Joseph L. Arbena teaches Latin American history and geography and modern sports history at Clemson University. David G. LaFrance is research professor in the BenemZrita Universidad Aut~noma de Puebla, Mexico.

Joseph Arbena is unquestionably one of the world's leading authorities on Latin American sports. He and David LaFrance have put together a collection of essays that range from speculations on the political views of Argentine soccer idol Diego Maradona to shrewd sociological comments on the exploits of Peruvian female volleyball players. For those curious about Latin American and Caribbean sports, this is a fine place to begin.

• Chapter 1 IntroductionChapter 2 The Catholic Church and the Origins of Soccer in Costa Rica, 1904-1921Chapter 3 The Case of Soccer in Early Twentieth-Century LimaChapter 4 Soccer Madness: Futebol in BrazilChapter 5 Soccer Conspiracies: Maradona, the CIA, and Popular CritiqueChapter 6 Three Kings Day in Consuelo: Cricket, Baseball, and the Cocolos in San Pedro de MacorísChapter 7 Labor, the State, and Professional Baseball in Mexico in the 1980sChapter 8 Charreada: Performance and Interpretation of an Equestrian Folk Tradition in Mexico and the United StatesChapter 9 Hosting the Summer Olympic Games: Mexico City, 1968Chapter 10 Sport in Cuba: Castro's Last StandChapter 11 The Failure of Caribbean Integration: Lessons from Grass Roots BasketballChapter 12 Sport in Nicaragua, 1889–1926Chapter 13 The History of Peruvian Women's VolleyballChapter 14 In Search of the Latin American Female AthleteChapter 15 Suggested Readings

Joseph L. Arbena teaches Latin American history and geography and modern sports history at Clemson University. David G. LaFrance is research professor in the BenemZrita Universidad Aut~noma de Puebla, Mexico.

Joseph Arbena is unquestionably one of the world's leading authorities on Latin American sports. He and David LaFrance have put together a collection of essays that range from speculations on the political views of Argentine soccer idol Diego Maradona to shrewd sociological comments on the exploits of Peruvian female volleyball players. For those curious about Latin American and Caribbean sports, this is a fine place to begin.

• Chapter 1 IntroductionChapter 2 The Catholic Church and the Origins of Soccer in Costa Rica, 1904-1921Chapter 3 The Case of Soccer in Early Twentieth-Century LimaChapter 4 Soccer Madness: Futebol in BrazilChapter 5 Soccer Conspiracies: Maradona, the CIA, and Popular CritiqueChapter 6 Three Kings Day in Consuelo: Cricket, Baseball, and the Cocolos in San Pedro de MacorísChapter 7 Labor, the State, and Professional Baseball in Mexico in the 1980sChapter 8 Charreada: Performance and Interpretation of an Equestrian Folk Tradition in Mexico and the United StatesChapter 9 Hosting the Summer Olympic Games: Mexico City, 1968Chapter 10 Sport in Cuba: Castro's Last StandChapter 11 The Failure of Caribbean Integration: Lessons from Grass Roots BasketballChapter 12 Sport in Nicaragua, 1889–1926Chapter 13 The History of Peruvian Women's VolleyballChapter 14 In Search of the Latin American Female AthleteChapter 15 Suggested Readings

Joseph L. Arbena teaches Latin American history and geography and modern sports history at Clemson University. David G. LaFrance is research professor in the BenemZrita Universidad Aut~noma de Puebla, Mexico.

Joseph Arbena is unquestionably one of the world's leading authorities on Latin American sports. He and David LaFrance have put together a collection of essays that range from speculations on the political views of Argentine soccer idol Diego Maradona to shrewd sociological comments on the exploits of Peruvian female volleyball players. For those curious about Latin American and Caribbean sports, this is a fine place to begin.

• Chapter 1 IntroductionChapter 2 The Catholic Church and the Origins of Soccer in Costa Rica, 1904-1921Chapter 3 The Case of Soccer in Early Twentieth-Century LimaChapter 4 Soccer Madness: Futebol in BrazilChapter 5 Soccer Conspiracies: Maradona, the CIA, and Popular CritiqueChapter 6 Three Kings Day in Consuelo: Cricket, Baseball, and the Cocolos in San Pedro de MacorísChapter 7 Labor, the State, and Professional Baseball in Mexico in the 1980sChapter 8 Charreada: Performance and Interpretation of an Equestrian Folk Tradition in Mexico and the United StatesChapter 9 Hosting the Summer Olympic Games: Mexico City, 1968Chapter 10 Sport in Cuba: Castro's Last StandChapter 11 The Failure of Caribbean Integration: Lessons from Grass Roots BasketballChapter 12 Sport in Nicaragua, 1889–1926Chapter 13 The History of Peruvian Women's VolleyballChapter 14 In Search of the Latin American Female AthleteChapter 15 Suggested Readings