Game Day

Washington Post columnist Boswell assembles a collection of his pieces from the last two decades, covering all major sports as well as such ``minor'' kin as billiards, yacht racing, chess, wrestling and ice skating. The author without doubt has his heroes (Jack Nicklaus, Ray Leonard) but is at his best writing of others (Billy Martin, Bobby Knight). Boswell lambastes the California Angels of the early '80s, a team rich in talent that didn't always perform up to snuff, and the Wimbledon tennis tournament, described as something less than the genteel affair that most Americans believe it is. The essays on baseball have the most verve. Generally the columns are good, but not great; Boswell's introduction, however, in which he assesses the importance of sports in our national life, is exceptionally fine. (Dec.)