From Europe’s rugby and soccer evolved a truly American sport. Played across the United States at parks, schools, universities, and in stadiums, football is as much a part of America’s iconographic experience as apple pie. Emerging from college campuses, it has blossomed to become a popular form of recreation throughout the country, as well as a professional-sports juggernaut. This detailed narrative examines the history of gridiron football, including the teams and players that have helped make it a national obsession.

Presents the history of football, describes the rules of the game, and profiles notable players and coaches from the National Football League throughout history.

Presents the history of soccer, discusses its significance as a worldwide sport, and profiles notable professional soccer players throughout history and today.

Integral to the consciousness of the American people, the sport of baseball has become a steadfast institution in a nation whose identity is constantly evolving. Although the game has undergone its own share of changes since it first took center stage, baseball has maintained an unwavering devotion among fans and players alike. This comprehensive volume details the rules of baseball, introduces some of its key personalities, and examines the historical role of the game as it changed both the recreational and social landscapes of the country.

This eleventh edition was developed during the encyclopaedia's transition from a British to an American publication. Some of its articles were written by the best-known scholars of the time and it is considered to be a landmark encyclopaedia for scholarship and literary style.

The Britannica Book of the Year 2012 provides a valuable viewpoint of the people and events that shaped the year and serves as a great reference source for the latest news on the ever changing populations, governments, and economies throughout the world. It is an accurate and comprehensive reference that you will reach for again and again.