A Great Holiday Gift For The Geo-Political Olympic Sports Fan

Released on: October 15, 2008, 4:30 am

Press Release Author: Randy Walker

Industry: Entertainment

Press Release Summary: Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games
features foreword by Vice President Walter Mondale Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
and American Athletes Denied Olympic Opportunities Profiled.

Press Release Body: New York, NY, October 15, 2008 -- Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the
1980 Moscow Olympic Games , the new book chronicling the Soviet invasion of
Afghanistan and the 1980 U.S. boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, is available in
bookstores and on internet retailers around the world and makes for the perfect
holiday gift for the geo-political Olympic sports fan.

Written by identical twins Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli, Boycott: Stolen
Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games ($25.95, New Chapter Press) chronicles the
stories of 18 elite American athletes who trained thousands of hours for their
once-in-a-lifetime chance at Olympic glory in Moscow only to become pawns in a
political Cold War chess match between superpowers. The book also outlines the
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan that led to the boycott, efforts by a group of
athletes to overturn the boycott by legal means, and the entire 1980 team eventually
receiving the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award which is bestowed
by the United States Congress.

Vice President Walter F. Mondale, who spoke on behalf of the boycott prior to the
USOC's April 12, 1980 vote to officially boycott the Games, wrote the Foreword for
the book. Mondale apologizes to all the athletes who were denied the opportunity to
compete calling them, "warriors in our country's defense of freedom." Other
political figures featured in the book include Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev,
Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Gromyko, U.S. National Security Advisor
Zbigniew Brezezinski, Soviet journalist Vladimir Pozner, USOC President Robert Kane,
USOC Executive Director F. Don Miller, U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, Olympic
rower Anita DeFrantz, Afghan President Hafizullah Amin among others.

Among those endorsing the book include CBS Sports commentator Dick Enberg, who
states, " Boycott uniquely and poignantly captures the impact of American athletes
denied the opportunity to compete in the Olympic Games. Nearly three decades later,
I continue to appreciate and understand their heartbreak and anger. Thanks to the
authors, we are reminded of their brave, but painful sacrifice. This book, then,
becomes their belated, but deserved Olympic salute." Said Anita DeFrantz, President
of LA84 Foundation, member of the International Olympic Committee and USOC Board
member, "The boycott of 1980 was a stunning experience because I thought in our
country, the individuals had the right to make their choices in sport. It is
reassuring that the Caracciolis decided to tackle this story about America and
American athletes in a challenging time."

Unlike athletes like Michael Phelps, Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin, Laura Berg, Brian
Clay, Lopez Lomong, Dina Rizzo, Dremiel Byers, Karen O'Connor, Adler Volmar, Mariel
Zagunis, Amy Tryon, Levi Leipheimer, Kerri Walsh, Kim Probst, Alicia Sacramone and
others, athletes featured in the book did not have a chance to compete on the grand
stage. Athletes featured in the book are: Don Paige (Athletics) Philadelphia, Pa. /
Bahama, N.C.; Glenn Mills (Swimming) Ridgeville, Ohio / Chester, Md. ; Gwen Gardner
(Athletics) Los Angeles, Calif; Gene Mills (Wrestling) Pompton Lakes, N.J. /
Liverpool, N.Y. ; Craig Beardsley (Swimming) New York, N.Y. / Chatham, N.J. ; Sue
Walsh (Swimming) Hamburg, N.Y. / Durham, N.C.; Bill Hanzlik (Basketball) Beloit,
Wisc., / Denver, Colo.; Amy Koopman (Gymnastics) Arlington Heights, Ill.; Isiah
Thomas (Basketball) Chicago, Ill. / New York, N.Y.; Carol Blazejowski (Basketball)
Fairview, N.J.; Luci Collins (Gymnastics) Inglewood, Calif.; David Kimes (Shooting)
Monterey Park, Calif. / La Palma, Calif.; Brian Gust (Wrestling) Lakeville, Minn.;
Lisa Buese (Swimming) Louisville, Ky. / Palo Alto, Calif.; Linda Cornelius Waltman
(Athletics) Ft. Worth, Tx / Boerne, Tx; Thomas Schuler (Cycling) Birmingham, Mich. /
Wauwatosa, Wisc; Ron Galimore (Gymnastics) Ames, Iowa / Indianapolis, Ind.; Debbie
Landreth (Volleyball) El Segundo, Calif. / Granger, Ind.;

Boycott is published by New Chapter Press - also the publisher of The Roger Federer
Story, Quest for Perfection by Rene Stauffer and The Bud Collins History of Tennis
by Bud Collins. Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press ( www.newchapterpressmedia.com )
is an independent publisher of books and part of the Independent Publishers Group.
Press Release Submission By PressReleasePoint(http://www.pressreleasepoint.com)

Contact:

Randy Walker
New Chapter Press
New York, NY
917-770-0843
Rwalker@newchapterpressmedia.com
http://www.newchapterpressmedia.com

Web Site: http://www.newchapterpressmedia.com

Contact Details: Randy Walker
New Chapter Press
New York, NY
917-770-0843
Rwalker@newchapterpressmedia.com
http://www.newchapterpressmedia.com

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