestling, wrestling has always been my number one passion, and my favorite days were in the late 80s to mid 90's, although I grew up on wrestling in the early 70's with Ray Stevens, Pat Patterson, and Big Time Wrestling in the Bay Area.
   Anyhow, reading Missy's personal and professional life in the lime light was fun, and also to read about the tragedies of losing her ex-husband and the relationship problems that she endured helped to see her as a real person who was learning from the depths of life which leads one to grow, develop, and mature.
   Finally, the book is a nice blend of the excitement associated with life in the fast lane and coming to terms with the life fans don't see when the camera is off.
   
   Brian Jensen, Ph.D.



4. Missy Hyatt was a wrestling diva before there were wrestling divas. Yet still, many think she is the best of all-time and I would have a hard time arguing with that opinion.
   In her career, Missy has seen and done it all. She was worked with all of the greats such as Flair, McMahon, PS Hayes, and Eddie Gilbert. Missy tells many wrestling stories and many non-wrestling stories. While she does dish dirt, she never brings it to a sleazy level. I love the blurbs about Roberts, Duggan, Von Erich and on and on.
   She could feel bitter about being the one to set the table for today's divas, while never totally prospering like they are, but Missy just seems to have a positive outlook. Missy gives some opinions on today's divas without resorting to being catty.
   Missy had packed a lot into her life up to the publication of this book. She does a pretty good job in letting the reader relive the moments with her. She has also packed quite a lot into her life after this book and I am hoping for the sequel!



5. This has to be every man's worst nightmare-- a woman who has dated pretty much everyone has decided to write a tell-all. I
   can only imagine how nervous these guys were in the days leading up to the release date. The book can be defined as a cross between Missy's diary and her little black book. It's pretty much what anybody would expect it to be, dishing the dirt on some of the biggest names in and out of professional wrestling.
   
   Here's a brief rundown of the men with whom Missy has engaged in "sexual relations": Tommy Rich; Jake Roberts (gave her
   cocaine and halcyons); Hollywood John Tatum; Road Warrior Hawk (slept with him to get even with Jake for dumping her);
   Hotstuff Eddie Gilbert (the love of her life); Dr. Tom Pritchard (slept with him to get even with Gilbert-- see a pattern here?); Atlanta Falcons' Bill Fralic; Jason Hervey of The Wonder Years ("...money was a big part of our relationship."); The Philadelphia Flyers' Rod BrindÁmour ("...had to put a bag over his head- mentally..."), Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly (this poor guy really comes to take a beating in this book); Raven; Eric Watts (slept with him because "I didn't have time to do my laundry"); Brutus Beefcake; Scott Putski ("...like driving a Ferrari with a volkswagon engine. You rev it once, and it stalls."); Val Venis ("...shortest, lamest sex I'd ever had."); as well as numerous football and hockey players-- WHEW. If the rumor mill is to be believed, there are many more names missing from this list. Brian Pillman is never mentioned although she has appeared in a number of his memorial events, and Tom Zenk makes a veiled reference to a "menage" on the back of the book. My guess is that Pillman was excluded out of respect to his widow and children. Also, despite leasing an apartment just to be next door to Buff Bagwell, who had a girlfriend at the time, nothing sexual is ever mentioned.
   
   The sexual exploits aside (which bears mentioning in this review only because it comprises the bulk of the book), Missy is
   very candid in her views of the people and the goings-on in the business. For anyone who has read a wrestling biography you
   will quickly come (sorry Jim Kelly) to realize that these are not regular/everyday folks. Terry Funk --a legend in this
   profession who is just finishing his own book-- once told Missy that "...if (she) ever got stabbed after a match, (she) should take it as a compliment..." Years later Missy was almost stabbed before a match, and wonders aloud how she should take that. Ric Flair is referred to as a perv who loved to show everybody his penis. This is pretty much the same impression I was left with after reading Flair's own biography (a great read by the way). Even WCW owner Ted Turner comes across as a perv (surprise, surprise) as Missy recounts how he grabbed her ass and invited her to mud wrestle the first time they met.
   
   The most baffling story however, even by wrestling standards, was when Freebird Buddy Roberts was caught attempting to urinate on Missy as she was getting ready to shower. Apparently "...Freebirds always pee on people they like. It's like a privilege... a ritual, a sign of respect." I'm not quite sure how to respond to that.
   
   This was an enjoyable, easy read -- about a day and a half. Missy doesn't pretend to be anything she isn't which I appreciate in any autobiography. She openly admits that her in-ring persona was very close to the real life Melissa Hiatt. She admits to being a prima-donna who openly used her sexuality to get what and who she wanted. Arguably she was the hottest thing going before the days of Sunny, Sable and all the modern day Divas. The only glaring omissions that I thought should have
   been covered was the ridiculous amount of work she has had done to her face in recent years, and her venture into internet
   porn. It's a shame that such a beautiful woman has taken the path so many others have, and butchered herself in the quest to
   stay young-- you'll know what I mean when you see the pictures. Aside from that I'd say definitely pick this one up.

1 comments about Taylor (Icons of the NFL).

1. Great stuff! TAYLOR really puts you in the shoes of the greatest defensive player ever to step onto the field.
   
   It's a different kind of LT book. First of all, it's a big, coffee-table edition with all the gorgeous color photos; shots I've never seen before. Second, this book mostly stays away from LT's off-field troubles. I'm a big LT fan and have read the other autobiographies he's done with other people, but the focus here is on the football. You get lots of action sequences that really put you on the field with LT. It's a "cleaner" version of his career, without any bad language, even. Maybe that's a little weird, given that it's LT, but then you can share this book with your kid.
   
   The thing is, it's a great read. I liked it better than his other books -- it feels like you really get LT's voice. The story's exciting, funny and sticks to the point. Informative, too. He explains a lot about the way he played linebacker, how Parcells turned him loose and how that changed the way the game is played.
   
   I think it's a must-get gift for any LT or Giants fan. But LT's such a character, the story's so good and the football stuff is so real, I think anybody would like it. (Even a Redskins fan.)

5 comments about Out of Bounds: Coming out of Sexual Abuse, Addiction, and My Life of Lies in the NFL Closet.

1. We truly take our hats off to Roy Simmons for his honesty in coming out about his addiction, sexual abuse and his life of love, lust and lies in the NFL closet. In this eye-opening Autobiography Out Of Bound, Roy Simmons, known as " The Sugar Bear", talks about his life as a football player, playing for the New York Giants, Washington Redskins and USFL Jacksonville Bulls. Roy Simmons, a man who had it all was at the top of his profession. He was making tons of money and loved by thousands of fans, fell from grace.
   
   Though Roy had a promising career as a NFL football player, like so many others, he allowed himself to be seduced into the world of drug-addiction. He followed in the footsteps of his teammates, refused to deal with his homosexuality, and forced himself to forget an unspeakable event that involved him being raped as a child by a respectable neighbor and was in denial about his sex addictions which was the cause of his down fall. "It's amazing how he did not realize that his rape would trigger a future chain of events in his later years of countless promiscuity".
   
   Torn between his high school sweetheart; Sheila, who later became the mother of his daughter, and Joe, the only man he ever truly loved, he manage to lose them both, by letting his selfishness and his addiction interfered.
   
   After leaving the NFL and trying to make a life for himself, Roy goes from "Sugar to Shit". He continued to indulge heavily into drugs and alcohol and became more and more self-destructive. His life became unmanageable and spirals out of control. As the drugs and the alcohol takes over his life, he became violent, desperate and starts to prostitute himself. Eventually, Roy winds up on welfare.
   
   As you continue to read this book, you will learn more and more about the great Roy Simmons, the Ex NFL football player. In this book, Roy shares his days of free basing, smoking crack, his time in prison and being HIV- Positive Roy even talks about dressing up in drag; yes dressing up in drag.
   
   We found it truly remarkable for a man like Roy to encounter so many chances in life... just when you think he has hit rock-bottom, somehow he bounces back. It's amazing to discover how such a lucky man was not able to learn from his mistakes. Roy was definitely a man who had more than nine lives
   
   So whether you're a Roy Simmons fan, a recovering addict, bi-sexual, or just plan old confused about who you are, Out Of Bounds teaches you a powerful lesson about the truth.... Remember, you can run, but you can't hide from the truth because in the end, the truth will always set you free. So we urge you to go out and get this book and delve into the un-restful soul of Mr. Roy Simmons.



2. If you think you are going to read a bio of an athlete, or a good gay nonfiction read, fasten your seat belt. This rollicking life story of Roy Simmons goes well beyond both of those matters to take you on a journey of sex, fame, money, and living on the wild side.
   
   A young high school football star, Roy Simmons had no idea what lay ahead of him. Soon he was courted by colleges, pro teams, and hot men and women alike. He would be the first to admit he was gullible to all the attention, and he quickly indulged in all of it.
   
   At the heart of this story, though, is the dark childhood secret that drove him (in both negative and positive ways), styling his future until he realized what he was doing to his body and mind. Even if you are not a sports fan, you would enjoy this incredible life story. I was shocked at the levels he'd risen to in the NFL yet for the hunger of drugs would stoop to being a male hustler for his latest fix. His breathless honesty took tremendous courage.
   
   This is a story that is not only gripping to read, but which will take you through several layers of thought as you see this man's incredible path.



3. Mr. Simmons's story is a cautionary tale of lies and deception. He is delusional about the lack of recovery and involves those who love him in his "quicksand of lies and cruelty." He claims to have loved those who care for him and yet he hurts them and worst, expose them to the risk HIV/AIDS with his reckless behavior.
   
   I had hoped to read further his story redemption and atonement for those he had hurt that he claimed to love. There is no such ending.



4. I enjoyed this book from the point of view of a white football fan looking in from the outside on the experiences of a black brotha coping with the challenge of being gay. But I was rather turned off by the many expletives on almost every page in the later chapters, as he described his struggles with alcohol, drugs, and the underground gay culture. I live on a Caribbean Island where I hear the same expletives every day, so I can appreciate the reality of "the life" but it was a bit off-putting for the general reader. Still I came away praying for Ray, that he will be able to stay on the wagon and not relapse from his addictions, and also hoping that he will sometime find a partner that he can rely on and relate to.



5. its hard to write a review without giving away juicy details but his lifestyle was of the fu_king hook to say the least! im not a football fan but i love autobio/memoirs so i gave this book a shot and im glad i did! this book was a good read! its shocking sad has hunor and will make u mad! i will stop there and say i reccomend this book to all ages races and al lifestyles there is a LESSON TO BE LEARNED!

5 comments about The Mouth of the South: The Jimmy Hart Story.

1. The book was insightful and covered over 20 yrs of wrestling history.It was clear that Jimmy is beholdin to Hulk so it was a bit sanitized, but interesting all the same. He really has nothing bad to say about anyone, which is, of course, a bit disappointing!



2. I enjoyed reading this book. I found it to be good material. Having remembered seeing Jimmy Hart from early in his career I found many memories.



3. Yeah, jimmy hart is the Greatest manager alive. But his book should have been written in 2 books. The early part of career in 1 and the Hulk hogan part in a another. I have watched him early in his career here in tennessee. He is great but the book aint so great, because of Hulk Hogan



4. This book arrived in great condition and in the timeframe promised.



5. THIS IS A VERY ENTERTANING BOOK BY FORMER SINGER AND WRESTLING MANAGER JIMMY HART. HE HAS SOME GOOD STORIES ABOUT BOTH OF HIS CAREERS. I ALWAYS FOUND HIM TO BE VERY FUNNY AND ONE OF MY FAVORITES IN THE WACKY WORLD OF PRO WRESTLING. HIS TALES OF BEING ON THE ROAD AND HOW HE SUSTAINED VARIOUS INJURIES IS ESPECIALLY INTERESTING. ALL IN ALL I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK FOR ALL FANS OF PRO WRESTLING. EASY TO READ AND ENJOYABLE.

1 comments about On Being John McEnroe.

1. I would categorize this book as nice writing that takes a former star and tries to analyze him, while acknowledging his icon or idol status.
   
   Too late. McEnroe's glory is gone, and there is no need for a whitewash, since nobody cares anymore. Yesterday's star is today's has-been.
   
   Having read two David Evans books about John McEnroe and also "You Can't Be Serious", and being a reformed tennis addict, I
   desired something that dared to be more critical. "On being John McEnroe" was not the book I was looking for.
   
   This book is a very quick read. Even though I am a slow reader, I read the entire 173 pages in about 3 hours. There is little of substance here, just many beautifully worded anecdotes that paint a murky picture but leave no real impression.
   
   Shamefully abusive on the tennis court (even now while playing on the seniors tour), McEnroe gave tennis a bad name and helped end the "tennis boom" of the 70s.
   
   Had McEnroe played during the era when Wimbledon and the other grand slam tournaments were amateur events, he probably would have been banned from competition had he acted the way he did.
   
   I'm hoping that the book "Bad News for McEnroe" will give me more grit, sustenance, and truth.