In The ESPN Mighty Book of Sports Knowledge, Steve Wulf, acclaimed author and founding editor of ESPN The Magazine, delivers an arena’s worth of sporting wisdom, trivia, best-of lists, curiosities, legendary feats, and sacred objects–from the magic of Lou Gehrig’s farewell speech to the lore of hockey’s Stanley Cup to the art of the perfectly thrown Wiffle Ball pitch. Written to remind us all why we love the games, this indispensable reference features contributions from the finest minds at ESPN, as well as guidance from actual professionals. Inside you’ll discover

• twenty-five of the greatest sporting nicknames
• the keys to being a mascot
• what happens during a pit stop
• the five best (worst?) on-field temper tantrums
• a tour of Donovan McNabb’s locker
• how Wayne Gretzky tapes his sticks
• the unbeatable secret of rock-paper-scissors
• how to tape an ankle, fold a paper football, hit a hole in one, whistle with your fingers, throw a knuckleball, jump rope like a champ, and oil a baseball glove
• advice from star athletes–learn to run routes like Jerry Rice, take a penalty kick like Landon Donovan, fake opponents out like Chris Paul, and put on your socks the John Wooden way

The ESPN Mighty Book of Sports Knowledge is the perfect antidote to our video-game culture and an essential gift for any fan who ever dreamed of throwing a tight spiral in a Super Bowl, closing out a World Series game, or lining up a putt to win a major. In other words, it’s a book for the young and the young at heart.

An indoor basketball hoop with the look, function, and durability of a professional hoop, the SKLZ Pro Mini small-scale basketball system changes the face of over-the-door basketball hoops forever. Goodbye Nerf hoops, hello realism. The Pro Mini features an 18-by-12-inch clear shatterproof polycarbonate backboard, giving it the appearance of the hoops at your favorite NBA arena. Even better, the Pro Mini includes a pro-grade, spring-action breakaway steel rim. Want to throw it down like Dwight Howard or LeBron? The breakaway rim will snap down and back up as you jam, protecting your hands with every dunk. It's the perfect gift for the basketball freak in your family, and makes a great addition to the home, office, or dorm room.

The easy-to-assemble Pro Mini--which mounts over your door or on the wall--includes foam padding on the door mounts to protect the paint and comes with a 5-inch-diameter mini basketball. The Pro Mini comes with a 90-day warranty.

Key Details:

• Easy assembly and mounting over-the-door or wall
• Foam padded side on door mounts
• Includes 5-inch diameter Pro Mini Hoop Basketball
• 9-inch diameter spring-action break-away steel rim
• 18- by 12-inch clear polycarbonate shatter-proof backboard

What's in the Box?
SKLZ Pro Mini Hoop basketball system, 5-inch mini basketball

About SKLZ
The flagship brand of Pro Performance Sports LLC, SKLZ was built around the popularity of the company's legendary baseball swing trainer, the Hit-A-Way. After starting with a complete line of baseball and softball trainers, the company expanded into football, tennis, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, basketball, and golf training products. Headquartered in San Diego, the SKLZ team consists of both seasoned professionals and young upstarts in the sporting goods industry who are passionate about delivering the best skill development products to athletes of all ages.

The SKLZ Pro Mini Hoop System attaches easily over your door or on the wall.

In The 30 Greatest Sports Conspiracy Theories of All Time, long-time TV sports statistician and self-professed skeptic Elliott Kalb examines the most notable conspiracies in sports history, from Major League baseball, the NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA, Olympics, NASCAR, the horse track and the prize ring.

Separating fact from myth, Kalb attempts to determine which of these long-held conspiracy theories hold water, and which ones fall flat under scrutiny. Ranking the conspiracies from 1 to 30 and the likelihood of each conspiracy from 1 to 5, Kalb boldly asks:

• Did baseball avoid integration in the 1930s and 1940s with an unwritten agreement?
• Was Super Bowl III a fixed game?
• Did Sonny Liston throw both of his fights vs. Muhammad Ali?
• Was the NBA’s first-ever draft lottery fixed?
• Why did Michael Jordan really retire from basketball the first time?
• Are some NASCAR race outcomes too good to be true?
• Did the New England Patriots cheat their way to a dynasty?
• What really happened at the 1921 Kentucky Derby?
• Why weren’t any Japanese players signed to major league contracts from 1965-1995?
• And much more!