A Load of Balls: Round Things to Hit, Kick, Throw, Pot, Pass, Smash and Catch - Hardcover

Alderson, Alf

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1848184042 ISBN 13: 9781848184046

Publisher: Know the Score Books, 2009

Synopsis

Why is a rugby ball oval? How long was the longest volleyball rally? What is the fastest a tennis ball has been served at? Find the answer to all of these questions and many more in A Load of Balls. As a nation of sports nuts Britain knows as much about the games it watches as any on earth, but what about the balls with which top notch professionals, and for that matter we humble participants, play with regularly? Did you know French King Charles VIII died after banging his head playing "real" tennis in April 1498? Or that Aboriginees in Australia played the original Aussies Rules with inflated Possum skins? Or that King Henry VIII bowled with cannon balls? Or that the original hockey ball was a cube? If not then you need to delve into A Load of Balls and avail yourself of its plethora of spherical and ovoid facts, beautifully illustrated by cartoonist Tony Kitchell. All known ball sports on the planet will be covered, including major sports such as football, cricket, rugby and tennis, through to the lesser known but equally fascinating Korfball, Tacraw, Torball, Gaelic Football and Stoolball.

About this title

About the Author

Award-winning Alf Alderson writes regularly for The Guardian, Independent on Sunday, Mail on Sunday and Daily Telegraph, along with a wide variety of travel magazines including Conde Nast Traveller, Coast, Ski and French magazine. He has appeared on Radio 4, ITV & BBC TV and is obsessed with all things round and bouncy.

Edition details

• Publisher: Know the Score Books
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1848184042
• ISBN 13: 9781848184046
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Kitchell Tony
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 160