Crooked: A History of Cheating in Sports

“Cheating is a large part of life,” writes veteran sportswriter Zimniuch in his preface. “It's only natural that it should extend to sports.” Not only is cheating prevalent in every level of athletics (overage pitcher Danny Almonte dominating the 2001 Little League World Series; Rosie Ruiz Vivas taking the subway to win the 1980 Boston marathon)—it has a rich history, dating back at least to the ancient Olympics in 388 B.C., when the boxer Eupolus bribed three opponents to take a dive. Though bribery, dirty play and spying are part of the story, cheating has taken a dangerous turn in recent years, namely the alarming revelations of athletes using performance-enhancing drugs and steroids, a practice that has made its way to high school athletics. Given the recent barrage of attention directed at baseball star Alex Rodriguez for his confession of steroid use, Zimniuch's book is certainly relevant. However, the concept of cheating and its culture has many shades of gray, and when not editorializing or dabbling in clichés, Zimniuch offers little more than a summary of past transgressions and sneaky tricks. (Apr.)