By David Hill

If someone is certified to speak about activity in Australia, it is David Hill. during this booklet, with the advantage of his years of non-public adventure either enjoying and dealing within the wearing international, he vividly narrates its upward push in Australia because the finish of the 19th century, from the 1st cricket journey of britain in 1868 by means of an Australian staff - an Aboriginal staff - to our earliest successes on the Olympics in 1896, while Edwin Flack used to be the single Australian competitor and gained gold medals, to the golden age of the Fifties whilst Australia governed the area in tennis, swimming and athletics.

during this publication David additionally remembers his battles as president of the North Sydney Bears with tobacco sponsorship foyer teams; his coup as coping with director of the ABC in paying for the printed rights for the AFL; his gargantuan efforts to wash up football as chairman of football Australia. And he is taking us in the course of the shift in recreation from the relative innocence of the novice period to its commercialisation, which, over the years, has absolutely contributed to the uglier aspects of our nationwide obsession: the corruption, the medicine, the sexism and racism. Have we plunged to a nadir lately, or are those features of our carrying state an inevitable and everlasting impression of the necessity to succeed?

This e-book is a riveting, own tackle a subject matter that such a lot of Australians keep on with fanatically - a must-read for activities fanatics, but in addition a compelling, revealing account in the event you have by no means really understood the charm of our nationwide obsession.

Show description

Read or Download The Fair and the Foul: Inside Our Sporting Nation PDF

Best australian & oceanian history books

Australians: 1

During this commonly acclaimed quantity, bestselling writer Thomas Keneally brings to existence the tremendous diversity of characters who've shaped our nationwide tale. Convicts and Aborigines, settlers and infantrymen, patriots and reformers, bushrangers and gold seekers, it really is from their lives and their tales that he has woven a colourful background to do complete justice to the wealthy and vibrant nature of our exact nationwide personality.

Old Bucky & Me: Dispatches from the Christchurch Earthquake

On February 22, 2011, journalist Jane Bowron have been residing in her fatherland of Christchurch, New Zealand, while town was once struck through a significance 6. three earthquake, merely 5 months after a 7. 1 earthquake. whereas the 1st quake had brought on harm yet no fatalities, the second one turned the last word horror tale: complete suburbs have been decimated, homes collapsed, hillsides fell away, and folks have been killed or trapped in rubble and raging fires.

Patched: The History of Gangs in New Zealand

The Devil's Henchmen throwing Molotov cocktails on the Epitaph Riders in Christchurch's first gang battle. top Minister Rob Muldoon surrounded via Black energy individuals on the Royal Tiger Tavern in Wellington. The Magogs and the moms, PEP schemes and P purchasers, patches and ridgies, colors and sophistication: for 5 a long time gangs have had an enormous influence on New Zealand lifestyles.

Australians and the First World War: Local-Global Connections and Contexts

This publication contributes to the worldwide flip in First international warfare stories by means of exploring Australians’ engagements with the clash throughout various barriers and via situating Australian voices and views inside broader, extra advanced contexts. This varied and multifaceted assortment contains chapters at the composition and contribution of the Australian Imperial strength, the studies of prisoners of struggle, nurses and pink go staff, the resonances of in a foreign country occasions for Australians at domestic, and the cultural legacies of the conflict via remembrance and illustration.

Additional info for The Fair and the Foul: Inside Our Sporting Nation

Example text

Download PDF sample

Rated 4.79 of 5 – based on 47 votes