4 sports books that go beyond the stat lines
CBC Sports producer David Giddens recommends his favourite sports stories on The Next Chapter
CBC Sports producer David Giddens loves sports books that look into what makes athletes tick.
"Win and lose, sometimes it's a little bit arbitrary, but the person who brings some interesting life story …that's what you want in a book," said Giddens.
He's also interested in books that move away from the dominant Canadian sports culture of men's hockey, as someone who never really played the game and prefers sports like track running and biking.
He shared four of these stories on The Next Chapter — and explained what makes them so compelling.
World's Fastest Man*: The Incredible Life of Ben Johnson by Mary Ormsby
World's Fastest Man* tells the story of Ben Johnson, a Canadian sprinter who had his gold medal stripped from him at Seoul 1988 because he tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. The book recounts not only that fateful day, but Johnson's whole life story, from his early days as a shy Jamaican kid, to navigating life as a disgraced athlete, becoming a coach for soccer player Diego Maradona, while tirelessly trying to get the full story of what happened at the Seoul Olympics.
Mary Ormsby is a Canadian sports journalist and volleyball player at Ohio State University. She has been nominated for five National Newspaper Awards and has written for the Toronto Sun and the Toronto Star. World's Fastest Man* is her first book.
Ice in Their Veins by Ian Kennedy
Ice in Their Veins explores the stories of trailblazing women who fought to play a sport that wasn't meant to include them — hockey. It discusses how for more than 150 years, women who wanted to play hockey were questioned and trivialized, and how despite that, teams were formed and stars were born. From the early 20th century to the newly created Professional Women's Hockey League, Ice in Their Veins is about the women who never gave up on playing Canada's game.
Ian Kennedy is a high school teacher and journalist whose work has been featured in The Hockey News, Canadian Horse Journal and Outdoor Canada magazine. He is also the founder of the Chatham-Kent Sports Network (CKSN), an online news outlet that covers a wide range of athletes.
The Beautiful Dream by Atiba Hutchison, with Dan Robson
The Beautiful Dream is Canadian soccer player Atiba Hutchinson's memoir. It spans his childhood in a suburban Brampton, Ont. and how he became a member of Canada's national soccer team and the six-time winner of Canadian Men's Player of the Year award. The book shows how Hutchinson's own journey mirrors the progression of Canadian soccer and shows how a seemingly unattainable dream can get close to reach.
Hutchinson is the recently retired captain of the Canadian men's national soccer team. He currently lives in Turkey.
Dan Robson is a senior writer for The Athletic. His books include Quinn: The Life of a Hockey Legend, Bower: A Legendary Life and Measuring Up: A Memoir of Fathers and Sons. He co-authored Ignite: Unlock the Hidden Potential Within with Andre De Grasse.
Above the Noise by DeMar DeRozan, with Dave Zarun
In Above the Noise, NBA superstar and former Raptors player DeMar DeRozan shares his experience going public with his depression and being a catalyst for discussions around mental health in professional basketball. It examines his beginnings in Compton, how he became a pro player, what it felt like to be traded from Toronto and how important it is for him to speak his truth.
DeRozan is a six-time NBA All-Star and has won two gold medals for Team USA Basketball. He's the all-time leader in points for the Toronto Raptors. He is now a father of five.
Dave Zarum is a sports writer and editor. He also wrote NBA 75: The Definitive History. He lives in Toronto.
