He’ll blow your doors off: An interview with local Indy car racer J. R. Hildebrand

J. R. Hildebrand was leading the 2011 Indianapolis 500 in the final turn when he swung wide around a slow car and skidded into the wall. Though the side of his car was destroyed, H... Read More

Sports Corner

Mainstream media misses changes to Cuban sports

By Steve Hermanos

Only the L.A. Times and National Public Radio, of our plethora of major media outlets, reported the recent policy changes the Cuban government announced regarding its professional ... Read More

Sports Corner

Catching up with Joan Ryan

By Steve Hermanos

Remember seeing Joan Ryan’s byline in the Chronicle almost every day? She covered Olympics, World Series, Super Bowls, as well as local-interest stories for the Metro section... Read More

Sports Corner

The Giants: What went wrong

By Steve Hermanos

When your team wins a World Series one year, and then the next year it loses a lot more games than it wins, the question presents itself: what happened? In the tradition of those w... Read More

Sports Corner

Charming the fans

By Steve Hermanos

With the Giants playing like they’re still hungover from the parties of 2010 and 2012, with the A’s having a fine year over in the cracked, concrete birdbath across the... Read More

Sports Corner

Interview with Hugh Delehanty, co-author of ‘Eleven Rings’

By Steve Hermanos

The hottest sports book of 2013 is Eleven Rings. It is co-written by ex-Bulls and ex-Lakers coach Phil Jackson, and Hugh Delehanty, a former editor for Sports Illustrated and Peopl... Read More

Sports Corner

The opening day glow

By Steve Hermanos

It was a beautiful Opening Day at AT&T Park. The Giants and their fans celebrated their victorious 2012 season and the echoes of the 2010 championship. A group of players raise... Read More

Sports Corner

First base with Roberto Kelly

By Steve Hermanos

Roberto Kelly is the first base coach for the San Francisco Giants. He’s held the job for the past six years, which includes, to the delight of Giants fans, two world champio... Read More

Sports Corner

A world-class March baseball experience in San Francisco

I recently asked a serious Giants fan, “Are you psyched about the World Baseball Classic coming to San Francisco?” The question generated a blank expression. I continu... Read More

Sports Corner

‘Orange Waves of Giants’

By Steve Hermanos

Here are some World Series poems from my new book of baseball poetry, Orange Waves of Giants, which is available at Books, Inc. on Chestnut Street. Go Giants! The Pan... Read More

Sports Corner

Hockeytown?

By Steve Hermanos

Hockey is the least telegenic of team sports. The puck is tiny. It gets lost to the TV viewer along the boards. Watched live, the flow of players skating around the rink is beautif... Read More

Sports Corner

Two left feet, but perseverance leads to successful sports career

The man behind the National Baseball Hall of Fame

By Steve Hermanos

You didn’t have a chance, really,” was the way my college baseball coach told me I was cut from the team. That night, the other cut players and I had a huge, sad, boozy par... Read More

Sports Corner

Baseball cards are fun again

A retro product for high-end collectors

By Steve Hermanos

You say no one cares about baseball cards. You say they’ve lost their charm. You say you’re not even supposed to hold the cards in your hand; you’re supposed to s... Read More

Sports Corner

League baseball without the major headaches

By Steve Hermanos

Want to watch professional baseball on a warm summer evening? Would you like $10 seats and free parking? Want to match the driving time that it takes to go from the Marina Green to... Read More

Sports Corner

Save big bucks on sports tickets

The new paradigm of seating

By Steve Hermanos

Craigslist and Stubhub did not exist back on Oct. 10, 1988, the day I showed up at Shea Stadium in Queens with extra tickets to the day’s Mets vs. Dodgers playoff game. It... Read More

Sports Corner