Reviews of United States Tennis Association 'No-Cut' web site, and Why a Curveball Curves: The Incredible Science of Sports.
Mixed Troubles
usta.com/no-cut
Though recreation and athletics may be your livelihood, you're probably too busy to stop and think about why a soccer ball "bends" in midair or why some batters struggle to check their swings. That's where a new book from the editors of Popular Mechanics comes in. Why a Curveball Curves: The Incredible Science of Sports (Hearst Books, hardcover, $19.95) explains the biology, chemistry and physics behind hits, kicks, throws, strokes, dives, punches and slam dunks. A select group of athletes, coaches and sportswriters - including former NFL kicker Matt Bahr, Olympics swimming coach Bob Bowman and Major League pitcher-turned-broadcaster Jim Kaat - explore and explain everything from the G-force of a tackle to gene doping. The book is loaded with illustrations, diagrams and lively text written for lay readers.Buy from Amazon