Most wanted

There’s an interesting series of books published by Brassey’s of Virginia and they’re of the "most wanted" variety.

You’ll be amused and entertained reading the funny top 10 lists of some unique categories in sports.

The "most wanted" series includes books on basketball (the top 10 book of hoops’ outrageous dunkers, incredible buzzer-beaters and other oddities), boxing (the top 10 book of champs, chumps and punch-drunk palookas), baseball part 1 (the top 10 book of the national pastime’s outrageous offenders, lucky bouncers and other oddities), baseball part 2 (the top 10 book of more bad hops, screwball players and other oddities), the world series (the top 10 book of championship teams, broken dreams and October oddities), football (the top 10 book of the great game’s outrageous characters, fortunate fumbles and other oddities), wrestling (the top 10 book of pro wrestling’s outrageous performers, punishing piledrivers and other oddities), golf (the top 10 book of golf’s outrageous duffers, deadly divots and other oddities), soccer (the top 10 book of clumsy keepers, clever crosses and outlandish oddities) and NASCAR (the top 10 book of outrageous drivers, wild wrecks and other oddities).

Brassey’s "most wanted" series includes non-sports books in rock ‘n roll and country music. But that’s a story for the entertainment section.

You’ll get a kick out of the "most wanted" lists in basketball–all 68 of them.

For instance, there’s a list of the 10 tallest players ever–8-foot Suleiman Ali Nashnash who played for the Libyan national team in 1962, 7-7 Gheorghe Muresan, 7-7 Manute Bol, 7-2 Artis Gilmore, 7-6 Shawn Bradley, 7-4 Ralph Sampson, 7-4 Rik Smits, 7-4 Mark Eaton, 7-4 Tom Burleson and 7-3 Swede Halbrook. The list excludes North Korean 7-9 giant Ri Myong Hun and 7-5 Chinese star Yao Ming.

What about the game’s small packages? The list identifies 4-11 Debbie Brock, 5-foot Abe Saperstein, 5-3 Muggsy Bogues, 5-4 Bunny Levitt, 5-4 Barney Sedran, 5-7 Spud Webb, 5-8 Johnny O’Brien, 5-9 Calvin Murphy, 5-9 Murray Wier and 5-9 Chet Forte.

In the category of free throw woes, the list singles out Steve Lingenfelter who played here briefly in the early ’80s. Lingenfelter played for Washington and Seattle in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He converted 5-of-7 field goals but went 0-of-6 from the line in his 10 NBA outings.

In blown leads, the book notes Duke’s 74-72 win over Tulane in 1950 when the Blue Devils came back from a 27-point halftime deficit, Kentucky’s 99-95 win over Louisiana in 1994 after trailing by 31 with 15:30 left and the Milwaukee Bucks’ 87-86 decision over the New York Knicks who led, 86-68, with 5:50 to go (that meant the Bucks closed the game with a 19-0 burst).

In homecourt advantage, there’s a tribute to the Indiana Pacers streakers. In a game against Atlanta in 1981, the Pacers were treated to an unexpected strip show as four topless dancers removed their blouses in the stands. The exotic dancers brought a halt to the contest as players, coaches, fans and referees turned to witness the sideshow. Spike Lee and Jack Nicholson were cited as two of the most rabid NBA fans ever.

The "most wanted" book in boxing has 50 lists including debut debacles, female firsts, boxing musicians, boxing b-ballers, boxing brothers, prison boxers, dirty fighters, controversial decisions, hapless heavyweights, worst ring tragedies, youngest champions, come-from-behind kayoes and greatest punchers.

Filipino Ben Villaflor made it to the youngest champions list. He turned pro at 14 and won the World Boxing Association superfeatherweight crown at 19. Mike Tyson was cited as the youngest heavyweight titlist in history. Iron Mike was 20 when he stopped Trevor Berbick for the World Boxing Council crown in 1986.

The dirty fighters roster named Amos Smith, Fritzie Zivic, Harry Greb, Tony Galento, Eusebio Pedroza, Tyson, Andrew Golota, Roberto Duran and Evander Holyfield. The list should’ve included Agapito Sanchez.

In the fathers and sons list of fighters are Joe and Marvis Frazier, Floyd Mayweather Sr. and Jr., Bill and Buster Douglas, Guty Espadas Sr. and Jr., Joe and Chris Byrd, Lenny and Ray Mancini, Floyd and Tracy Harris Patterson, Hector Camacho Sr. and Jr., Tom and Peter McNeeley and Leon and Cory Spinks. Excluded were the Peñalosas (Carl and sons Dodie Boy and Gerry) and the Loronas (Baby Sr. and Jr.).

If you’re a sports nut, you’ll enjoy the "most wanted" series. It’s a bonus to be able to read something fresh and light in the wake of controversies that haunt the world of sports.