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Wisconsin Public Radio

SPORTS AND SOCIETY

Program 05-01-30-B

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When you hear the word "globalization," you probably don't think of the sport of soccer. But Franklin Foer does. He traveled around the globe to explore this connection, attending soccer matches and interviewing his heroes. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, Franklin Foer will tell us how soccer explains the world.

SEGMENT 1:

Franklin Foer is the author of "How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization." He tells Steve Paulson how soccer's international popularity leads to exchanges of players and coaches among many countries and results in team loyalties that transcend national boundaries.

SEGMENT 2:

Michael Mandelbaum is the author of "The Meaning of Sports: Why Americans Watch Baseball, Football and Basketball and What They See When They Do." He talks with Jim Fleming about the similarities between sports and warfare and religion. And George Carlin compares baseball and football. Also, Oscar Robertson is one of the all-time great basketball players. His memoir is called "The Big O: My Life, My Times, My Game." Robertson talks with Steve Paulson about his constant struggle against racism during his playing years.

SEGMENT 3:

Julian Rubinstein is the author of "Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts." The book tells the story of Attila Ambrus. Rubinstein tells Anne Strainchamps about the man who escaped Romania for Hungary and became the Robin Hood of Eastern Europe.

Cassette copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 05-01-30-B.

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Books:

• Franklin Foer, How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization (HarperCollins)
  
• Michael Mandelbaum, The Meaning of Sports: Why Americans Watch Baseball, Football, and Basketball and What They See When They Do (PublicAffairs)
  
• Oscar Robertson, The Big O: My Life, My Times, My Game (Rodale Books)
• Julian Rubinstein , Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts (Little, Brown)
  

Links:

• -- Oscar Robertson's official website...
  http://www.thebigo.com/
  
• -- Julian Rubinstein's official website...
  http://www.julianrubinstein.com/
• -- "Baseball-Football"/George Carlin
  from the CD, "An Evening with Wally Lando"
  (Atlantic/Q Records)
  http://www.georgecarlin.com/

Music:

• -- "Follow, Follow"/Glasgow Rangers Football Club fan song
  
• -- "Pick Up The Pieces"/AWB
  from the CD, "Rock Instrumental Classics, Volume 3:
  The '70s" (Rhino)
  http://www.rhino.com/
  
• -- "All Kinds Of Time"/Fountains Of Wayne
  from the CD, "Welcome Interstate Managers" (S-Curve
  Records)
  http://www.fountainsofwayne.com/home/
  
• -- "Slow Flames"/Money Mark
  from the CD, "Mark's Keyboard Repair" (MoWax/A&M Records)
  http://www.moneymark.com/
  
• -- "Rock and Roll, Part 2"/Gary Glitter
  from the CD, "Rock Instrumental Classics, Volume 3: The '70s" (Rhino)
  http://www.rhino.com/
  

Distribution dates:

week of 03/12/2006 - hour 2 week of 01/30/2005 - hour 2

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