Sports

Frank Deford, senior writer for Sports Illustrated and a commentator on National Public Radio's "Morning Edition." Some of his best essays from Sports Illustrated have been collected in a book titled The World's Tallest Midget.

Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson, a star player for the Dallas Cowboys throughout the 70s. He fell victim to a cocaine addiction and was one of the first professional athletes to admit to his problem.

Writer John Krich is working on a book about baseball in Latin America. He is particularly interested in the sport's cultural role in countries dealing with armed conflicts and political upheavals.

Journalist Michael Hamburger took a break from his career to work as a caddy on a professional golf tour. His book, The Green Road Home, details what was expected of him, from carrying bags to providing emotional support.

Sportswriter Frank Deford has a new collection of his work for Sport Illustrated called The World's Tallest Midget. He says writing long form pieces has helped sustain his career; he'd falter under the pressure of a daily deadline.

Tom Boswell covers sports for the Washington Post. He's collected his writing about golf in a new book called Strokes of Genius.

The novelist's new nonfiction book is a meditation on the violent, intense sport, which her father exposed her to when she was a child. Despite her interest in boxing, Oates finds it difficult to watch live fights.

Bill James publishes yearly collections of baseball statistics. From the data he compiles, James sees narratives emerge about the sport and its athletes.

The sportscaster started off as a catcher before becoming a sportscaster covering the New York Mets. His career in baseball has spanned four decades.

Veteran football player Rosey Grier never imagined a life in sports, but his imposing figure helped him distinguish himself in the NFL. Later in life, he worked as a bodyguard for Bobby Kennedy, and was present when the presidential candidate was assassinated.