 First edition | |
| Author | Nick Hornby |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Autobiography |
| Publisher | Gollancz |
Publication date | 1992 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Pages | 247 |
| ISBN | 0-575-05315-1 |
| OCLC | 27897737 |
Fever Pitch: A Fan's Life is a 1992 autobiographical essay by British author Nick Hornby. The book is the basis for two films: Fever Pitch (1997, UK) and Fever Pitch (2005, US). The first edition was subtitled "A Fan's Life", but later paperback editions were not.
Fever Pitch, first published in 1992, is a memoir and Hornby's second book. It tells the story of the author's relationship with football, and with Arsenal Football Club in particular. [1] It consists of several chapters in chronological order, from the time the author first became a football fan as a child until his early thirties. Each chapter is about a football match that he remembers watching, most but not all at Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, and how it related to the events that were going on with his life. As well as recounting Arsenal's highs and lows, Hornby talks about other football clubs that play in London, and his interest in the contrasting surroundings of Cambridge United and Cambridge City, whose matches he attends while at university.
Fever Pitch sold over a million copies in the United Kingdom. It won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year in 1992 and was reprinted with a new cover and made available as part of the 2005–06 Arsenal F.C. membership pack as part of the "Final Salute" to Highbury Stadium. The book was made a Penguin Modern Classic in August 2012. [2]
A 1997 film version of Fever Pitch, with a screenplay adapted by Hornby, fictionalised the story, concentrating on Arsenal's First Division championship-winning season in 1988–89 and its effect on the protagonist's romantic relationship. Paul Ashworth, played by Colin Firth, the character based on Hornby, a teacher at a school in North London and his burgeoning romance with Sarah Hughes (Ruth Gemmell), a new teacher who joins Ashworth's school. The film culminates with Arsenal playing title rivals Liverpool in the final game of the season on 26 May 1989, in which a last minute Michael Thomas goal gives Arsenal the 2–0 win they need to win the title. Fever Pitch compares Hornby's life at Arsenal and other football clubs.
A 2005 film remake of Fever Pitch, directed by the Farrelly Brothers with Hornby as an executive producer, starred Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore. In this adaptation (based on the 1997 film, not the 1992 book), the action is moved from London to Boston, the focus of the protagonist's obsession is shifted from football to baseball and the story is based on the 2004 Boston Red Sox season, which culminated with the team's first Major League Baseball World Series victory in 86 years. This championship was entirely coincidental; the 2005 version was being filmed during the 2004 regular season, including scenes filmed at Fenway Park during actual games. As the Red Sox continued to progress through the playoffs, the Farrellys rewrote the script to include the historic moment. The movie was renamed The Perfect Catch outside North America to avoid confusion with the 1997 film. [3]
The Arsenal Football Club, commonly known as simply Arsenal, is a professional football club based in Holloway, North London, England. They compete in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. In domestic football, Arsenal have won 13 league titles, a record 14 FA Cups, two League Cups, 17 FA Community Shields, and a Football League Centenary Trophy. In European football, they have one European Cup Winners' Cup and one Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. In terms of trophies won, it is the third-most successful club in English football.
Highbury is an area in North London and located in the London Borough of Islington. Highbury was owned by Ranulf, brother of Ilger, and included all the areas north and east of Canonbury and Holloway Roads.
Nicholas Peter John Hornby is an English writer and lyricist. He is best known for his memoir Fever Pitch (1992) and novels High Fidelity and About a Boy, all of which were adapted into feature films. Hornby's work frequently touches upon music, sport, and the aimless and obsessive natures of his protagonists. His books have sold more than 5 million copies worldwide as of 2018. In a 2004 poll for the BBC, Hornby was named the 29th most influential person in British culture. He has received two Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay nominations for An Education (2009), and Brooklyn (2015).
The Curse of the Bambino was a superstitious sports curse in Major League Baseball (MLB) derived from the 86-year championship drought of the Boston Red Sox between 1918 and 2004. The superstition was named after Babe Ruth, colloquially known as "The Bambino", who played for the Red Sox until he was sold to the New York Yankees in 1920. While some fans took the curse seriously, most used the expression in a tongue-in-cheek manner.
Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, London, which was the home of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006. It was popularly known as "Highbury" from the name of the district in which it was located, and was given the affectionate nickname of "The Home of Football".
The Emirates Stadium is a football stadium in Holloway, London, England. It has been the home stadium of Arsenal Football Club since its completion in 2006. Arsenal's women's team made the stadium their home in 2024. It has a current seated capacity of 60,704, making it one of the largest football stadiums in England by capacity.
Robert Farrelly is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. He is one of the Farrelly brothers, alongside his brother Peter, who together are known for directing and producing successful box-office comedy films, including Dumb and Dumber (1994), There's Something About Mary (1998), Me, Myself and Irene (2000), Shallow Hal (2001), and the 2007 remake of The Heartbreak Kid. He made his solo directorial debut in 2023 with Champions.
Michael Lauriston Thomas is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder from 1986 to 2001.
Fever Pitch is a 2005 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by the Farrelly brothers. It stars Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon and is a remake of the British 1997 film of the same title. Nick Hornby, who had written the original 1992 book and the 1997 screenplay adaptation, acted as an executive producer for the American remake.
Gus Cassius Caesar is an English former professional footballer.
Jeffrey Paul Blockley is an English former footballer who played as a defender. He made over 300 Football League appearances and was capped by the England national football team.
Thomas Erickson Watt is an English actor, writer and broadcaster, known for portraying the role of Lofty Holloway in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders. He is also known for his appearances on the BBC radio show Fighting Talk and his documentary films for BT Sport.
The history of Arsenal Football Club between 1886 and 1966 covers the time from the club's foundation, through the first two major periods of success and the club's subsequent decline in the early 1960s.
Fever Pitch is a 1997 film starring Colin Firth and Ruth Gemmell, based loosely on Nick Hornby's best-selling memoir, Fever Pitch: A Fan's Life (1992).
Still, We Believe: The Boston Red Sox Movie is a 2004 documentary/sport film documenting the Boston Red Sox' 2003 season and the team's relationship with its fans. It was directed by Paul Doyle Jr. and was first released on May 7, 2004 at the Loew’s Boston Common Theater in Boston, Massachusetts.
Fever Pitch, subtitled "A Fan's Life", is a 1992 book by Nick Hornby.
London based Arsenal Football Club has developed a strong following since its founding in 1886. Since the 1980s, Arsenal's fans have often been referred to as Gooners, a derivation from the team's nickname, the "Gunners".
The final match of the 1988–89 Football League season was contested at Anfield between Liverpool and Arsenal, respectively the first and second-placed teams in the First Division, on 26 May 1989. The clubs were close enough on points for the match to act as a decider for the championship. However, Arsenal had to win by at least two goals to overtake Liverpool in the table; anything else would result in Liverpool becoming champions. Arsenal won 2–0; midfielder Michael Thomas scored the second goal in the final seconds of the match, ending Arsenal's 18-year wait to be crowned champions.
The 1988–89 season was the 94th in the history of Arsenal Football Club and their 62nd consecutive season in the top flight of English football. It began on 1 July 1988 and concluded on 30 June 1989, with competitive matches played between August and May. The club ended its 18-year wait for the league title by winning the Football League First Division championship in the most closely fought title race in the competition's history. Arsenal beat Liverpool 2–0 in the final match of the season to take the title on goals scored, as both clubs shared the same points total and goal difference. During the season Arsenal also enjoyed success in the Football League Centenary Trophy, but exited the League Cup to Liverpool in the third round and fell at the same stage of the FA Cup to West Ham United.
Amanda Rachel Posey is a British film producer, best known for her films An Education (2009) and Brooklyn (2015), produced with frequent collaborator Finola Dwyer. She is married to novelist and screenwriter Nick Hornby, with whom she has two sons.
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