Sports fiction recommendations

[Revealingstorm]

Hey guys, I was wondering if any one you knew any good sports fiction out there. I've looked all over the Internet but haven't found anything. I really like Friday night lights and I was looking for something similar to that.

[JBI]

Shoeless Joe Jackson, the short story that they based Field of Dreams and a fallout novel after, can't remember the author now, but he is Canadian.

[bounty]

shoeless joe---the author's name is kinsella and i loved the book...smiles...

storm, your header mentions "fiction" but then you bring up friday night lights? are you looking for fiction or non-fiction? along the lines of the latter, i also loved "in these girls, hope is a muscle", and "little league confidential" was a delightful and easy to read book.

[Revealingstorm]

Ah I guess Friday night lights isn't fiction. I always seem to forget that because it feels like fiction.(To me at least)

[Revealingstorm]

Oh yeah, I wanted to add one more thing. The reason I like Friday night lights is because it has to deal with these kids having to work with all this pressure under there shoulders while trying to win a state championship. I guess it doesn't matter if its fiction or non-fiction really.( I wonder if I can change the thread title :p )

[novelsryou]

Was the movie Rollerball based on a book?

Edit: Found this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollerball_(1975_film)). Based on a short story.

[kasie]

I hesitate to mention John Grisham in such august surroundings, but I really enjoyed Bleachers - even though I don't understand a thing about American Football. :D

[wessexgirl]

The only sporting novel I can think of off the top of my head is
This Sporting Life, by David Storey, (I think). It is not a contemporary novel, but is from the 60's, and is excellent. It's about Rugby League so if you are from the other side of the pond to me, you may not be interested, if you don't know the sport, but it's worth a go.

[johann cruyff]

Ah,someone's got to say it: Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch. I know it's not sports fiction,but hey,you might like it.

[kratsayra]

Ah,someone's got to say it: Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch. I know it's not sports fiction,but hey,you might like it.

aww, you beat me to it. :)

revealing, I liked Friday Night Lights a lot too. I attended school with the author's son, which is why I found out about it.

[JBI]

How about Don Juan... That's a sport to him at least.

[mortalterror]

Ring Lardner had a pretty good reputation, once upon a time. Also, Hemingway wrote some very good fishing, boxing, and bull fighting stories.

[J.D.]

Dead Solid Perfect by Dan Jenkins is a stellar golf novel. Malamud's The Natural is a great baseball book.

[hellsapoppin]

"The Cricket Match" by Hugh de Selincourt.

Great fiction.

[hellsapoppin]

Cracker Stanton by Noel Sainsbury, Jr (once considered one of the greatest sports novels of all time; however, it is now considered quite dated)

Iron Duke by John R Tunis


Also, Clair Bee who coached at LIU in Brooklyn, NY wrote many short stories and novelettes about sports.

[hellsapoppin]

The Abysmal Brute by Jack London.

London wrote several books about pro boxing. However, there is a racist undercurrent in his books as dark skinned fighters are projected as atavistic types while white skinned fighters are projected as pure hearted heroes.

[hellsapoppin]

One of the most popular sports/detective series in Latin American history is El Santo:



http://membres.lycos.fr/starmars/marsfilm/santo_affmex.jpg



And believe you me, it may have been the best ever!:)


By the way, El Santo wrestled professionally for over 20 years and held the Championship belt for a long time.