Mihir Bose - The Spirit of the Game: How Sport Has Changed the Modern World

This book could not have been written without the help and encouragement of many people from many parts of the world and many walks of life.

My first thanks are to my publisher, Leo Hollis. He helped me to flesh out my idea and realize the theme of how sport has developed, where it has arrived, and its impact on the modern world.

I am also indebted to the many friends and colleagues who helped me with the research. Richard Heller, whose reaction to dropping a catch off Peter Obornes bowling got the Madras crowd going all those years ago, never dropped a ball as he helped me with vital research. Nigel Dudley, who often suffered on the cricket field because of my own catching, was, as ever, an island of sanity and good advice. His daughter Charlotte came in at very short notice to help. Hugh Pym kindly introduced me to Adam Baker whose research was also extremely useful.

My daughter Indira was very diligent in recruiting her friends and the research by Oliver Aiken and Tomo Takabatake in various archives unearthed some fascinating material. Daniel Walters was also helpful.

Douglas Eden, who combines his vast knowledge of history with a sharp appreciation of sport, was a very useful sounding board on American sport and Simon Blundell, the librarian of the Reform Club, was always ready to point me in the direction of a book or text I could not find. The staff at the London Library, the Public Record Office in Kew, and the British Museum have been extremely generous with time and space.

Sports writing has come a long way since the days, at the end of the 19th century, when the only events reported were those that took place on the field of play. Sports broader impact on business and wider society is now much examined. This has been a theme of my journalism for almost thirty years. But I was intrigued that there was no book that drew all of this together and explained how sport changed from a recreational activity run by volunteers into a corporate entity, who the engineers of this change were and how it has affected the cherished concepts about the spirit of sport. In the course of my examinations I have used my own writing and also in the last two years interviewed many people ranging from politicians through administrators to sportsmen and women. Their thoughts and views have proved very helpful in shaping this book.

I have also relied on much available material and the bibliography lists many of the books, newspaper sources, websites and television programmes that have provided very useful source material. I would particularly like to highlight the work of authors like Tom Bower, Barbara Smit, Boria Majumdar, John Sugden, Alan Tomlinson, Richard Holt, Tony Collins and Xu Guoqi. They have in many ways been ground-breaking in this field. I cannot praise highly enough the diligent journalism of Jens Weinreich; his industry and unflagging energy are a model for us all. Sarah Sands, Doug Wills and Steve Cording have been great supporters and sounding boards. Duncan Mackays excellent website has been a source of information and Andreas Herren has always been ready with useful material. Sarah Wooldridge was unfailingly helpful and, as ever, Edward Griffiths, despite being an Arsenal supporter, opened doors and shared his wise sporting perceptions with a man from the other side of the north London divide.

I have been fortunate in the support from my family and friends, many of whom are like family members. My sister Panna, her husband Tapan and my niece Anjali were, as ever, extremely helpful. Susanna Majendie, who is like family, showed real family feeling in encouraging the book, despite having no interest in the subject. Andrew Cecils help, letting me share his vast expertise on Formula One, was extremely valuable. And both my sisters-in-law: Rosalind, a fine equestrienne, and Jenny, with her keen sense for sport, have proved marvellously supportive . This book could not have been written, or certainly in time, without the help of my wife Caroline and her entire office led by the amazing Nicky Swain. Nicky helped me in more ways than I can enumerate to make sure the typescript was fit for publication . Carolines love and affection is the rock on which my life is based. But her devotion to this book is the sort of faith that can move mountains.

Errors may still remain but for that I and I alone must take responsibility.

Mihir Bose, September 2011