Elvis used to lament that it'll be "a blue Christmas without you." For literate sports fans (and the booksellers who love them), Christmas 2005 may well turn out to be "black and blue," thanks to the many superb books on the bruising sports of boxing and college football. There are also significant bios and other books from the increasingly bellicose world of NASCAR, along with a staple of perennially reliable baseball titles.

Ode to the Sweet Science

Although boxing champions have come from all over the world, there is no disputing that this sport has a distinctly American flavor. From John L. Sullivan to Jack Johnson, Joe Louis to Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, America more than any other nation has put its distinctive imprint on the boxing world. And this fall the marketplace will be inundated with quality, erudite books on what is known as "the sweet science."

"Boxing is now a beacon of nostalgia," says Tom McCarthy, editorial director at the Lyons Press, "a look back on the glory days when a fighter from poor and often desperate circumstances used the ring to rise to respectability. The people who were rapt by those fights of the '50s and '60s are nostalgic for the golden days, and now they have the money to shell out for beautiful, high-quality books."

"The movies [Million Dollar Babyand Cinderella Man] and the classic fights on ESPN," says Matthew Benjamin, senior editor at Collins, "are certainly increasing the popularity of boxing and building a sense of nostalgia for the days of Frazier, Ali and Foreman: the kings of the ring."

Louis vs. Schmeling

A year before World War II, on June 22, 1938, two fighters met before 70,043 spectators at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. In one corner stood Joe Louis, black American, son of a sharecropper, and in the other corner stood Max Schmeling, the World Champion, representing Hitler's Third Reich. As the saying goes, something had to give, and it was Schmeling, as Louis pummeled him to the canvas in the first round—a presaging of what would happen between American and German forces in Europe only six years hence. Good versus evil. But like most things in life, everything wasn't a matter of black and white—no pun intended.

This year there have been three extraordinary books published about Louis and Schmeling. Knopf's Beyond Glory: Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling, and a World on the Brink by David Margolick takes an in-depth look at the fighters and many of the myths that surround them. "I didn't see Beyond Glory as a boxing book," says Jonathan Segal, v-p/senior editor at Knopf, "but a book about an important and revealing moment in history. I knew, given David's background, that the Jewish dimension of the story—Jews, after all, for the most part saw Schmeling as the devil incarnate—would be handled well. The book also boasts many correctives in the life of Schmeling," adds Segal, "eliminating the myth that the Nazis only embraced him after he beat Louis and walked away from him after he lost." Knopf plans a five-city tour with heavy emphasis on New York City media.

The Greatest Fight of Our Generation: Louis vs. Schmeling by Lewis A. Erenberg will be published by Oxford in November. "What fascinated me," says Susan Ferber, senior editor, American and World History, at Oxford, "was the way these bouts are a window onto American and German society during the Depression and World War II. Just as the story of Seabiscuit appealed to readers who were not avid followers of horse racing, I anticipate that the story of Louis and Schmeling has so much human interest that it will draw in people, like me, who don't consider themselves boxing fans." Oxford plans to send author Erenberg to Chicago and New York and plans a heavy blitz on sports talk radio.

"I'm not a big boxing fan," admits Cal Barksdale, senior editor at Arcade responsible for Ring of Hate: Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling: The Fight of the Century by Patrick Myler, "but the symbolism of the fight, as well as the brilliant performance by Louis, made it stand out as one of the great sports events of the last century." Arcade is promoting Ring of Hatethrough Book Sense and has ongoing national publicity and Web marketing campaigns.

In this corner, from Casey Press LLC, weighing in at almost eight pounds and retailing for a whopping $70, is America on the Ropes: A Pictorial History of the Johnson-Jeffries Fight by Wayne A. Rozen. The book has extraordinary photos of the fight taken from newsreel footage. Rozen, who is president of Casey Press, plans a 3,000-copy first printing and will be promoting through the Carol Fass Publicity and PR agency.

Another name from the golden age of boxing, Rocky Marciano, will also be given a pictorial tribute when Rounder Books publishes Undefeated: Rocky Marciano—the Fighter Who Refused to Lose by Everett M. Skehan this month. "Skehan's book appealed to us for two primary reasons," says Bill Nowlin, cofounder of Rounder Books. "First of all, it's simply a well-written study of a fascinating man—the only undefeated heavyweight champion in the history of boxing. Secondly, at Dick Johnson's suggestion, we were able to pair Skehan's original text with some 50 photographs of Rocky taken by photographer Stanley Bauman, who grew up with Rocky in Brockton, Mass." Undefeated will have a rather small printing—Nowlin estimates around 5,000 copies—because of high manufacturing costs. Publicity will consist of targeted print and radio campaigns.

If there's one name that means boxing to America it's Muhammad Ali. SportClassic Books has just published The Lost Legacy of Muhammad Ali by Thomas Hauser, well known for his definitive biography Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times. "Hauser thinks outside the box," says Jim O'Leary, publisher, SportClassic Books. "His observations on Ali and his knowledge about Ali combine to provide genuine insight into the man and the boxer." SportClassic plans a 15,000-copy initial printing and will do a direct e-mail promotion to about 70,000 boxing fans. There will also be author appearances and signings, usually in conjunction with a boxing card.

A great book for the dedicated fan is Kings of the Ring: A Photographic History of Heavyweight Boxing by Gavin Evans (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, distributed by Sterling). Every champ is here, from James J. Corbett to Neon Leon Spinks. "Kings of the Ringis based solely on the heavyweights," says Charles Nurnberg, president/CEO of Sterling. "It looks not just at their performance in the ring, but what's going on in their personal lives as well." The book will also deal with racial tensions in the fight game. The 35,000-copy first printing will be backed by a promotion campaign aimed at an African-American readership.

Want to get into shape? How about getting in the ring with Smokin' Joe Frazier? Too risky? Well, now you can train like Frazier with Box like the Pros by Joe Frazier and William Dettloff. "What makes this book special," says Matthew Benjamin at Collins, "is Frazier's take on the sport. He is old old school. He teaches you how to box the way he was taught. There are no short cuts here or fancy equipment. It is blood, sweat and tears." Collins plans a first printing of 30,000 copies in trade paperback. Why paper? "This is the kind of book to be used and abused," says Benjamin. Signings and media appearances are planned for Frazier.

The Icons of Autumn

"Baseball may be America's pastime," says Brendan Cahill, senior editor at Gotham Books, "but football is America's metaphor, the noblest and the darkest urges all encapsulated in 60 minutes of play on a rectangular field where progress is charted one yard at a time."

College football does put the emphasis on team—except when it comes to the head coach, who is often singled out for near sainthood. This fall there are books celebrating the careers of the Eisenhower, Bradley and Patton of the gridiron—Bear Bryant of Alabama, Joe Paterno of Penn State and Woody Hayes of Ohio State.

Now in his fourth decade as head coach at Penn State, Paterno can't be faulted for his success over the years, bringing championships to Happy Valley and sending innumerable players to the Hall of Fame. "If football is a metaphor for America," says Gotham's Cahill, "then Paterno is a metaphor for what's happened to college sports over the last several decades. Some believe that the changes in big-time college sports, and particularly in football, over the last decade or so have passed Joe by. He defiantly maintains they have not, and The Lion in Autumn by Frank Fitzpatrick takes you up close to see a college football legend in the fight of his life." The Lion in Autumn is already in its second printing and has 30,000 copies in print. Gotham plans to pursue publicity opportunities at Penn State and in the Philadelphia area.

The legend of Paul "Bear" Bryant, nearly 23 years after his death, continues to inspire. Today he's known for his great Alabama teams and nurturing the careers of two Hall of Fame quarterbacks, Joe Namath and Ken Stabler. Bryant was also an object of close scrutiny as he slowly—some say reluctantly—integrated his Alabama team. "Interest in sports figures of the stature of Bryant does not wane," insists Robert Weil, executive editor at Norton, who should know; Norton is already in its fourth printing of Allen Barra's The Last Coach, with 50,000 copies in print, and Barra is set for a tour of 10 cities in a major publicity push.

One of the most controversial college coaches of all time was Woody Hayes of Ohio State. The fiery Hayes is probably best remembered for his unsportsmanlike slugging of an opposing player along the sideline late in his career. But there was more to Hayes, and John Lombardo has captured it in A Fire to Win: The Life and Times of Woody Hayes. "I always believe that fans want to celebrate their heroes," says Pete Wolverton, associate publisher of St. Martin's/Dunne. "While Coach Hayes is perceived as controversial by many, there is simply no doubt that he was an effective coach and dedicated to his school and players." This October title will have an initial printing of 25,000 copies and St. Martin's/Dunne plans to target alumni associations, pursue radio and print publicity and also advertise in game day programs and on the Internet.

Jesus Says, Go Long...

With Notre Dame off to a fast start, there are rumors going around that Touchdown Jesus—which is a mosaic of Jesus on the north wall of the Notre Dame library that is clearly visible from the football stadium—has sent a disciple in by the name of Charlie Weis to help redeem the school's football program.

"Touchdown Jesus: Faith and Fandom at Notre Dame by Scott Eden is a chronicle of the 2004 Notre Dame football season," says S&S's Jack Sallay, senior publishing coordinator, "the 10th straight year of mediocrity on the gridiron." Eden gives an inside look at how and why the university made its controversial decision to fire coach Ty Willingham and hire Weis. S&S is going out with 40,000 copies and because of Notre Dame's fan base plans to promote nationally.

There's another college where God plays an important part, but, unlike Notre Dame, most folks have never heard of it. Keeping the Faith by Shawn Fury, from Lyons Press, tells the story of Trinity Bible College in Ellendale, N.D., a very small evangelical Christian school that lost a game two years ago 105 to 0. "These are faithful people," says editorial director Tom McCarthy, who says the book is "a powerful piece of writing—Friday Night Lights meets The Bad News Bears." Lyons plans a 20,000-copy first printing and believes this book can go national with the help of an author tour.

BiographyDan Marino: My Life in Football by Dan Marino with David Hyde
First printing: 80,000 copies; includes DVD
"From the get-go, this book has been received as a national book. Dan has an incredibly strong base of long-time fans in his home/ college town of Pittsburgh and, of course, the entire state of Florida."—Mitch Rogatz, publisher/owner, Triumph Books
Driven from Within by Michael Jordan with Tinker Hatfield
First printing: 350,000 copies; appearances on Oprah and 60 Minutes
"The book celebrates the people—from his mother and father to his coaches and teachers—who have inspired him throughout his life."—Judith Curr, executive v-p/publisher, Atria Books
Payton by Connie, Jarrett and Brittney Payton
Favre by Brett Favre and Bonita Favre with Chris Havel
First printings:Payton 150,000 copies; Favre 300,000 copies
"There are a core list of NFL players present and past that rise above the fray. Favre is Green Bay. Payton is Chicago." —Shawn Coyne, publisher, Rugged Land Books
Operation Yao Ming: The Chinese Sports Empire, American Big Business, and the Making of an NBA Superstar by Brook Larmer
First printing: 30,000 copies
"This is the first book that tells the story of sports in China and the fight by Western companies to dominate the market. It is also the story of how Yao was recruited to come to the States." —Bill Shinker, president/publisher, Gotham Books
Sam: The One and Only Sam Snead by Al Barkow
First printing: 7,500 copies
"We decided to walk the fine line between a vintage pictorial and true biography—publishing the book in an oversized format to accommodate great photographs, while giving adequate attention to a definitive text." —Kip DeWall, associate publisher, Ann Arbor Media Group
Tiger Woods: A Biography by Lawrence J. Londino
First printing: 5,000 copies
"We try to create books for this series that encourage reading-shy students to take a book off the shelf. These are probably the reasons why the Greenwood Biographies series has been so successful."—Steve Vetrano, acquisitions editor, Greenwood Press
Shooting Star: The Bevo Francis Story: The Incredible Tale of College Basketball's Greatest Scorer by Kyle Deiderling
First printing: 12,000 copies
"When I read Shooting Star, my first thought was that Bevo is Seabiscuit with two legs and a jumpshot. It has that same kind of feel." —Jim O'Leary, publisher, SportClassic Books
LeBron James: King of the Court by B.J. Robinson
Forest Hill Publishing

"At the end of each chapter I've put tips for youth, encouraging them to have a healthy sports focus and, in fact, I do envision people giving it to their sons or daughters who have an interest in basketball, or in sports in general." —B.J. Robinson, author
Betting FavoritesSlam-Dunk PublishingDavid Halberstam, the author of such mega-sports bestsellers as The Teammates, October 1964and Summer of '49, focuses on New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. In The Education of a Football Coach, Halberstam studies the sometimes enigmatic Belichick and tries to see what makes him tick. Hyperion will go out with an extraordinary 250,000-first printing. Sports Illustratedis doing a first serial excerpt.
John Feinstein—he of Season on the Brink and A Good Walk Spoiled—has also never written a book about football, until now. Next Man Up: A Year Behind the Lines in Today's NFL takes a look at the 2004 season of the Baltimore Ravens. Little, Brown will have an impressive 125,000-copy first printing and Feinstein will work the national media circuit.
Juiced Up SportsSteroids and athletes aren't going to go away. Now comes Romo: My Jekyll and Hyde Life by Bill Romanowski with Adam Schefter. Former all-pro NFL linebacker Romanowski has written a book about his career that PW's reviewer described as "30% football and 70% apothecary." Morrow has embargoed Romo, but expect big things from it this fall with a printing of 75,000 copies and an appearance on 60 Minutes.
Red Sox Nation (Continued)Most of the Red Sox books came out in the spring, but there are two latecomers to the list. First, Now I Can Die in Peace by Bill Simmons from ESPN will be going back to press before pub date and will have 50,000 copies in print. Mind Game: How the Boston Red Sox Got Smart, Won a World Series, and Created a New Blue Print for Winning by Steven Goldman and the writers of Baseball Prospectus is the thinking man's guide to major league success. "In one sense, it's Moneyball's sequel," says R.D. Rosen, senior editor, Workman Publishing. A 35,000-copy first printing will be backed by Boston bookstore signings and a 20-city radio satellite tour in October.
Also of NoteA Week in the Life of NASCAR
75,000 first printing
"No other writer or photographer has even been allowed the privileged access that the NASCAR Scenewriters/photographers were granted for this book." —Mitch Rogatz, publisher/owner, Triumph Books
Dark Horses and Underdogs by Les Krantz
100,000 first printing
"The DVD, narrated by Jim Lampley, plus the beautifully illustrated text made it an extraordinary project." —Rick Wolff, v-p/executive editor, Warner
If Football's a Religion, Why Don't We Have a Prayer? by Jere Longman
30,000 first printing
"This is a hilarious look at Eagles fans' operatic passion in the build-up to the team's first appearance in the Super Bowl in 23 years. —David Hirshey, senior v-p/executive editor, HarperCollins
Scoring in the Red Zone by Spencer Tillman
30,000 first printing
"Any football fan will instantly connect with the red zone [business] analogy." —Jonathan Merkh, senior v-p/publisher, Nelson Books & Nelson Business
Crimson Storm Surgeby Christopher J. Walsh
15,000 first printing
"This book not only details Alabama's rich football legacy, but the scandals surrounding the program in the last few years and how the school emerged from them." —Rick Rinehart, editorial director, Taylor Trade/Rowman & Littlefield