About Lew
Lew Freedman is a long-time, award-winning journalist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Chicago Tribune, Anchorage Daily News, Cody Enterprise in Wyoming and the Seymour Tribune in Indiana. He is the author of more than 100 books, mostly on sports and Alaska. Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Lew has worked for newspapers all over the country, from the large to the small, mostly writing sports, but also news. He is the winner of more than 300 journalism awards and currently writes for the Seymour Tribune, in Seymour, Indiana. Lew is passionate about telling good stories that make people think and entertain them. He is a huge all-around sports fan who has probably written at least one story about every sport that exists, but particularly enjoys telling stories of the underdog. Freedman does have a particular fondness for baseball history, but simply loves to tell a good story regardless of the topic. It may be football one day, basketball the next, track and field the day after. There is no mystery, however, about what the greatest sporting event Lew ever covered. He was fortunate enough to be assigned to the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, and was present when the United States hockey team upset the Russians and then won the gold medal. The most entertaining individual athlete Lew has ever been around was Muhammad Ali, the former heavyweight champion who also campaigned for fairness in American society. Freedman has not only visited every state, but he has registered a byline in a newspaper from every one of the 50 states. And most of the Canadian provinces, too. Lew Freedman, wife Debra and dog Boston live in Indiana, though their hearts also belong to Alaska. Find out more on Lew's books here. Contact Lew |
List of Books by Lew Freedman
1) Dangerous Steps: Vernon Tejas and the Solo Winter Ascent of Mount McKinley. The story of how Alaska climber Tejas became the first man to ascend Mount McKinley alone in winter and live to tell about it.
2) Real Alaskans. A collection of profiles of well-known Alaskans in the outdoors.
3) Live From The Kenai River: Reelin’ Em In With Celebrity Fishing Guide Harry Gaines (with Harry Gaines). A lifetime of fishing adventures with fast-talking, fun-loving veteran guide Gaines.
4) Iditarod Classics: Tales of the Trail By the Men and Women Who Race Across Alaska. Individual stories of adventure and triumph along the 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail.
5) George Attla: The Legend of the Sled Dog Trail. An inspirational biography of the 10-time world champion sprint musher who overcame many physical obstacles to succeed.
6) Live From the Tundra! Lew Freedman’s Greatest Hits. A collection of sports columns from the Anchorage Daily News over a several-year period.
7) Hunting The Wild Country: 40 Years As A Guide in Alaska and Wyoming (with Kenny Sailors). The biography of one-time basketball star Kenny Sailors and his hunting guide adventures chasing sheep and bear.
8) Iditarod Dreams: A Year in the Life of Alaskan Sled Dog Racer DeeDee Jonrowe (with DeeDee Jonrowe). A behind-the-scenes look at the lifestyle and preparation of a long-distance dog musher from Iditarod to Iditarod.
9) Wild Times in Wild Places: Adventures on Alaska’s Frontier. A cross-section of mountaineering, running, fishing and hunting tales from Alaska.
10) Iditarod Silver. The 25th anniversary commemorative story of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race’s history since its founding.
11) Fishing for a Laugh. A collection of humorous and outrageous Alaska fishing tales.
12) Muktuk and Mukluks: The Life and Times of the World’s Largest Eskimo (with Bob Aiken). The autobiography of Bob Aiken of Barrow, Alaska.
13) Father of the Iditarod: The Life of Joe Redington. The adventurous story of pioneer Alaskan Joe Redington and his founding of the world’s best-known dog mushing race.
14) Diamonds in the Rough. The history of the Alaska Baseball League and how it has produced hundreds of major leaguers.
15) Exploring the Unknown (editor). A selected collection of adventurer and explorer Bradford Washburn’s expedition diaries.
16) The Accidental Adventurer (with Barbara Washburn). The autobiography of the first woman to climb Mount McKinley.
17) One Second to Glory: The Alaska Adventures of Iditarod Champion Dick Mackey (with Dick Mackey). The autobiography of the man who won the closest Iditarod in history and operated the farthest north truck stop in the world.
18) The Big Icebox: A Diary of Alaska in Winter.
19) More Iditarod Classics. Additional stories from the 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail.
20) Live From The Frontier: The Great Alaska Shootout: How A Little School in the Far North Created College Basketball Magic. The story behind the scenes and on the court of how the University of Alaska Anchorage and the famous Great Alaska Shootout basketball tournament prospered together.
21) An Extraordinary Life, The Autobiography of Bradford Washburn (with Brad Washburn). The life story of the explorer, mountain climber, mountain photographer, museum director, mapmaker.
23) Bears Game of My Life. Some 28 living former (and a couple of present) Chicago Bears talk about the best, favorite or most memorable National Football League game of their careers.
24) Bears Stadium Stories. Traveling back through time reviewing the history of and great moments of the Chicago Bears, from George Halas to Brian Urlacher.
27) An encyclopedia of African-American Pioneers of Baseball. An examination of the rise of black baseball players above discrimination, told through 20 former great players.
28) Then Ozzie Said to Harold. A collection of stories about the Chicago White Sox, with former star pitcher Billy Pierce.
29) LeBron James, a biography. The life story of Cleveland Cavaliers basketball star LeBron James.
30. Chicago White Sox Game of My Life: Former White Sox players talk about their favorite or most memorable game of their lives.
31. Thunder on the Tundra. Football Above the Arctic Circle. The story of Barrow, Alaska founding the northernmost high school football team in the world and how it fits in with Eskimo culture.
32. Dynasty—The Rise of the Boston Celtics. The behind-the-scenes story of the 1957-1969, 11-time world champion Celtics, against a backdrop of changes in American society at the time.
33. The Complete Illustrated History of the Chicago Bears. The story in words and pictures dating back to the team’s founding in 1920.
34. The 50 Greatest Plays in Chicago Bears History. A listing, in order, of the best, most important, and most exciting plays in the team’s long history.
35. Baseball The Way We Were. A nostalgic review of baseball, the game, its equipment, players and memorabilia, from the 19th century through 1960.
36. Fergie: My Life From The Cubs to Cooperstown, biography written with Ferguson Jenkins.
37. For The Love Of The Cubs, a collection of anecdotes and short stories about the Chicago Cubs throughout their history.
39. The Complete Illustrated History of the New York Giants. The story in words and pictures dating back to the team’s founding in 1925.
40. The Complete Illustrated History of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The story in words and pictures dating back to the team’s founding.
41. Peyton Manning, a biography. The life story of the Indianapolis Colts’ star football quarterback.
43. New England – The Way We Were (non sports). Nostalgia in words and pictures.
44. Wrigley Field – Home of the Chicago Cubs. The story of Wrigley Field in words and pictures.
45. Baseball Trivia – An illustrated collection of off-beat lists and facts about baseball.
46. The Yukon Quest: Story of the World’s Toughest Sled Dog Race. The history of the 1,000-mile mushing event between Fairbanks and Whitehorse, Yukon Territory.
48. Latino Baseball Legends. Profiles of the most significant Latin American baseball players and contributors and stories of baseball in Latin American countries.
49. Roberto Clemente, Baseball Star; Humanitarian (Kids).
50. Boston Red Sox (Kids).
51. Seattle Mariners (Kids)
52. Going Yard: The Everything Home Run Book (Frank Thomas).
53. Juan Marichal: My Journey from the Dominican Republic to Cooperstown, with Juan Marichal. The autobiography of the Hall of Fame pitcher.
55. Timber! The Story of the Lumberjack World Championships. This is the history and background of the most famous timber sports competition in the world in Hayward, Wisconsin, the man who created it, and the stars of the games.
56. Alaska Sports Hall of Fame. Highlights of individuals and events enshrined in the first five years of the state’s sports Hall of Fame.
57. Ted Lambert, The Man Behind The Paintings, introduction, epilogue and editor.
58-59. The Encyclopedia Of Stock Car Racing (two volumes). 950 pages of stock car racing history.
61. Game of My Life, Cincinnati Reds. Current and former Reds players talk about a favorite or memorable game from their careers.
62. My Season On The Kenai River. A fishing odyssey over one a summer season on Alaska and the world’s greatest salmon stream.
63. The Complete Illustrated History of the Indianapolis Colts. The story in words and pictures of the NFL franchise’s history, including the Baltimore Colts.
65. Clouds Over The Goal Posts. Pro football’s remarkable ups and downs in the 1963 season.
67. The Packers Experience. A year by year history of the iconic Green Bay Packers football franchise.
68. The 50 Greatest Players In Boston Red Sox History. Ranking the best players in team annals 1-50.
69. Flight To Adventure, Alaska And Beyond, with Lowell Thomas Jr. The memoirs of the Alaska Bush pilot and adventurer.
70. Football Stadiums—A Guide To Professional And Top College Stadiums. A look at NFL and college football stadiums around the country.
71. Boom Baby! My Basketball Life In Indiana. With Bob “Slick” Leonard. The basketball life of one of Indiana’s most revered hoops figured, from high school to Indiana University, to the NBA, to founding the Pacers, coaching the Pacers, and broadcasting.
72. Pele, A Biography. The Life And Times Of The World’s Greatest Soccer Player.
73. A Summer To Remember: Bill Veeck, Lou Boudreau, Bob Feller and the 1948 Cleveland Indians. The story of the last Indians World Series Achampionship and the amazing cast of characters that made it happen.
74.Jump Shot. Kenny Sailors: Basketball Innovator and Alaskan Outfitter. The biography of jump shot inventor Kenny Sailors, telling the story of his basketball success with the University of Wyoming, in the early days of the NBA, and then as an outdoors guide.
76. The 50 Greatest Pirates Every Fan Should Know. A ranking, in order, of the 50 best Pittsburgh Pirate players in history.
78. The Hall: A Celebration of Baseball’s Greatest Players, co-author, Baseball Hall of Fame 75 th anniversary.
80. Iditarod Adventures. Mushers and race officials’ stories from their experiences on the 1,000-mile trail to Nome.
82. Knuckleball: The History of the Unhittable Pitch. Phil Niekro, Wilbur Wood, Ed Cicotte and the story of the knuckler.
83. Philadelphia Fighters: The Golden Era of Greatness. Boxing’s last golden era built around the early 1980s.
84. Still Throwing Heat: Strikeouts, The Streets, And A Second Chance, J.R. Richard. Biography of baseball star J.R. Richard.
85. Racing Toward Recovery, The Extraordinary Story of Iditarod Musher Mike Williams Sr., with Mike Williams.
88. The Rise of the Seminoles, FSU Football Under Bobby Bowden, (the 1977 season).
89. Chicago’s Big Teams, Cubs, White Sox, Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls stories.
90. The 100 Most Important Sporting Events In American History.
91. The Story Of Basketball Great Clyde Lovellette (with Hall of Famer Clyde Lovellette).
93. Original Six.
97. Seventy Summits: Life in the Mountains (with Vern Tejas).
98. Chicago Bears By The Numbers.
99. Denali Ranger, with Roger Robinson.
100. Connie Mack and the Philadelphia Athletics' First Dynasty.
101. Warren Spahn: The Legendary Lefty.
102. Fighting For Life: The Story Of Jake LaMotta.
103. Baugh To Brady: The Evolution Of The Forward Pass.
104. Professional Wrestling: A Comprehensive Guide
106. Red Sox Legends
108.Sports:Weird-O-Pedia.
109. Phillies 1980!
110. Cy Young, a Biography
111. Buffalo Bill Cody: The Man Who Shaped The Wild West Legend
112. Lightning Strikes Twice: Johnny Vander Meer and the Cincinnati Reds.
113. 1930: The Story of a Baseball Season When Hitters Reigned Supreme.
114. 50 Years Of Iditarod Adventures: The First Fifty Years of the Last Great Race.
115. Johnny Mize: A Biography of Baseball’s Big Cat.