Almanac Books: Best Sports Books I Read This Year

Peter Baulderstone nominates and reviews the best sports books he read in 2023. Add your own suggestions for Almanacker’s reading lists.

Almanac Books: Best Fiction Books I Read this Year

Peter Baulderstone found the world dispiriting in 2023, but never waste a good crisis. It rekindled a love of fiction. Additions to the reading/listening list are welcomed.

Almanac Golf: Phil Mickelson and Gambling Addiction

Although golfer Phil Mickelson has admitted to gambling addiction Peter Baulderstone believes the emotional harm is often worse than the financial damage. Acknowledging the hurt his gambling has caused to those close to him would help other gamblers and their families understand the damage and the steps to recovery.

Almanac Music – Springsteen in Europe 2023: Pilgrimage (Part 1: Music)

Peter Baulderstone and Mary the Avenging Eagle report from a European pilgrimage to see their musical hero Bruce Springsteen pay tribute to his musical heroes.

Almanac Cricket: Bazball, Brexit and Buffoons

In the aftermath of the Lord’s Test – Peter Baulderstone opines on the historical origins of Bazball. Franco-Prussian War of 1870 anyone? He thinks the reaction of Lord’s members says more about faded glory and a culture of entitlement than anything that happened on the field.

Almanac Golf: Send Lawyers, Golf and Money – the Shits have Hit the Fans

Peter Baulderstone explains how the shotgun marriage between the US PGA and Saudi LIV golf tours tells us more about the influence of big corporate money and geopolitical power than sport. Think “Succession”, not Wide World of Sport.

Comment: Gold, Gold, Gold for Australia – in Virtue Signalling

Peter Baulderstone thinks the actions of recent elite sportspeople in protesting against certain sponsors suggests a lack of sophistication in their understanding of the whole situation. In a pluralist society, whose views prevail?

Almanac Life: How Johnny Famechon Saved Me

Last week’s passing of boxing legend and World Featherweight Champion Johnny Famechon reminds Peter Baulderstone of lessons learned watching Fammo and how they saved him from a delicate situation in high school.

Almanac Sport: Footy Clubs and Community – The International Day of People with Disabilities 

Peter Baulderstone went to a breakfast for the International Day of People with Disabilities at his WAFL club Swan Districts. The powerful story of the speakers and the club’s wheelchair footy team convinced him that football clubs play a vital community role well beyond September.

Almanac Golf: Australia’s Greatest Golfer – Walter J Travis?

Many a treasure can be discovered on a billiard room’s library shelves in a historic property as Peter Baulderstone recently found on a trip to the Clare Valley in SA. This chance encounter changed Peter’s opinion of who is Australia’s greatest golfer.

Almanac Footy: Life in Ten Grand Finals

Peter Baulderstone shares Grand Final memories. Not just the winning or the losing. It’s the time, the place, the people we shared it with that sticks with us. What are your Grand Final memories beyond the result?

Round 13 – West Coast v Richmond: Ifs, Buts and Flags

Peter Baulderstone relished his Eagles thrilling win over the gallant Tigers. He thinks both teams are serious premiership contenders again IF they can get their best players on the field in September.

Almanac Golf: PGA Golf Championship Preview and the Rise of Quality Independent Journalism

Peter Baulderstone offers some thoughts on the US PGA, one of the four majors, which is being played at Kiawah Island in South Carolina, and also offers some thoughts on the state of fresh golf journalism.

Round 2 – Western Bulldogs v West Coast: Relief from Congested OVercoached Inane Drivel

Peter Baulderstone reports on a thrilling contest between his willing Eagles and the effervescent Bulldogs. He is grateful AFL tactics are evolving from rugby at its worst to soccer at its best.

Tiger Woods: Sport’s Greatest Comeback?

In the lead-up to the US Masters which starts tonight, we revisit Peter Baulderstone’s reflection on Tiger Woods’ win at the 2019 US Masters and how he has risen from the ashes of personal and physical betrayals. He tries to rank where it fits with the great comeback stories of Ali, Seles, Laver, Bradman, Hogan and Watson. (Simply brilliant! – Ed.)

Round 9 – West Coast v Geelong: Reasons to be Cheerful

Peter Baulderstone thinks the world has become a sad and dangerous place and footy a wasteful folly. Until his Eagles win a close one over the Cats in the game of the season.

Round 8 – West Coast v Collingwood: The Marking Magnificents

Peter Baulderstone welcomes dry weather footy in Perth where his Eagles’ pressure and marking cannibalised a feeble Collingwood.

Atomising

Peter Baulderstone, who is happy for it to be 1980 again in Perth, muses on leaving professional sport behind. Or did it leave him?

Why I Hate Victorians

Peter Baulderstone takes aim at all things Victorian from his mineshaft in Western Australia. Is he serious? Is he right? He’s certainly hostile. (This 2018 effort has had revived interest among the non-Victorian audience. Can’t think why. PB in pre-flag warrior mode – Ed)

Bruce Dawe RIP – the Larrikin Laureate

Australia’s Everyman poet Bruce Dawe died on April 1st. His words and sensibility live on in thousands of hearts that have laughed, cried and nodded on reading his words over 60 years. His footy poems “Life Cycle” and “High Mark” are embedded in the heart of the game.