William Hill Unveils SBOTY Longlist
British bookmaker William Hill has unveiled its longlist of contenders for the 34th Sports Book of the Year award. Fifteen of the year’s best books, covering an array of diverse topics within sports, have made the cut. Judges will now be tasked with whittling that list down before a winner is announced in December.
The William Hill Sports Book of the Year award honors excellence in sports writing. ©Pixabay/Pexels
2022’s Best Books
William Hill has released its longlist of the fifteen best sports books of the year. The William Hill Sports Book of the Year, which has been going since 1989, is recognized as the UK’s most prestigious literary sports writing prize. The winner will be given a prize of £30,000 alongside a leather-bound copy of their book.
While sports writing may be a niche topic in the field of literature, 2005 award winner Gary Imlach summed up the importance of the prize. According to Imlach, who penned ‘My Father & Other Working Class Football Heroes’, the strong reputation of the prize has the power to lift the winning book out of the sports section and expose it to a wider audience of readers.
Last year’s award was given to Michael Holding, author of ‘Why We Kneel, How We Rise’. The third book by the Jamaican cricketer was described by judges as ‘one of the most important sports books you will ever read’.
Other notable winners include Nick Hornby, Brian Moore and Marcus Trescothick. Judges will trim the list down and announce their shortlist on October 27th. On December 1st the winner will be announced at an award ceremony at BAFTA in Piccadilly, London. While the winner will receive the £30,000 cash prize, shortlisted authors will be given £3,000 and leather-bound copies of their books.
This year’s nominations explore an impressive range of subjects within sports, including revelatory autobiographies, discussions of racism and sexism in sports, and portrayals of some of the most interesting figures in sports. Judge Matt Williams praised the caliber of the nominees, stating:
“There were many fantastic books which I would pick up and re-read over and over again that didn’t make the cut, which highlights just how impressive and well-written the books that made the longlist are.”
Football a Popular Topic
2022 has proved a momentous year for British football, in which the Lionesses celebrated victory at the UEFA Women’s Euros. ‘A Woman’s Game: The Rise, Fall and Rise Again of Women’s Football’ by The Guardian’s football writer, Suzanne Wrack, commemorated the historic win for Sarina Wiegman’s side.
Football is a topic that has dominated the longlist, with eight books in total covering the theme. ‘Scoring Goals in the Dark’ by Clare Shine with Gareth Maher is an honest account of the pressure faced by young female footballers. Patrice Evra’s ‘I Love This Game’ offers a candid memoir of charismatic French full-back’s rise to stardom.
Jonathan Wilson’s ‘Two Brothers: The Life and Times of Bobby and Jackie Charlton’ tells the tale of two of football’s most beloved players, whilst also delving into social history and painting a picture of postwar England. Paul Hayward’s ‘England Football: The Biography: 1872-2022’ explores the history of the country’s favorite sport as the men’s team prepares for the World Cup in Qatar.
‘Be Good, Love Brian: Growing Up with Brian Clough’ by Craig Bromfield is a tender and personal account of how the famous football manager rescued the author and his brother from a childhood of abuse. Bromfield was thirteen and begging on the street when he met Clough, with who he went on to live with for nine years.
Matt Dickinson tells the story of Manchester United’s historic season that captured the attention of the nation in ‘1999: Manchester United, the Treble and All That’. Over the course of 99 short chapters, he recounts how the team went from the club being up for sale to the treble victories of the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
Completing the football-themed roundup is Rory Smith’s ‘Expected Goals: The Story of how Data Conquered Football and Changed the Game Forever’. The book explores how technology has transformed the game over the last twenty years, impacting tactics and player performances.
Inspirational Stories
Another common subject amongst this year’s nominees is cycling. ‘Le Fric: Family, Power and Money: The Business of the Tour de France’ by Alex Duff takes an in-depth look at one of the world’s biggest sporting events and the family behind the prestigious contest.
Meanwhile, ‘God is Dead: The Rise and Fall of Frank Vandenbroucke, Cycling’s Great Wasted Talent’ recounts the rise and fall of the infamous sportsman. Author Andy McGrath tells of how the cyclist, who seemingly had it all, fell victim to doping, addiction and an untimely demise.
In ‘Beryl: In Search of Britain’s Greatest Athlete’, Jeremy Wilson shines a light on the enigmatic character of Britain’s best ever cyclist. Despite winning multiple titles and setting a world record, BB was subject to discrimination by cycling authorities and has long been ignored in sporting history.
In ‘My Hidden Race’, Anyika Onuora lifts the lid on her experience competing at the highest level of athletics as a black British woman. In the wake of Black Lives Matter and Me Too, the Olympic medalist speaks with unflinching honesty on the reality of racism and sexism in professional sports.
A must for tennis fans is ‘The Master: The Brilliant Career of Roger Federer’ by Christopher Clarey, based on more than twenty years of interviews. Following the retirement of the 21-time Grand Slam winner last month, this book provides a glimpse into the life of the notoriously private sportsman.
Alan Shipnick’s ‘Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorised) Biography of Golf’s Most Colourful Superstar’ has been described as a wildly entertaining portrayal of a flamboyant showman. Rounding out William Hill’s impressive longlist is ‘Unforgettable: Rugby, Dementia and the Fight of My Life’ by Steve Thompson. In his moving memoir, Thompson details the toll that the sport has had on him, triggering a diagnosis of early onset dementia whilst still in his early forties.
