The Not-So-Great Moments in Sports

Filled with trivia, this book recounts famous mistakes (Roy Riegel's running the wrong way in the 1919 Rose Bowl; Hale Irwin's missing the ball in the British Open) as well as entertaining if less memorable events, such as the George Brett pine tar brouhaha and Dave Winfield's killing of a seagull. Also included are chronologies of sports ""bad boys'': every Billy Martin fight, the Woody Hayes brawls, Bobby Knight's temper tantrums and the on-court antics of Ilie Nastase. Not everything in the book is enjoyable, though; accounts of the gambling activities of pitcher Denny McLain and quarterback Art Schlichter, the 1933 Dirty Derby, the 1919 Black Sox scandal, and the many fixed boxing matches and basketball games all show a sad, seamy side to sports. Must reading for the diehard fan. Photos not seen by PW. January