Jeff Savage

Would you enjoy letting yourself fall from the top of a skyscraper? Or swimming through a narrow, dark passage in an underground cave, thousands of feet from the surface? Some people do these things for fun every day. Are they more fearless than most people, or just plain crazy? Take the plunge with some daring athletes and see if you have the stomach for the world's deadliest sports.

David Ortiz is always ready when the Boston Red Sox need their biggest slugger. Big Papi, as he is known to fans and teammates, has led his team to three World Series championships with his powerful hitting. David is one of baseball's greatest superstars, winning game after game with his bat. But the big man from the Dominican Republic is also a fine leader and one of the most beloved sports stars in New England. Learn more about Big Papi's journey...

Quarterback Tom Brady of the New England Patriots has done it all in the National Football League (NFL). He and his teammates have won the Super Bowl three times. Twice he was named Most Valuable Player of the Super Bowl. But Tom didn't get to the top by being satisfied with his accomplishments. He still has the drive to win, and almost made it to the Super Bowl again in 2014. Learn all about one of the fiercest competitors in football history.

When Eli Manning joined the NFL after being chosen with the first pick in the 2004 draft, many people compared him to his older brother Peyton. After Eli led his New York Giants to victory in the 2007-2008 Super Bowl, people stopped wondering if he was as good as his brother. When Eli was named Super Bowl MVP and the Giants won the big game again in 2011-2012, people began comparing him to football's all-time great quarterbacks.

Kevin Durant faced high expectations after he was selected with the second pick in the 2007 NBA draft. The Oklahoma City Thunder forward has gone beyond those expectations. Kevin was named the 2007-2008 NBA Rookie of the Year, and he's only gotten better from there. In 2010 Kevin was named the Most Valuable Player at the FIBA World Championship in Istanbul, Turkey, where the United States won the gold medal. During his short time in pro basketball,...

LeBron James gained fame as a teenager. He set scoring records as soon as he joined the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has become among the world's most popular athletes. But fame and scoring points are not important to James. He cares about winning. Through hard work, James has led his teams to eight straight NBA Finals. His grueling workout routine has built him into what seems like a human machine. Learn more about LeBron's amazing fitness....

Pitchers feel nervous when Philadelphia Phillies slugger Ryan Howard steps to the plate. When he hits a baseball, it often flies over the outfield fence. Ryan proved that he was one of the game's best players when he led his team to victory in the 2008 World Series. In 2011, he helped the Phillies to the best record in Major League Baseball. Find out more about Ryan's amazing journey.

Soccer is the most popular sport on the planet, and this book has all the statistics a soccer fan could want from brilliant goals to World Cup records to legendary team performances. Learn how fans around the world use numbers to tell the stories of their favorite teams and how players use statistics to improve.

Fans around the world know Real Madrid of Spain as one of the greatest and most successful soccer teams ever. Learn about Real Madrid's historic early years and the championship moments that made the team famous in this thrilling title! Discover more through photos of the action and engaging storylines with famous and beloved athletes.

Roger Federer is called the greatest men's tennis player of all time. He has won more major tournaments than any other player in history. He has played in more than 1,000 professional matches over 20 years, yet has trained his body and mind with such focus that he has never withdrawn from a match due to injury. Learn how Federer continues to set records and defy the odds.