What Mel Pender accomplished is phenomenal in the world of track." -Dr. John Carlos "Mel has a personality of his own...owns not only his footsteps, but everybody else's." -Dr. Tommy Smith "Mel...brought incredible credibility to Army Track..." -Mike Krzyzewski "Coach K" "Captain Pender was a symbol of hope for many young soldiers..." -Brigadier General Richard Dix The strong legs, and quick feet, attached to Melvin Pender's five-foot, five-inch frame, have taken him to first-place finishes as a world-class sprinter. His gift of speed reached a pinnacle when he won a Gold Medal as a member of the 4 x 100 relay team in the 1968 Mexico Olympics. The feat was accomplished while Army Captain Pender was a combat soldier who was pulled out of the fighting in Vietnam which was an unpopular war. The story of Pender's life will cause hearts to pound with joy, sadness, anger, and pride, as he chronicles his life's journey from childhood to pre-teen years idolizing the military and his decorated war hero, Audie Murphy, while growing up in two different impoverished and segregated worlds in the South. He was not limited by his surroundings, though, and found good and bad in them. Determination was etched into Pender's DNA, and he wanted to do something to make his family proud, and "be somebody!" His, is a story of the American Dream. He owns it, and he embraces it. He was scarred by the racial challenges of the 1950s and 1960s, but Pender found better angels, black and white, and kept his dream from becoming a racial nightmare. The United States Army and track propelled him into an historic figure. For some, Pender is the track world's "Black Knight," not because of his color, but because he befriended and helped others in his profession as a big brother, father-figure, and as a friend.

The strong legs, and quick feet, attached to Melvin Pender's five-foot, five-inch frame, have taken him to first-place finishes as a world-class sprinter. His gift of speed reached a pinnacle when he won a Gold Medal as a member of the 4 x 100 relay team in the 1968 Mexico Olympics. The feat was accomplished while Army Captain Pender was a combat soldier who was pulled out of the fighting in Vietnam which was an unpopular war. The story of Pender's life will cause hearts to pound with joy, sadness, anger, and pride, as he chronicles his life's journey from childhood to pre-teen years idolizing the military and his decorated war hero, Audie Murphy, while growing up in two different impoverished and segregated worlds in the South. He was not limited by his surroundings, though, and found good and bad in them. Determination was etched into Pender's DNA, and he wanted to do something to make his family proud, and "be somebody!" His, is a story of the American Dream. He owns it, and he embraces it. He was scarred by the racial challenges of the 1950s and 1960s, but Pender found better angels, black and white, and kept his dream from becoming a racial nightmare. The United States Army and track propelled him into an historic figure. For some, Pender is the track world's "Black Knight," not because of his color, but because he befriended and helped others in his profession as a big brother, father-figure, and as a friend.

Track and Field Writers of America's 2018 Book of the Year! In 1968, a US Olympic men’s track and field team—America’s best ever—stirred the world in unprecedented ways, among them the victory stand black rights protest by Tommy Smith and John Carlos at the Games in Mexico City. But in competition, no single athlete captured the ’60s more perfectly than Dick Fosbury, a failed Oregon prep high jumper who—in the wake of his little brother being killed by a drunk driver while the two were riding bikes and the subsequent divorce of his parents—invented a high jump style as a high school sophomore that ultimately won him an Olympic gold medal and revolutionized the event. No jumpers today use any other style than his. The Wizard of Foz is a story of innovation and imagination that blossoms 7,350 feet up in the High Sierra, where boulders and 100-foot trees festoon the interior of the Olympic Trials track. It is a story of loss, survival, and triumph, entwined in a person—Fosbury—and a time—the ’60s—clearly made for each other. And it is a story of a young man who refused to listen to those who laughed at him, those who doubted him, and those who tried to make him into someone he wasn’t. “My experience working with Skyhorse is always a positive collaboration. The editors are first-rate professionals, and my books receive top-shelf treatment. I truly appreciate our working relationship and hope it continues for years to come.” –David Fischer, author

Dedicated to the Sailors and Marines who lost their lives on the final voyage of USS Indianapolis and to those who survived the torment at sea following its sinking. plus the crews that risked their lives in rescue ships. The USS Indianapolis (CA-35) was a decorated World War II warship that is primarily remembered for her worst 15 minutes. . This ship earned ten (10) battle stars for her service in World War II and was credited for shooting down nine (9) enemy planes. However, this fame was overshadowed by the first 15 minutes July 30, 1945, when she was struck by two (2) torpedoes from Japanese submarine I-58 and sent to the bottom of the Philippine Sea. The sinking of Indianapolis and the loss of 880 crew out of 1,196 --most deaths occurring in the 4-5 day wait for a rescue delayed --is a tragedy in U.S. naval history. This historical reference showcases primary source documents to tell the story of Indianapolis, the history of this tragedy from the U.S. Navy perspective. It recounts the sinking, rescue efforts, follow-up investigations, aftermath and continuing communications efforts. Included are deck logs to better understand the ship location when she sunk and testimony of survivors and participants. For additional historical publications produced by the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command, please check out these resources here: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/agency/naval-history-heritage-command Year 2016 marked the 71st anniversary of the sinking and another spike in public attention on the loss -- including a big screen adaptation of the story, talk of future films, documentaries, and planned expeditions to locate the wreckage of the warship.

A UFC champion and a boy with leukemia, in the fight of their lives. Cody Garbrandt dreamed of being a UFC champion. In his darkest moments, when those dreams were dashed, he dug deep with the help of an unlikely friend—five-year-old Maddux Maple, a local hometown fan with leukemia. They made a pact: Cody would be in the UFC and win the championship, and Maddux would beat cancer. Read their moving story in Cody’s new book, The Pact, and go behind the scenes into Cody’s training and how he made his dreams come true. Cody Garbrandt grew up in a rough town in the Central Appalachian region of Ohio, surrounded by a longstanding culture of fighting—and drugs. Raised in this environment by a single mom (his dad left him at the young age of three to reside in the Ohio State Penitentiary), Cody grew up fighting, and he grew up wild. His future seemed predestined to end in the coal mines, or in prison. Thankfully, Cody had visions of something more. His American Dream? Mixed Martial Arts. But a path to success wasn’t clear. He spent as much time fighting in the streets as he did in the gym—one bad decision away from losing everything. Then, at age 20, Cody’s brother introduced him to five-year old Maddux Maple. Maddux was deathly ill with leukemia, his survival by no means assured. A unique friendship developed as they made a promise to each other: Maddux would beat cancer, and Cody would make it to the UFC and become world champion. Through five long years of pain and hardship, they both persevered; Cody, through the agony and sacrifices of fighting his way to the top, and Maddux through the horrors of chemotherapy. They loved and supported each other. They served as each other’s inspiration. And in December 2016, they made good on their pact: Cody won his UFC Championship belt, which he promptly presented to Maddux—the boy who had beaten cancer into remission.

A considerable amount of information has been gathered in the field of immunoneurology over recent years. This knowledge about modifications in the pathways of neuroimmune diseases has enabled the development of new therapies. In this volume leading experts present the state of the art in the field, covering all aspects from basic science to the development of better therapies.

Serial murderers generate an abundance of public interest, media coverage, and law enforcement attention, yet after decades of studies, serial murder researchers have been unable to answer the most important question: Why? Providing a unique and comprehensive exploration, Creating Cultural Monsters: Serial Murder in America explains connections bet

In the tradition of Seabiscuit and The Summer of ’49, a gripping sports narrative that brilliantly tells the amazing individual stories of the unforgettable athletes who gathered in Mexico City in a year of dramatic upheaval. The 1968 Mexico City Olympics reflected the spirit of their revolutionary times. Richard Hoffer’s Something in the Air captures the turbulence and offbeat heroism of that historic Olympiad, which was as rich in inspiring moments as it was drenched in political and racial tensions. Although the basketball star Lew Alcindor decided to boycott, heavyweight boxer George Foreman not only competed, but waved miniature American flags over his fallen opponents. The sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos became as famous for their raised-fist gestures of protest as their speed on the track. No one was prepared for Bob Beamon’s long jump, which broke the world’s record by a staggering twenty-two inches. And then there was Dick Fosbury, the goofball high jumper whose backwards, upside down approach to the bar (the "Fosbury Flop") baffled his coaches while breaking records. Though Fosbury was his own man, he was apolitical and easygoing. He didn’t defy authority; he defied gravity. Witty, insightful, and filled with human drama, Something in the Air mixes Shakespearean complexity with Hollywood sentimentality, sociopolitical significance, and the exhilarating spectacle of youthful, physical prowess. It is a powerful, unforgettable tale that will resonate with sports fans and readers of social history alike.