Classic Wiley: A Lifetime of Punchers, Players, Punks and Prophets (Great American Sportswriters) [Hardcover]

Ralph Wiley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 22, 2005 | Series: Great American Sportswriters (Book 1)

The definitive collection from the late Ralph Wiley-pioneering journalist, acclaimed author of Why Black People Tend to Shout, and a towering voice in the world of sportswriting hen Ralph Wiley, a columnist for ESPN.com and a former writer for Sports Illustrated, passed away on June 13, 2004, he left behind a rich legacy of written work. This volume brings together Wiley's best feature stories from Sports Illustrated, columns from ESPN.com, his 'Parting Shots' from the ESPN television show The Sports Reporters, and excerpts from his books and screenplays.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ralph Wiley was a weekly columnist for "Page 2" on ESPN.com and a regular contributor to other ESPN productions. One of the original NFL Insiders on NBC, he also wrote articles for Sports Illustrated, Premiere, GQ, National Geographic, and many national newspapers. His books include Serenity: A Boxing Memoir and Why Black People Tend To Shout. He co-authored Born to Play with Eric Davis, Growing Up King with Dexter Scott King and the children of Martin Luther King Jr., and, with filmmaker Spike Lee, By Any Means Necessary: The Trials and Tribulations of the Making of Malcolm X and Best Seat in the House. Ralph Wiley passed away on June 13, 2004, from heart failure at the age of 52.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 257 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion Books; 1st edition (June 22, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933060018
• ISBN-13: 978-1933060019
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #740,845 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, October 11, 2005

By 

JD "JD" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Classic Wiley: A Lifetime of Punchers, Players, Punks and Prophets (Great American Sportswriters) (Hardcover)

Wiley, Ralph. Classic Wiley. Hyperion: USA, 2005

Heart

Home Library

Collection of work

A collection of the best work from the late Ralph Wiley, this is not just a collection of his best work but also a look into the life and mind of one of the most influential African-American sports journalist. We see how Ralph Wiley responds to certain historical sports moments/ issues, such as minority owner ship, Mike Tyson and September 11.

Although this book is a collection of Wiley's greatest work it is much more than that. This book illustrates the unique writing style of Ralph Wiley. Wiley exemplifies a style that is brash and to the point yet not arrogant. He writes in a way that you respect his stand on issues even though you may not agree with it. One of Ralph Wiley's favorite sports to cover was boxing he was made famous by his articles in the Oakland Tribune about Roberto Duran's famous "No mas" and his depiction of fights like Leonard vs. Hearns II. Theses pieces are what sprang Wiley's name into the infamous Sports Illustrated which he was a writer for since the late 80's. After SI he continued to have success as a columnist for ESPN.com. The columns he wrote there were extremely personal. Columns such as WWJD (What Would Jackie Robinson Do), His response to the lack of African American ownership in the new millennium expressed his built up anger of major sports. Also his article Why We Need Sports Now sent a message to American people following the terrorist attack of 9/11.The book is excellent and a great book for any aspiring journalist.

5.0 out of 5 stars Too much ESPN, but still great, March 4, 2010

By 

W. Erik Hall "sports reader" (Spring Valley, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Classic Wiley: A Lifetime of Punchers, Players, Punks and Prophets (Great American Sportswriters) (Hardcover)

I'm glad I picked up this book because Wiley's writing is captivating.

Too many of the stories in this book are from a column he did for [...], and those columns do not have the legs of his magazine pieces. Only the story about Michael Jordan and Babe Ruth was very memorable from his ESPN columns.

The entries in the book from his magazine writing are amazing. Some of the best writing that I have ever read. I read the book over the past year, and his stories on the 1980s Mets, Sugar Ray Robinson and others are just terrific.

It's a great collection of work by a great writer.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wiley's Greatest, October 30, 2008

By 

T. T. Mitchell (Liverpool, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Classic Wiley: A Lifetime of Punchers, Players, Punks and Prophets (Great American Sportswriters) (Hardcover)

Talk about a compilation of one's greatest hits. It's a shame Ralph Wiley left this earth way too early, because it would have been great to see if he could have improved on what was already some of the most superlative writing I've ever read. Wiley was a king, and a great example for everyone else to follow. If you want to be a writer, read this to see what writing is all about.