Leigh Montville
Encyclopedia
Leigh Montville is a sportswriter, columnist and author. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut
.
Montville is married to Diane Foster and has two children. He lives in Massachusetts
and is an ardent supporter of the Boston Red Sox
.
as a senior writer with Sports Illustrated
. He spent 21 years at the Globe.
He has authored many books, including best-sellers such as The Big Bam, a biography of New York Yankees
baseball
legend Babe Ruth
, and Ted Williams
: The Biography of an American Hero, about the Hall of Fame left fielder for the Red Sox, which won the 2004 CASEY Award
for best baseball book of the year. He also wrote At the Altar of Speed: The Fast Life and Tragic Death of Dale Earnhardt
, and Manute: The Center of Two Worlds, about former 7'7" NBA center Manute Bol
.
He wrote the book Why Not Us? following the 2004 World Series
won by the Red Sox after 86 years of fan suffering. Montville recounts the stories of long-suffering fans, including himself, and includes a large section from the Red Sox web site Sons of Sam Horn where fans posted their own stories.
Montville co-authored the book Dare to Dream: Connecticut Basketball's Remarkable March to the National Championship with UConn
head coach Jim Calhoun
. Calhoun, along with Montville, a UConn graduate, recounts his humble beginnings at Northeastern University through his move to the University of Connecticut and finally the men's program's first title in 1999.
In the 1990s, Montville provided commentary for the short-lived cable network CNN-Sports Illustrated.
His 2008 book The Mysterious Montague: A True Tale of Hollywood, Golf and Armed Robbery told the true story of John Montague
, a 1930s California
-based amateur called "the greatest golfer in the world" by sportswriting legend Grantland Rice
, who later turned out to be a fugitive wanted for armed robbery in New York State.
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
.
Montville is married to Diane Foster and has two children. He lives in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and is an ardent supporter of the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
.
Career
Montville was a longtime print journalist as a columnist for The Boston GlobeThe Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
as a senior writer with Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
. He spent 21 years at the Globe.
He has authored many books, including best-sellers such as The Big Bam, a biography of New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
legend Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
, and Ted Williams
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...
: The Biography of an American Hero, about the Hall of Fame left fielder for the Red Sox, which won the 2004 CASEY Award
CASEY Award
The CASEY Award has been given to the best baseball book of the year since . The honor was begun by Mike Shannon and W.J. Harrison, editors and co-founders of “Spitball: The Literary Baseball Magazine.”-CASEY Award recipients:...
for best baseball book of the year. He also wrote At the Altar of Speed: The Fast Life and Tragic Death of Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
, and Manute: The Center of Two Worlds, about former 7'7" NBA center Manute Bol
Manute Bol
Manute Bol was a Sudanese-born basketball player and activist. At 7 feet, 7 inches , Bol was one of the tallest players ever to appear in the National Basketball Association, along with Gheorghe Mureşan. Unlike Mureşan, however, Bol was naturally tall and did not have a Pituitary disease...
.
He wrote the book Why Not Us? following the 2004 World Series
2004 World Series
The 2004 World Series was the Major League Baseball championship series for the 2004 season. It was the 100th World Series and featured the American League champions, the Boston Red Sox, against the National League champions, the St. Louis Cardinals...
won by the Red Sox after 86 years of fan suffering. Montville recounts the stories of long-suffering fans, including himself, and includes a large section from the Red Sox web site Sons of Sam Horn where fans posted their own stories.
Montville co-authored the book Dare to Dream: Connecticut Basketball's Remarkable March to the National Championship with UConn
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
head coach Jim Calhoun
Jim Calhoun
James A. Calhoun is the head coach of the University of Connecticut's men's basketball team. His teams have won three national championships , played in four Final Fours , won the 1988 NIT championship, and have won seven Big East tournament championships...
. Calhoun, along with Montville, a UConn graduate, recounts his humble beginnings at Northeastern University through his move to the University of Connecticut and finally the men's program's first title in 1999.
In the 1990s, Montville provided commentary for the short-lived cable network CNN-Sports Illustrated.
His 2008 book The Mysterious Montague: A True Tale of Hollywood, Golf and Armed Robbery told the true story of John Montague
John Montague
John Montague may refer to:*John Montague , Irish poet and writer*John Montague , baseball relief pitcher*John Montague , golfer and con man...
, a 1930s California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
-based amateur called "the greatest golfer in the world" by sportswriting legend Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice was an early 20th century American sportswriter known for his elegant prose. His writing was published in newspapers around the country and broadcast on the radio.-Biography:...
, who later turned out to be a fugitive wanted for armed robbery in New York State.