cover image The Renegade Sportsman: Drunken Runners, Bike Polo Superstars, Roller Derby Rebels, Killer Birds and Other Uncommon Thrills on the Wild Frontier of Sports

The Renegade Sportsman: Drunken Runners, Bike Polo Superstars, Roller Derby Rebels, Killer Birds and Other Uncommon Thrills on the Wild Frontier of Sports

Zach Dundas, Riverhead, $15 paper (304p) ISBN 978-1-59448-456-8

Ever have the desire to run several miles down a city street after chugging a beer? Or ride a bike through cow patches and cornfields in the pitch black of night? These may not sound like appealing forms of physical activity, but their participants are no less passionate than those who take part in more traditional sports, as freelance writer Dundas finds out in this entertaining read. With the belief that "our relationship with sports could use a makeover," Dundas sets off across the country to reconnect with the subculture far from sold-out stadiums and million-dollar athletes. He takes us along with the Hash House Harriers, who will traverse any road that "presents some sort of challenge to the mildly intoxicated runner." Whether it’s hanging with overly boisterous soccer fans, taking a dip into the sport of fencing, or learning about falconry (hunting with trained birds), Dundas, with a good sense of humor, makes your ordinary sports seem, well, ordinary. (July)