Sports Fans: Put Down Clicker, Pick Up These Books Between Games

Between raking leaves, carving pumpkins and watching the Tigers and Lions, sports fans can check out these enticing reads at .

Adult Nonfiction

Bless You Boys: Diary of the Detroit Tigers’ 1984 by the late, great Sparky Anderson. This is an account of the last time the Tigers won the World Series. This could be a perfect read at this time of year, as the Tigers are in full playoffs mode. Keep your fingers crossed, Tigers fans.

Adult Nonfiction

Understanding American Football by Ed McCorduck. Do you want to get more enjoyment out of football, other than just watching people knock other people down? The book describes all parts of the game—from the basics to penalties and strategies. This is both for a person new to this country and those born here and is still confused about certain things in the American game.

Adult Nonfiction

NASCAR for Dummies by Mark Martin, a NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver. What’s really going on during a pit stop? What’s under those hoods? Be sure to look in Appendix A for a list of NASCAR jargon. This book won’t qualify you to be a driver, but you’ll better understand what you’re watching.

Adult Nonfiction

Basketball for Dummies by Richard “Digger” Phelps, ESPN commentator and former Head Basketball Coach at Notre Dame. A fun and easy way to explore basketball, from high school and college hoops to the NBA, the Olympics and fantasy leagues. You’ll learn rules, regulations, positions and plays.

Adult Fiction

Playing for Pizza by John Grisham. Unlike anything else Grisham has written, this almost whimsical novel will baffle many of his devotees. However, it may delight other readers, particularly diehard football fans and lovers of Italian cuisine. The story traces the fall and rise of NFL quarterback Rick Dockery who after a spectacularly bad performance in a playoff game, signs with a team in the Italian professional association. There are adjustments to be made, games to be played and maybe even a way to obtain forgiveness from former fans.

Multimedia

Leatherheads (DVD) starring George Clooney, Renee Zellweger, John Krasinsky and Jonathan Pryce. Dodge Connolly has plans for his team. He hires a college football star, hoping to attract the country’s attention before the entire league collapses. In addition to the machinations among players, Dodge has to compete with another player to get the girl of his dreams. (PG-13,  for brief strong language.)

Hoosiers (DVD) starring Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey and Dennis Hopper. A basketball coach with a checkered past coaches a team with slim chances to win a championship. A good basketball movie.

Juvenile Fiction

The Million Dollar Kick by Dan Gutman. Whisper Nelson remembers, with considerable regret, scoring a point for the opposing team in her last soccer match four years ago. Now she has a chance to kick a goal past a professional soccer player, for one million dollars. Should she risk further humiliation, in front of all of Oklahoma City (and everybody in her middle school)? And yet, part of her knows that taking the kick might be just what she needs.

Young Adult Fiction

Out of the Pocket by Bill Konigsberg. Bobby Framingham has a problem, but not with being his school’s star quarterback. (His teammates are like his brothers and there are several big schools probably interested in granting him a scholarship.) The problem is that Bobby is gay and he doesn’t know how to tell people—and there are a lot of people in his life—without causing difficulties for them and himself. His future is in the balance.

Juvenile Nonfiction

The Story of the Detroit Tigers by Sara Gilbert. The author begins the Tigers’ history with 1901 when the team joined the American League. Since then, the team has had its ups and downs with players such as Ty Cobb, Harry Heilmann, Hank Greenberg and Alan Trammell. And, of course, the Tigers continue to create their own history this fall.