Books on Sports and Sports Personalities Quiz

Answer: Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson managed Manchester United from 1986 to 2013. During his 26 years of management, he won 49 major honors securing 38 major titles including 13 English Premier League and 2 UEFA Champions Leagues.

In this book, he shared his methods of managing his elite players, which can be applied to business and organizational management.

Answer: South Sudan

Lopez Lomong (born 1985) is a South Sudanese-born American track and field athlete and a two-time Olympian, in 2008 and 2012. In 1991, when he was six years old, he was kidnapped by the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Army during the Second Sudanese Civil War. He managed to escape with the help of three older boys. He ran for three days and finally reached a refugee camp in Kenya, where he spent 10 years.

In 2001, he went to the U.S. through a Catholic Charities program, and was adopted by an American family in New York. In 2007, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen. In the same year, he became a two-time NCAA champion in indoor 3000m and outdoor 1500m.

In 2008, he qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympic, and was chosen as the flag bearer for the U.S. team. He competed in the 1,500m in Beijing and the 5,000 m at the 2012 London Olympics.

Answer: Phil Jackson

Phil Jackson is probably the most successful head coach in NBA history, winning 11 championships, six with Chicago Bulls, and five with L.A. Lakers.

In the book, he talks about the tumultuous 2003-2004 season. The season started with high expectation, with the team featuring two superstars Shaquille O' Neal and Kobe Bryant, supported by veteran stars Karl Malone and Gary Payton; it ended in disappointment. Strongly favored to win the NBA title, L.A. Lakers were defeated by Detroit Pistons 1-4 in the 2004 NBA Finals.

The season was affected by constant tension and public feuds between the two superstars. Kobe Bryant was distracted after being charged with felony sexual assault on July 2003. The case was later dismissed in September 2004 when the accuser refused to testify.

Answer: Niki Lauda

Three-time Formula One world champion Niki Lauda suffered a near-fatal crash during the 1976 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. He was trapped in his Ferrari, sustained severe burns, and was given the last rites in hospital.

He displayed superhuman determination to survive and miraculously returned to racing in only 33 days, at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. The book also covers his intense rivalry with British driver James Hunt, which was made into the 2013 film "Rush".

Answer: Australian Open

Roger Federer retired on September 23, 2022 after the Laver Cup in London. In his professional career spanning 24 years, he won 20 Grand Slam titles (later surpassed by Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic). He secured a total of 103 ATP Tour singles titles.

In the book, he talks about his career in his early years, including his struggle to control his temper on the court and the pivotal role of his late coach, Peter Carter. He also talks about his rivalries with tennis superstars Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

In 2017, he made a remarkable late-career resurgence winning the Australian Open after a long injury layoff. In the same year, he also won Wimbledon for the eighth time. His 20th and final Grand Slam title was the 2018 Australian Open (sixth title), which he won at the age of 36.

Answer: 9.58

Usain Bolt is the first man to win three consecutive 100m and 200m in Olympic history, winning in 2008 (Beijing), 2012 (London) and 2016 (Rio). The missing time is 9.58 seconds, the 100m world record he set at the 2009 World Athletics Championship in Berlin.

The book describes his humble beginnings in rural Jamaica, his early love for cricket, and his discovery of his sprint talent. In 2008, he became a global superstar after winning two gold medals in 100m and 200m (a third gold medal, in the 4x100m relay, was stripped due to a doping violation by teammate Nesta Carter).

Answer: Eric Liddell

"For the Glory: The Untold and Inspiring Story of Eric Liddell, Hero of Chariots of Fire" is a biography on the life of British Olympic sprinter Eric Liddell.

Eric Liddell (1902-1945) was born in Tianjin to a Scottish missionary family. In the 1924 Paris Olympics (featured in the film "Chariots of Fire"), he won a gold medal in the 400m. He refused to compete the 100m heats that were held on Sunday, which conflicted with his Christian beliefs. He was under fire from the British press for refusing to run, as he was the British record holder and was the favorite to win the gold medal.

In 1925, he returned to China to work as a missionary teacher. In 1943, the Japanese confined him at the Weihsien Internment Camp (present day Weifang), along with other members in China Inland Mission, Chefoo School (present day Yantai). He died on February 21, 1945 at the internment camp.

According to a fellow missionary, Liddell's last words were, "It's complete surrender", in reference to how he had given his life to God. A monument and a statue were erected in his honor where he died. The location is now a museum in Weifang, Shandong.

Answer: 1936 Berlin

Set during the Great Depression, it is about the University of Washington's rowing team comprising of nine working-class young men. They were selected to represent the U.S team at the 1936 Berlin Olympic.

In the dramatic final on August 14 which they were never expected to win, they came from behind to win the race by less than a second. In the process, they beat the Italian team to second place and the German team racing for Hitler into third place.

Answer: 5,000 m

Louis Zamperini (1917-2014) transformed from an incorrigible youth delinquent to become a world class distance runner.

At age 19, he qualified for the 1936 Berlin Olympic and competed in the 5,000 m event. Although he failed to win the race, finishing 8th, he ran a blistering final lap in 56 seconds. His fast final lap caught the attention of Hitler, who requested to have a personal meeting with him.

During WWII, he was enlisted as an Air Corps bombardier. In 1943, his bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean due to a mechanical failure. He and two other airmen were drifted for 47 days on a life raft surviving from hunger, shark attacks and strafing by Japanese aircraft.

After he was captured by the Japanese, he spent over two years in brutal prisoner-of-war camps. As an elite Olympic athlete, he was singled out and constantly tortured by a sadistic Japanese guard nicknamed "The Bird" (Mutsuhiro Watanabe).

After the war, he returned home and struggled with PTSD and alcoholism. In 1949, after attending a Billy Graham crusade in Los Angeles, he dedicated his life to Christianity which ended his nightmares and alcoholism. In 1950, he returned to Japan to personally forgive many of his former captors.

Answer: Sugar Ray Robinson

Sugar Ray Robinson (1921-1989) is widely regarded as the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all time. In his 25 years career, he fought 201 bouts, won 174, lost 19 and drew 6.

He became a professional boxer in 1940 and quickly established a dominant presence in the sport. He held the world welterweight title from 1946 to 1951. From 1943 to 1951, he was undefeated in 91 bouts, one of the longest streaks in professional boxing history.

In 1951, he won the world middleweight title and went on to win five times throughout the decade. He is known for his rivalry with Jake La Motta (featured in the 1980 film "Raging Bull" played by Roberto de Niro). They fought six times from 1942 to 1951. Robinson dominated the fights, winning five of six bouts.