This is a selective list of reference sources on the subject of sport, most of which are available on the open shelves in either the Humanities Floor 1, Social Science or Business reading rooms. The locations are indicated by shelfmarks beginning H; SPIS or O; and (B) respectively. Items not on the open shelves are marked with an asterisk. Please bear in mind that much relevant material can also be found in Explore the British Library.
A separate list of sports websites is also available.
As well as details of statistical sources, business materials, current scholarly publications and finding aids, the list also contains a number of older publications which are considered to be of particular interest to sports historians.
Bibliographies and resources
Biography
Business
Dictionaries
Encyclopedias
Research
Rules
Statistics
Yearbooks and almanacs
Individual sports
Olympic and Paralympic Games
Bibliographies and resources |
| Allen, Beth Mary, Sports, exercise, and fitness: a guide to reference and information sources. Westport, Conn.; London: Libraries Unlimited, 2005. |
| HLR 796.07 |
*Arbena, Joseph L., An Annotated bibliography of Latin American sport: pre-conquest to the present. New York; London: Greenwood, 1989. |
2725.e.845 |
| *Bibliography of British athletic club histories. Bulletin no.1- . Distance Learning Ltd, 1997- . |
| 2725.e.3807 |
| Cox, R. W., British sport: a bibliography to 2000. Vol. 1, Nationwide histories. Vol. 2, Local histories. Vol. 3, Biographical studies of British sportsmen, sportswomen and animals. London: F. Cass, 2003. |
HLR796.0941 |
| Cox, R. W., History of sport: a guide to the literature and sources of information. Frodsham, Cheshire: British Society of Sport History in association with Sports History Publishing, c1994. |
HLR796.0941 |
| *Cox, R. W., Index to sporting manuscripts in the UK. Frodsham: British Society of Sport History in association with Sports History Publishing, c1995. |
| YK.1996.b.3570 |
| *Cox, R. W., International sport: a bibliography, 1995-1999: including index to sports history journals, conference proceedings and essay collection. London: Routledge, 2004 |
| YC.2005.a.1025 |
| Cox R.W., Sport - a guide to historical sources in the U.K. Prepared for the Information Centre by Richard Cox. London: Sports Council, c1983. |
HLR Enquiry Desk 026.796 (P) |
| Cox, R. W., Sport in Britain: a bibliography of historical publications, 1800-1987. Manchester: Manchester University Press, c1991. |
HLR796.0941 |
| *Higginson, Alexander Henry, British and American sporting authors. Their writings and biographies ... With a bibliography by Sydney R. Smith, etc. London: Hutchinson & Co., 1951. |
7920.k.14 |
| *Gender issues in sport: a specialized bibliography from the SPORT database. Gloucester, Ontario: Sport Information Resource Centre, 1991. |
| 8419.801200 15 DSC |
| Information sources in sport and leisure. Editor Michele Shoebridge. London: Bowker-Saur, c1992. |
HLR796.07 |
| *Lovesey, Peter, The guide to British track and field literature, 1275-1968. London: Athletics Arena, 1969. |
| 2738.g.3. |
| *Shoebridge, Michele, Women in sport: a select bibliography. London: Mansell, 1987. |
2725.d.573 |
| Sport, leisure and tourism: information sources: a guide for researchers. Edited by Martin Scarrott. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, 1999. |
HLR796.07 |
| *Sport on film and video: the North American Society for Sport History guide. Metuchen, N.J; London: Scarecrow Press, 1993. |
| YC.1994.b.2495 |
| SPRIG directory of periodicals in sport and recreation. 3rd ed. (1996)-. Sheffield: SPRIG, 1996- |
HUR Enquiry Desk 790 |
| *Zeigler, Earle Frederick, Research in the history, philosophy, and international aspects of physical education and sport: bibliographies and techniques. Edited, with selected essays and bibliographies, by Earle F.Zeigler, etc. Champaign, Ill.: Stipes Publishing Co., [1971]. |
X.619/6920 |
Biography |
| *The Daily Telegraph book of sports obituaries. Edited by Martin Smith. London: Macmillan, 2000. |
YK.2001.a.11670 |
| Sport interviews in the BBC Sound Archive. [London]: BBC Sound Archive, 1991. |
HUS.025.348209421BBC |
Business |
| *Sport & the media: leisure intelligence, May 2003. London: Mintel International Group, 2003. |
| (B)AK 60 Business |
| *The sports market. Hampton: Key Note, 2004- . (Key note market review) |
| (B) MKT 338.47796094105 Business |
| *Sport business in numbers 2007- . London: SportBusiness, 2007- . |
| (B) MKT 338.47796 Business |
| *Sport business United Kingdom: the definitive reference guide to the UK sports industry. 2002/3- .London: SportBusiness Group, 2002- . |
| (B) AA 663 Business |
Dictionaries |
| *The Dictionary of sport: the complete guide for TV viewers, spectators and players. General editor: Gerry Cox. London: Carlton, 1999. |
YC.2001.a.1641 |
| Dictionary of sporting artists, 1650-1990. Edited by Mary Ann Wingfield. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors' Club, 1992. |
HLR704.949 |
| The Oxford companion to sports & games. Edited by John Arlott. London, etc.: Oxford University Press, 1975. |
HLR796.03 |
| Room, Adrian, Dictionary of sports and games terminology. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., c2010. |
| HLR 796.03 |
Encyclopedias |
| Berkshire encyclopedia of world sport / David Levinson and Karen Christensen, editors. Great Barrington, Mass.: Berkshire, c2005. |
| HLR 796.03 |
| *Cashmore, Ernest, Sports culture: an A-Z guide. London: Routledge, 2000. |
YC.2003.a.13571 |
| Encyclopedia of British sport. Edited by Richard Cox, Grant Jarvie, Wray Vamplew. Oxford: Clio, 2000. |
HLR796.0941 |
| Encyclopedia of traditional British rural sports / edited by Tony Collins, John Martin, and Wray Vamplew. London: Routledge, 2005. |
| HLR 796.0941 |
| Golden, Mark, Sport in the ancient world from A to Z. London: Routledge, 2003. |
| HLR 796.0938 |
| International encyclopedia of women and sports. Edited by Karen Christensen, Allen Guttmann, Gertrud Pfister. New York; London: Macmillan Reference USA, 2001. |
HLR796.082 |
| *Matthews, Peter, The Guinness encyclopedia of international sports records and results. Enfield: Guinness Publishing, 1995. |
YK.1996.b.1871 |
| Montague, Trevor, A to Z of sport: the compendium of sporting knowledge. London: Little, Brown, 2004. |
| HLR 796.03 |
Research |
| *Edwards, Allan, Qualitative research in sport management. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2009. |
| m09/.19083 |
| Gratton, Chris, Research methods for sport studies. London: Routledge, 2004. |
| OPL 796.072 |
| *McNamee, M. J., Research ethics in exercise, health and sports sciences. London: Routledge, 2007. |
| YC.2007.a.880 |
| *Philosophy and the sciences of exercise, health and sport: critical perspectives on research methods. Edited by Mike McNamee. London: Routledge, 2005. |
| YC.2006.a.14548 |
| *Tenenbaum, Gershon, Methods of research in sport sciences: quantitative and qualitative approaches. Oxford: Meyer & Meyer Sport, 2005. |
| m07/.17566 |
Rules |
| *The sports book: the sports, the rules, the tactics, the techniques. Editorial consultant Ray Stubbs. London: Dorling Kindersley, 2007. |
| YK.2008.b.7875 |
| *The sports rules book. Human Kinetics. Champaign, Ill.; Leeds: Human Kinetics, c2004. |
| YK.2005.b.2578 |
Statistics |
| Fallowfield, Joanne L,.Using statistics in sport and exercise science research. Chichester: Lotus, 2005. |
| YK.2007.a.11019 |
| General household survey. Stationery Office. |
| SPIS National Statistics Collection |
Yearbooks and almanacs |
| *The Guinness sports yearbook ..1994- . Enfield: Guinness Publishing, 1993- . |
ZK.9.a.2997 |
| *Whitaker's almanack. International sports records and results 1998/9- . London: The Stationery Office, 1998- . |
ZK.9.a.5906 |
Individual sports |
American football |
| *Smith, Myron J., The College football bibliography. Westport, Conn.; London: Greenwood Press, 1994. |
2725.e.2440 |
| *Smith, Myron J., Professional football: the official pro football hall of fame: bibliography. Westport, Conn;: London: Greenwood Press, 1993. |
2725.g.2021 |
Athletics |
| McNab, Tom, An Athletics compendium: a annotated guide to the UK literature of track and field. Compiled by Tom MacNab, Peter Lovesey, Andrew Huxtable. Boston Spa: British Library, 2001. |
HLR796.42 |
Boxing |
| Boddy, Kasia, Boxing: a cultural history. London: Reaktion, c2008. |
| HLR 796.83 |
| *Hartley, R. A., History & bibliography of boxing books: collectors guide to the history of pugilism incorporating a bibliography containing some 2100 titles on all aspects of pugilism published in the English language. Alton: Nimrod, [1989.] |
YK.1990.b.2414 |
Cricket |
| Padwick, E. W., A Bibliography of cricket. London: Library Association in association with McKenzie (Bookseller) on behalf of Cricket Society, 1984. |
HLR796.358 |
| Eley, Stephen, Padwick's bibliography of cricket. Compiled by Stephen Eley and Peter Griffiths. Vol.2, London: Library Association for the Cricket Society, 1991. |
HLR796.358 |
| Powell, William, Cricket in sound and vision: a discography and videography of cricket. Hainault: County Print Services, c1994. |
HUS796.3580208016 |
Cycling |
| *A Bibliography of cycling books. Birmingham: National Cycle Archive, 1993-. |
2725.g.1680 |
Football |
| Encyclopedia of British football. Editors, Richard Cox, Dave Russell and Wray Vamplew. London: Frank Cass, 2002. |
HLR796.334 |
| Seddon, Peter J., A Football compendium: a comprehensive guide to the literature of association football. Boston Spa: The British Library, 1995. |
HLR796.334 |
| Seddon, Peter J., A Football compendium: an expert guide to the books, films, and music of Association football. 2nd edition. Boston Spa: British Library, 1999. |
HLR796.334 |
Rugby |
| Jenkins, John M., A Rugby compendium: an authoritative guide to the literature of Rugby Union football. London: British Library, 1998. |
HLR796.333 |
Tennis |
| *Phillips, Dennis J., The Tennis sourcebook. Lanham, [MD]: Scarecrow Press, 1995. |
2725.e.3075 |
Olympic and Paralympic Games |
| Bailey, Steve, Athlete first: a history of the paralympic movement. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley, c2008. |
| HLR 796.087 |
| Encyclopedia of the modern Olympic movement / edited by John E. Findling and Kimberly D. Pelle. Westport, Conn.; London: Greenwood Press, 2004. |
| HLR 796.48 |
| Mallon, Bill, Historical dictionary of the Olympic movement / Bill Mallon with Ian Buchanan. 3rd edition. Lanham, Md.; Oxford: Scarecrow Press, 2006. |
| HLR 796.48 |
| Rogan, M. and Rogan, M., Britain and the Olympic Games; past, present, legacy. Leicester: Matador, 2011. |
| HLR 796.48 |
| Wallechinsky, David, The complete book of the Olympics. 2008 edition. David Wallechinsky and Jaime Loucky. London: Aurum, c2008. |
| HLR 796.48 |
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