Charles Waters and Irene Latham join the show to discuss the new book of sports poems they have compiled in “For the Win: Poems Celebrating Phenomenal Athletes.” Aimed at children ages 7-11, the poems, written by a diverse group of poets, feature 20 contemporary athletes who have overcome obstacles, broken records, and inspired fans around the globe.

Author Adam Henig joins the show to discuss his new book, ‘Baseball’s Outcast: The Story of Ron LeFlore.’” When twenty-three-year-old Ron LeFlore played his first organized baseball game, it was in a yard at the State Prison of Southern Michigan where he was serving five to fifteen years for armed robbery. An extraordinary athlete, the Detroit native had luck on his side: his coach, a convicted felon, had connections to the Detroit Tigers. Within three-and-a-half years, Ron went from a prison inmate to a Tiger centerfielder. His rags-to-riches life story became a bestselling book and a made-for-television movie starring actor LeVar Burton, fresh from his performance in Roots. But the good times did not last.

Bestselling author Keith O’Brien joins the show to discuss his new book, “Heartland: A Forgotten Place, An Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird.” The book focuses on the period between 1973-79 when Bird leaves tiny French Lick, Indiana to play for Bobby Knight’s Hoosiers; departs IU after just a few weeks; nearly quits college basketball altogether; and leads underdog Indiana State to the NCAA national championship game.