Swinging '73: Baseball's Wildest Season

In 1973, new rules changed baseball, and three legendary teams thrived by playing by their own rules.
Interest and attendance were dropping, and football was ascending. Stuck in a rut, baseball was sinking. Then George Steinbrenner bought the Yankees, a second-division relic with wife-swapping pitchers, leaving the House That Ruth Built not with a slam but a simper. He vowed not to interfere--and then did just that. Across town, Tom Seaver led the Mets' stellar pitching line-up, and iconic outfielder Willie Mays was preparing to say goodbye. But for months, Yogi Berra's boys couldn't get it right. Meanwhile, across the country, maverick owner Charlie O. Finley was fighting to keep the hirsute A's underpaid.
But beyond the muttonchops and mayhem lay another world. Elvis commanded a larger audience than the Apollo landings. A Dodge Dart cost $2,800, and gas 38 cents per gallon. Vietnam had ended, the vice president resigned, Watergate had taken over, and a fiscal crisis loomed. It was one of the most exciting years in baseball history, the first with the designated hitter and the last before arbitration and free agency. The two World Series opponents went head-to-head above the baby steps of a juggernaut that soon dwarfed both league champions. It was a turbulent time for the country and the game, neither of which would ever be the same again.

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AMC's Best Day Hikes in Vermont: Four-Season Guide to 60 of the Best Trails in the Green Mountain State

With hundreds of miles of hiking trails stretching from the shores of Lake Champlain, to the peaks of the spectacular Green Mountains, to the woodlands of the state's southern region, the picturesque state of Vermont seems to have been made for hikers. This guide from the outdoor experts at the Appalachian Mountain Club features sixty of the best day hikes Vermont has to offer, for all experience levels. An at-a-glance trip planner accompanies the detailed trip descriptions, highlighting the best trail options with kids and dogs, as well as for winter snowshoeing and skiing. Whether you're looking to explore high summits like Camel's Hump or Mount Mansfield, hike along the Long Trail or the Appalachian Trail, or take a day trip to the fertile valleys, rivers, and ponds, this must-have resource is a great addition to your pack.

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Walking Distance: Extraordinary Hikes for Ordinary People

"Long-distance walking is good for you and good for the earth... But most of all, walking is a joyful celebration of life and the diverse, beautiful, and curious world in which we live." --from the Introduction
Walking is simple, but it can also be profound. In an increasingly complex and frantic world, walking can simplify our lives. It encourages intimate contact with places and people, promotes health, and is one of the most sustainable forms of recreation. Robert and Martha Manning invite readers to explore the pleasures of long-distance walking in their inspiring new book, Walking Distance.
At the heart of "Walking Distance" are firsthand descriptions of thirty of the world's great long-distance hikes, spanning six continents and ranging from inn-to-inn to backpacking trips. Each entry--from Turkey's Lycian Way to Vermont's Long Trail--features personal anecdotes, natural and cultural history, and useful tips, including suggestions for preparing for hikes and for additional reading. Each trail narrative is richly illustrated with color photographs and maps. The Walks
Alta Via 1 (Italy)
C&O Canal (Maryland, U.S.)
Camino de Santiago (Spain)
Cape Winelands Walk (South Africa)
Chilkoot Trail (Alaska, U.S. and B.C., Canada)
Cinque Terre (Italy)
Coast to Coast Trail (England)
Colorado Trail (Colorado, U.S.)
Cotswold Way (England)
Great Ocean Walk (Australia)
Inca Trail (Peru)
John Muir Trail (California, U.S.)
Kaibab Trail (Arizona, U.S.)
Kalalua Trail (Hawaii, U.S.)
King Ludwig's Way (Germany)
Kungsleden (Sweden)
Long Trail (Vermont, U.S.)
Lost Coast Trail (California, U.S.)
Lycian Way (Turkey)
Milford Track (New Zealand)
Ocala Trail (Florida, U.S.)
Overland Track (Australia)
Paria River Canyon (Utah and Arizona, U.S.)
South Downs Way (England)
Superior Hiking Trail (Minnesota, U.S.)
Tahoe Rim Trail (California and Nevada, U.S.)
Tour du Mont Blanc (France, Italy, Switzerland)
Walker's Haute Route (France, Switzerland)
West Coast Trail (B.C., Canada)
West Highland Way (Scotland)

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Building Your Own Climbing Wall: Illustrated Instructions and Plans for Indoor and Outdoor Walls

If you want to get a total body work out, climbing is the way to do it, and building your own climbing wall allows you to train and have fun any time you want, rather than having to drive to a climbing gym during open hours."Building Your Own Climbing Wall" provides the essential information you need to plan and construct your own indoor or outdoor climbing wall. This highly illustrated guide includes step-by-step instructions, climbing wall construction examples, equipment and tool lists, plus information on how to make your own holds, maintain your wall, create a safe environment, and set routes that target specific types of training. Also detailed are seven design ideas for walls that make maximum use of the space you have.

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