Sport Stars #4

A. C. Gilbert starts as a young magician in Idaho, dazzling his peers with sleight-of-hand tricks, but it's his other passion—pole vaulting—that truly captivates Yale and the sports world. From college competitions through Olympic glory and beyond, Gilbert's athletic brilliance and innovative coaching methods leave an indelible mark on the sport, even as his later success as a toy manufacturer takes him in a new direction.

Gertrude Ederle's rise from a young swimmer in New York to a record-breaking champion unfolds in this 1946 account of her remarkable athletic career. Before she became the first woman to conquer the English Channel, she dominated American swimming competitions, holding multiple national titles and setting world records across distances from fifty yards to a half mile. This is the inspiring story of how a natural talent, trained by legendary coach Lou Handley, pushed through grueling conditions and two Channel attempts to achieve what only five men had accomplished before her.

From humble beginnings delivering papers and working odd jobs in Oklahoma City, John "Pepper" Martin clawed his way through the minor leagues with speed and hustle, eventually earning his shot with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1931. When his early season at the plate struggled, few expected what would happen when the World Series arrived—but Martin had other plans.