Synopses & Reviews
< br=""> When< b=""> <> Ralph Wiley, a columnist for ESPN.com and a former writer for < i=""> Sports Illustrated<> , passed away on June 13, 2004, he left behind a rich legacy of written work. This volume brings together Wiley??'s best columns from ESPN.com, feature stories from < i=""> Sports Illustrated<> , his ???Parting Shots??? from the ESPN television show < i=""> The Sports Reporters<> , and excerpts from his books and screenplays. < br=""> < br=""> ??< br=""> < br=""> Wiley??'s death sparked an outpouring of accolades from colleagues, friends, and sports figures, and this book is acelebration of his indomitable spirit and his extraordinary skill as a journalist.< br=""> < br=""> ??< br=""> < br=""> Whether musing about what lessons can still be learned from baseball legend Jackie Robinson, recalling an exchange with Lakers coach Larry Brown, questioning the public??'s enduring fascination with Mike Tyson, recounting how a visit to the Kansas City Chiefs??? home turf brought back childhood memories, or simply communicating his love of the game, Wiley had a unique and engaging style that made him not just a chronicler of American sports but of American life. As Spike Lee said in an interview shortly after Wiley??'s death, ???He had a great voice. Ralph was much more than a sportswriter. He was a social critic.???< br=""> < br=""> ??< br=""> < br=""> Like the sports figures he wroteabout, Ralph Wiley was larger than life. His passion for sports and for thewritten word was legendary, and this collection will ensure that hiscontribution to journalism is always remembered.??< br="">
Synopsis
The definitive collection from the late Ralph Wiley -- pioneering journalist, acclaimed author of Why Black People Tend to Shout, and a towering voice in the world of sportswriting.
When Ralph Wiley, a columnist for ESPN.com and a former writer for Sports Illustrated, passed away on June 13, 2004, he left behind a rich legacy of written work. This volume brings together Wiley's best feature stories from Sports Illustrated, columns from ESPN.com, his "Parting Shots" from the ESPN television show The Sports Reporters, and excerpts from his books and screenplays.
Whether musing about the meaning of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, presenting an intimate portrait of the O. J. Simpson he knew and worked with, questioning the public's enduring fascination with Mike Tyson, or simply expressing his love of the game, Wiley had a unique and engaging style that made him not just a chronicler of American sports but of American life itself. As Spike Lee said in an interview shortly after Wiley's death, "Ralph was much more than a sports writer. He was a social critic."
Like the sports figures he wrote about, Ralph Wiley was larger than life. His passion for sports and for the written word was legendary, and this collection (which includes a special essay by ESPN commentator and Washington Post columnist Michael Wilbon) will ensure that his singular voice is passed on to a new generation. This book is a celebration of his indomitable spirit and his extraordinary skill as a journalist.