Sport

Train surfing

The phenomenon of riding on the outside of trains came with the appearance of the first railway lines. On a series of first railroads, riding on rooftops and footboards of trains was common, but over time, starting from the second half of the 19th century, with an increase in the sizes and speed of trains, passenger coaches began to be produced fully covered and insulated from streets with a placement of all passenger seats inside carriages in order to improve the safety of passengers and prevent people falling from a moving train. However, some individuals have continued riding on the outside of trains.

Terry Fox

In 1980, with one leg having been amputated, Terry Fox embarked on an east to west cross-Canada run to raise money and awareness for cancer research. Although the spread of his cancer eventually forced him to end his quest after 143 days and 5,373 kilometres and ultimately cost him his life, his efforts resulted in a lasting, worldwide legacy.

Secretariat

Secretariat was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, who in 1973 became the first U.S. Triple Crown champion in twenty-five years, setting new race records in two of the three events in the Series – the Kentucky Derby, and the Belmont Stakes – records that still stand today.

Neil Leifer

Neil Leifer was a sports photographer.

Rudolf Wanderone

Rudolf Wanderone was an American professional pocket billiards player, best known as "Minnesota Fats". In spite of the fact that he never won a major pool tournament, he was perhaps the most publicly recognized pool player in the United States – not only as a player, but also as an entertainer.

Aldo Nadi

Aldo Nadi was the greatest fencer of all time and the author of The Living Sword. In a literate, well-read, elegant, haughty, and vain voice, Nadi describes a stylish time that is now long gone. The author's life was one of fencing, womanizing, traveling, gambling, and dueling. He crossed paths with the beautiful people of 1920s and 1930s Europe and fancied himself a great artiste and lover.

George Blair

George Blair is a successful businessman, entrepreneur, and waterskier, known for his barefoot waterskiing and trademark yellow "banana"-like wetsuits.

Grantland Rice

Grantland Rice was an early 20th-century American sportswriter known for his elegant prose. In 1930 he started a nationally syndicated column that would eventually appear in 100 newspapers. His expressive writing helped to raise sports players to heroic status. He often compared the challenges of sports to mythic stories and the greater human condition. Rice frequently delved into the greater social and personal meaning of sports.

Mike Hailwood

Mike Hailwood has been described as the greatest rider in the history of motorcycle racing. At the age of 18, he was already a British champion in four classes. At age 21, he won his first World Championship. He would go on to claim eight more world titles in the 250cc, 350cc and 500cc classes.

Fausto Coppi

The Italian cyclist dominated the sport either side of the Second World War, using his all-around skills as a climber, sprinter and time-trialist to build a palmarès that rewrote the record books and raised the bar for those that followed him into professional road cycling.

Opus

Encyclopædia of the sublime