The Book of British Sporting Heroes

Author

James Huntington-Whiteley has worked as a freelance researcher and writer and has curated numerous exhibitions, including The Art of Boxing and England's Glory: An Exhibition of Football.

Specifications

Paperback, 278 x 224mm
240 pages, 200 illustrations, 100 in colour
ISBN 1 85514 249 X
£22.50
Special offer price: £5.00

Browse all our in-print books on History.

Out of Print

The Book of British Sporting Heroes
Compiled by James Huntington-Whiteley
Introduction by Richard Holt

From the goal mouth to the winning post, Twickenham to St Andrews, The Ashes to the Derby, champagne and strawberries to meat pies and tea - the highs and lows, the triumphs and tragedies, the heroes and even some of the villains of Great Britain's most popular spectator sports are brought together to celebrate the social history and vivid culture of our favourite national pastime.

Sporting Heroes charts the popular image of the British sporting hero in works of art dating from the 18th century to the present day. Arranged in a dictionary format, contemporary heroes and heroines, including such household names as Frank Bruno, are brought together with their earlier counterparts, such as the 19th-century pugilist Tom Cribb: the book includes cricketers W.G. Grace and Ian Botham; footballers from Sir Stanley Matthews to Gary Lineker and athletes from Roger Bannister to Sally Gunnell.

Illustrated throughout with paintings, drawings, sculpture, prints and photographs, the book also includes many images from private collections that have never been seen before. It is both a celebration of the role of sport in the national psyche and a fascinating history of how that role developed.

This product is supplied by the National Portrait Gallery Company Limited. Every purchase supports the National Portrait Gallery.