National Network for Equitable Library Service

Val James received his first pair of skates for his 13th birthday and by 16, he left his home in New York to play in Canada, where he was the only black person on his junior team and, often, in the whole town. While popular for his tough play and winning personality, the teenager faced racist taunts at opposing arenas. The prejudice he encountered continued at all levels of the game. He became the first African American NHLer when he took to the ice with the Buffalo Sabres in 1982, and in 1987 he was the first black player of any nationality to skate for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

As wrestling dominated the pop culture airwaves in the late 90s, wrestlers like The Rock and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin became international cultural icons. But, by the turn of the millennium, wrestling began its downward descent. In early 2001, both WCW and ECW closed its doors and were bought out by WWE, whose fortunes hit the skids shortly after, despite their virtual monopoly. In 2002, a new group rose from the ashes of WCW and ECW – Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.

38 pieces that will be remembered for seasons to come

For 25 years, sports journalists south of the border have been collected in best-of anthologies. With Best Canadian Sports Writing, editors Stacey May Fowles and Pasha Malla offer a long overdue rejoinder from the North, showcasing top literary sports writing from diverse homegrown talent.

In the wake of the horrific double-murder suicide, four noted wrestling writers grapple with the life and death of Chris Benoit in this book by Steven Johnson, Heath McCoy, Irvin Muchnick, and Greg Oliver, all respected investigative journalists committed to looking at this terrible event with integrity and passion. All four authors have been interviewed extensively about the Benoit situation, including by CNN and Fox.

The book will discuss the subject from distinct perspectives:

Wrestling’s self-proclaimed “Living Legend” may never wear a championship belt again, but he’s definitely not down for the count. Adventures in Larryland! is the entertaining, often hilarious story of Larry Zbyszko’s remarkable ascent to wrestling notoriety.

“Pat is one of the greatest mentors I’ve ever had in the world of sports-entertainment.” — Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

When Pat Patterson was 17 years old, he was asked to leave his home after telling his parents he was in love . . . with a man. Moving from Montreal to the United States in the 1960s, barely knowing a word of English, he was determined to succeed in the squared circle. Back when homophobia was widespread, Pat lived in the super-macho world of pro wrestling.

On the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series, a personal and poetic journey into the heart of hockey in Canada. As summer turned to fall in 1972, Canada was redefining itself and its place in the world. Politically, a spirited election campaign asked probing questions about the nation's past, present, and future---the nationalist pride of recent centennial celebrations contrasted with the stressed relationship between English and French Canada post-FLQ crisis. In a very different arena, similar issues were raised by the trials and triumphs of the players of Canada's game.

Dan Snyder narrowly escaped being cut from his junior hockey team for two years in a row. That’s hardly the stuff that NHL careers are made of. But Snyder earned his spot on the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers roster through sheer force of will and strength of character, even though scouts thought the odds were against him.

Those who knew Snyder describe him as the kind of person others naturally gravitated towards. One of those people was Dany Heatley, college star, All-Star, and marked one of the NHL’s next great players.

The eagerly anticipated updated return of a bestselling martial arts classic

In 1938, Tae Kwon Do began at the end of a wicked poker game in a tiny village in a remote corner of what is now North Korea. Today, the martial art is likely the most popular on the planet, an Olympic sport practised by an estimated 50 million students and known for its spectacular kicks. Few people, however, know about its secret and violent past; there are good reasons for the screams. . .