Since the first annual state football champion was crowned in 1920, Texas has never been the same. Today, millions of Texans gather in stadiums across the Lone Star State, eagerly awaiting that magical mid- to late-December moment when the season comes to its dramatic conclusion. Of the 391 high schools reaching the championship matchup, only a handful--26--have won the title four times or more, laying claim to the coveted moniker "dynasty." From Waco High School's fourth title win in 1927 to Stamford's fourth official win in 2012, writer and lifelong football enthusiast Rick Sherrod traces the "best of the best" in this pigskin empire across ninety-three action-packed seasons.

The year 1964 was momentous for civil rights as Congress passed the Twenty-fourth Amendment and Texas's own Lyndon B. Johnson unveiled his plan for the Great Society. That same year, the Plano school district integrated, setting an example for the state and nation. The tightknit community banded together through a language fluent to everyone--football. The Wildcats had few winning seasons and no state titles at that time, but with hard work and a trailblazing spirit, coaches Tom Gray and John Clark led the integrated team all the way to state championship victory in 1965. The Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc. presents the inspiring story of the Wildcat fight for the title that made Plano a better place to live.

Telling an inspiring, largely unknown story, Thursday Night Lights recounts how African American high school football programs produced championship teams and outstanding players during the Jim Crow era.

When it comes to sports, Texas more than earns its bragging rights. The Lone Star State has produced championship teams and legendary athletes not only in football, baseball, and basketball, but in dozens of other sports as well. Texas Sports celebrates more than a century of achievements in a day-by-day record of the people and events—both unforgettable and little-known—that have made Texas a powerhouse in the world of sports. Chad S. Conine packs a wealth of sports facts and stories into 366 days. He ranges from firsts such as UT’s first football game (an 1893 win against Dallas University Football Club) to peak moments such as Earl Campbell running through defenders, Nolan Ryan throwing heat past baffled batters, and Babe Didrickson Zaharias winning the Western Open golf championship for the fourth time. Conine covers more than twenty-five sports and all levels from high school to professional, reminding us that if Texas had never seen a pigskin or a backboard, its sports legacy would still be secure. With a winning combination of victories and heartbreaks, men’s and women’s sports, and all regions of the state, Texas Sports is a must-read for all sports fans and trivia buffs.

My son asked me to write the things I did while growing up. The two chapters I thought I could write became forty-four chapters. My memories are happy moments, as I grew up during the Depression in a wonderful Christian home six miles south of Littlefield, Texas. The moment my Father saw me, he called me his Plains Angel. My Mother was a kind and thoughtful person with a precious disposition and always spoke with positive words. Living with my brothers and sisters was like having my best friends with me at all times. Life was great even with the sandstorms turning our daylight to darkness, planting black-eye peas instead of cotton because of little rainfall, gathering eggs from tall haystacks, hoeing cotton from dawn to dusk, and learning how to preserve fruits, vegetables, and meat for our winter food. My Father was a great farmer and helped provide electricity and a party-line telephone system to our rural community. He is known as Mr. REA (Rural Electrification Administration) in Littlefield, Texas. I researched my Littlefield School system in 1913 and found Mr. George W. Littlefield had donated land for a one-room school building. Ms. Willie Armstrong taught school in April, May, and June with a yearly salary of forty dollars. My dream to help children and fill their lives with sunshine came true the day I began my teaching career in Plainview, Texas. After writing about World War I, World War II, and the following wars, I have a better understanding what my two brothers and other family members must have endured. I am thankful my three wonderful sons – Terry, Dale, and Randy with their adventures at home, church, school, Scout trips, did not have to experience the pain of war. My life has been blessed with a wonderful husband, three great sons that are successful, a great daughter-in-law, and two precious grandchildren, Trevor and Lane. My joyful memories growing up on a Littlefield farm with my wonderful family gave me the foundation I needed for my life’s adventures and accomplishment. Bonnie Faye James Gaston

"New York Times bestselling, award-winning historian S.C. Gwynne tells the incredible story of how Hal Mumme and Mike Leach--two unknown coaches who revolutionized American football in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s--changed the way the game is played at every level, from high school to the NFL"--

"Now in its twelfth edition, Sociology of Sport offers a compact yet comprehensive and integrated perspective on sport in North American society. Bringing a unique viewpoint to the subject, George H. Sage, D. Stanley Eitzen, Becky Beal, and Matthew Atencio analyze and, in turn, demythologize sport. This method promotes an understanding of how a sociological perspective differs from commonsense perceptions about sport and society, helping students to understand sport in a new way"--

“What difference does it make?”, the corner-stone quote of Hillary Clinton preparing for an election. That same statement can be applied today when coaches want instant gratification bypassing basic fundamentals of the sport they are coaching. Learning the fundamentals of any sport is a long process and doesn’t happen over-night. High school coaches that stay in high school, teach basic fundamentals helping everyone understand that there is no shortcut to success is what this book is about. Is there any sports fan who didn’t have a high school coach that make a difference in their life? This book covers all sports in the Texas Panhandle/Plains region governed by the UIL. There is a section for each sport showing the history of high school state championships between this area and other regions. What makes this book different is the legendary coaches are nominated by their peers and is about high school coaches only.

Mark Spitz is arguably the most famous and successful Olympic athlete of all time because of his legendary performances at the 1972 Olympics, where he won seven gold medals while breaking seven world records. His amazing life story is told for the first time in the authorized biography Mark Spitz: The Extraordinary Life of an Olympic Champion. This exclusive account follows Spitz’s roller-coaster career: age-group prodigy, four-medal "flop" at the 1968 Olympics, outstanding collegiate career at Indiana University, gold-medal haul in 1972, lucrative endorsements, and a brief and unsuccessful stint in entertainment. And the meatier stories—the role his father played in his career, his often stormy relationship with coaches and teammates, his experiences as a Jewish athlete with anti-Semitism and the Munich massacre, his impact on the commercialization of swimming, his relationship with Michael Phelps, and others—have been largely unknown, ignored, barely touched upon, or distorted. Mark Spitz: The Extraordinary Life of an Olympic Champion provides insights into Spitz’s career, behind-the-scenes anecdotes about him and his competitors, and untold stories that shed light on his complicated personality and relationship with his father. Old and new fans alike will appreciate the depth and details of this swimming icon’s story.