George Plimpton On Sports

“There are people who would perhaps call me a dilettante, because it looks as though I’m having too much fun. I have never been convinced there’s anything inherently wrong in having fun.” — George Plimpton

George Plimpton on Sports collects the best writing–the most observant, the most acerbic, the most humane, and the most fun–from George Plimpton’s long career as the consummate and prototypical participatory sports journalist. Included are excerpts from his book-length work, as well as articles that have appeared in Sports Illustrated and other magazines and sporting journals, that range from golf and bowling to his experiences trying out for quarterback with the Detroit Lions and pitching to the Major League All-Stars, to sparring a couple of rounds with one of the toughest boxers in the sport.

Always an acute observer and sardonic humorist, Plimpton pokes gentle fun at himself and those foibles of society showcased so dramatically in sport, while at the same time demonstrating what is most noble and admirable in the pursuit of dreams, even when those dreams remain clearly and ineluctably out of reach. In each of the chapters of this volume, Plimpton, with quiet charm, shows us that it’s truly not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.

Included are excerpts from several of his book-length works, as well as articles that have appeared in Sports Illustrated, Harper’s, The New York Times, Esquire, Tennis Week, and other newspapers, magazines, and sporting journals. This volume is a clear testimony to Plimpton’s incredible range of interests, his lifelong passion for sport, and his pursuit of the quiet moments within the tumult of modern sports–and life.