The Bumper Book of Slightly Forgotten British Olympians and Other Sporting Heroes is just that: a collection of stirring tales of pluck, grit, triumph, disaster and on occasion, ineptitude, featuring a host of former sportspeople who've been utterly forgotten by history.  

Synopsis

From Maude Waveney, the plucky servant girl who bravely took half a day off work scrubbing kitchen floors to win a gold medal folding bedsheets in the first London games, to Tom Drake, Dressage's first punk, who shocked the sport with his slashed jacket and swear words on his hat. There's the tale of the Lincolnshire javelin thrower who fell under the spell of a cult devoted to the eating of egg and chips; of the mascot of Bexhill-on-Sea's ill fated bid to host the Olympics and Ample Arthur Cartwright, whose football career was blighted by an obsession with archaeology. They, and many others, all have a story to tell.

Reviews

'It scarcely seems possible but Simon Bullivant has created an alternative sporting universe even more bizarre, perverse and hilarious than the one we have now. A book of delicious detail and wicked facts gloriously untroubled by the truth.' - Nick Hancock

About the Author

Simon Bullivant is a comedy writer and television producer - one of the creators of They Think It's All Over and Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and a key writer on shows including Mock the Week and Argumental. He cut his comedy teeth on the radio, writing for such shows as Week Ending and The News Huddlines. During his radio years he also co-wrote a docu-drama celebrating Batman's 50th anniversary as well as writing a comedy series about Britain's first costumed superhero, Greywing starring Timothy Spall as the eponymous crime fighter. More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation