Biographical Dictionary of American Sports

This is an excellent reference book that will be a valuable addition to any sports reference collection. Choice

With the recent growth of interest in the historical role of American sports in the nation's development, a need has arisen for a scholarly, yet accessible biographical dictionary of notable American sports figures. Designed to meet that need, this definitive new reference will be welcomed by historians, sports scholars, educators, and sports fans. The fourth of four companion volumes, it provides biographies and bibliographic data for over 550 athletes, coaches, officials, administrators, and other men and women who have played an active role in American indoor sports or helped to promote them. The sports considered include basketball, boxing, swimming and diving, wrestling, ice hockey, gymnastics, figure skating, bowling, and weightlifting.

Biographical essays have been contributed by some ninety sports historians, educators, and journalists. Each entry presents full biographical data, career records, accomplishments, and honors, a discussion of the significance of the subject's achievements, and bibliographic information on pertinent manuscripts, oral history and audio-visual materials, books, monographs, and articles. In eleven appendices, the editor provides extensive cross-referencing and listings covering sports halls of fame, sports associations, organizations, and leagues, indoor sporting events, sites of Olympic games, indoor sports periodicals, and other topics. This comprehensive biographical dictionary will be a useful addition to the reference section of libraries with collection in sports, sports history, or physical education.

DAVID L. PORTER is Louis Tuttle Shangle Professor of History and Political Science at William Penn College in Oskaloosa, Iowa.