Fathers & Sons: Stories of How Sport Builds Lifelong Bonds - Hardcover

A celebration of one of the central ties that binds sporting generations, this series of photo-essays pays tribute to famous athlete fathers and sons: The Hills--Calvin and Grant; the Griffeys--Ken Senior and Ken Junior; the Mannings--Archie and Peyton; the baseball Ripkins; the NASCAR Earnharts and Pettys; the hockey Hulls. Some of the stories--Doug Flutie and his autistic son, John Elway and the father who coached him, and the three generations of McGwires--are quite poignant, with perspectives and insights that reach beyond the field: "(My son) knows what his dad has done," offers slugger Mark McGwire on the heels of the incredible 1998 season his young son was such a visible part of, "but he just knows me as a dad. And that's the most important thing." That kind of reality check pops up throughout Fathers & Sons, guiding home its message that heroic fathers stand atop pedestals built on self-sacrifice, hard work, love, and triumph over adversity. If it goes overboard at times on its own sweetness, that's the book's intention. Still, you'll find testimonials worth respecting, and lessons worth learning. --Jeff Silverman