Everybody knows that Jackie Robinson broke the color line in Major League Baseball. Bill Littlefield reviews a book that covers interactions between black and white baseball players before 1947.

In his new book, The Empire Strikes Out: How Baseball Sold U.S. Foreign Policy And Promoted The American Way Abroad, Robert Elias explains how America’s pastime has proven to be more than just a game. With spring training underway, Bill shares his thoughts on the book.

Rus Bradburd’s new book, Forty Minutes of Hell: The Extraordinary Life of Nolan Richardson, tells the story of one of the first black coaches to run a basketball team at a predominantly white college, and how he led the University of Arkansas to the 1994 National Championship. Bill reviews the book and takes his own look at Richardson’s career.

Mark Yost’s new book, Varsity Green: A Behind the Scenes Look At Culture and Corruption In College Athletics, condemns the state of today’s major college programs. Bill reviews the book and admires the author’s passion, but doesn’t think the NCAA will be making ethical overhauls any time soon.

Throughout his storied career, the Say Hey Kid dominated the game and earned the admiration of baseball fans everywhere. Among those fans was Bill Littlefield, who could hardly wait to review James Hirsch’s new book, Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend.

Per NHL tradition, every player on the team that wins the Stanley Cup gets to take the trophy home, regardless of where they live. Needless to say, this custom has sent the Cup on a number of adventures, the best of which Kevin Allen captures in his new book Then Wayne Said to Mario: The Best Stanley Cup Stories Ever Told.

At Beijing in 2008, Henry Cejudo became the youngest American ever to win an Olympic wrestling gold medal. In his new book, American Victory: Wrestling, Dreams, and a Journey Toward Home, he narrates his remarkable story of determination and survival, and shares his version of the American Dream.

When it comes to U.S. basketball in the Olympics, it’s easy to focus on the glory days of the past two decades. But where did it all begin, and how did it get to this point? In turning back the clock in his new book, American Hoops: U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball From Berlin to Beijing, Carson Cunningham reveals that Team USA hasn’t always been a “dream team,” and that in its extensive history, the program has certainly come a long way.

Alabama plays Texas for the BCS National Championship this week, which makes it a good time to look back on Alabama’s other national titles. Bill Littlefield reviews “Twelve and Counting: The National Championships of Alabama Football.”

Each year since 1991, Glenn Stout, the series editor for Houghton Mifflin’s The Best American Sports Writing, has read a lot of stories set in sports. And each year he has sent the best of them to the guest editor of the volume. This time around, that was author Leigh Montville, late of Sports Illustrated and, before that, The Boston Globe.