Everything They Had: Sports Writing from David Halberstam

"Sometimes sports mirrors society, sometimes it allows us to understand the larger society a little better. But mostly, it is a world of entertainment of talented and driven young men and women who do certain things with both skill and passion."

--David Halberstam

David Halberstam was a distinguished journalist and historian of American politics. He was also a sports writer. Everything They Had brings together for the first time his articles from newspapers and magazines, a wide-ranging collection edited by Glenn Stout, selected over the full scope of Halberstam's five decades as one of America's most honored journalists. These are dazzling portraits of some of the most compelling sports figures of our era, the superstars of popular sports like basketball, football, and baseball, but also fishing, soccer, and rowing, and the amateur athletes who play for the love of the game.

In "My Dinner with Theodore," Halberstam recounts his long anticipated--and unforgettable--meeting with Red Sox legend Ted Williams. Against the backdrop of 1960s Nashville, he beautifully recounts a lifelong love of football in "How I Fell in Love with the NFL." And "Men Without Women," set on a fishing expedition in Patagonia, is more than a hunt for giant brown trout--it is a story of fishing, friendship, and fellowship. These and many more stories exemplify the breadth and depth of David Halberstam's devotion to diverse sports and his respect and fascination for the men and women who play them so well.

The result is an intimate and personal collection that reveals the issues and the ideals David Halberstam cared about--racial equality, friendship, loyalty, and character--and creates a vivid and unforgettable portrait of the author himself. Everything They Had takes its rightful place alongside Halberstam's bestselling sports titles, which include The Breaks of the Game, The Amateurs, Summer of '49, and The Education of a Coach.

Halberstam, who died in 2007, was known more for his journalistic work in the fields of politics, history and business, but in his later years he concentrated on sports journalism, revealing a lifelong fascination and enthusiasm. This collection of sports stories includes a famous account of Halberstam's meeting with baseball great Ted Williams, who was a personal favorite of the writer. If you've enjoyed Halberstam tomes such as The Best and the Brightest and The Coldest Winter, this will be a worthwhile addition to your collection. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

This work delivers the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist's unique vision of sports, with an intimate and personal collection that reveals the ideals of a culture steeped in integrity, loyalty, and character.