• December 2, 2012

Sports Illustrated is known for both its extensive game coverage and extraordinary photography. To extend the franchise, Sports Illustrated has published three new books that feature: the NFL’s greatest players of all time; the league’s most successful franchise; and an inside look at professional boxing.

"Football’s Greatest" mines SI's historical archive. It is packed with 150 photos and diagrams, naming the top 10 in more than 20 categories the best of the best -- the greatest running back, most dominant NFL team, even best trades. Conversely, "At the Fights: Inside the World of Professional Boxing" showcases the work of esteemed photographer Howard Schatz, who explores the combative sport and interviews boxing's current champs, alongside promoters and managers.

"Pittsburgh Steelers: Pride in Black and Gold" commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the most successful franchise in NFL History. Winner of an unprecedented six Super Bowls, the Steelers legendary players, from Franco Harris and Lynn Swann to Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger, are chronicled. So are key moments and classic rivalries, even a radio gimmick that became a beloved bond between team and fans: The Terrible Towel. It proved so popular, babies at Pittsburgh's Magee-Women's Hospital were swaddled in them. The "Steelers" writing is crisp and informative; it neatly underscores how personal sports can be to a city.