Playing Tough: The World of Sports and Politics

“Each chapter tells a distinct, compelling story of the relationship between sports and politics, and the whole strips away any illusion that sports can exist without political implications. . . . Highly recommended.”–Choice

“One of the first analysts to teach us how the law invaded the world of sports, in Playing Tough Roger Abrams turns his encyclopedic knowledge of sports history to the often problematic relationship between politicians and players, owners and fans. The result is a series of entertaining stories, shrewdly observed and wisely told, and a constant reminder of how serious our games can be.”–Michael Meltsner, former counsel to Muhammad Ali and Matthews University Professor of Law at Northeastern University School of Law

“Abrams articulately connects the worlds of two of our favorite national competitive activities–sports and politics. From early baseball to the Olympics and World Cup, from City Hall to Soweto, he probes public issues linking sports, politics, and society–and stretches the reader’s imagination as well as understanding about the conflicts.” –Professor Stephen A. Greyser, Harvard Business SchoolCreator of Harvard’s Business of Sports course

“Roger Abrams has written a timely and intriguing book. . . . It is a delicious chronicle of how we, as a society, live, breathe, and too rarely search for perspective on questions of winning and losing.” –Richard Bloch, professional labor arbitrator and impartial arbitration chairman for Major League Baseball, the National Football League, and the National Hockey League

ROGER I. ABRAMS is Richardson Professor of Law at Northeastern University. A leader in the field of sports law, he is the author of Sports Justice: The Law and the Business of Sports; Legal Bases: Baseball and the Law; and The First World Series and the Baseball Fanatics of 1903.