Tony Ward is a writer and researcher based in Melbourne. Apart from his interest in national identity and sports, he runs a small consulting firm specialising in economic and financial analysis. He lives with his wife Gail in Elwood, inner Melbourne, and enjoys several sports, including golf, tennis, swimming and walking.

This book examines national identity - and especially Australia's image as a sporting country. Tony Ward traces the ebb and flow of Australia's sporting passions since the period when Archer won the first Melbourne Cup in 1861.

This book was published as a special issue in Soccer and Society.

1. Introduction 2. Measuring Sports Madness 3. Sport and National Identity 4. 'The Heart of What it Means to be Australian' 5. The Roar of the Crowd 6 .Lifeblood of the Community 7. Start of This 'Sporting People' 8. Early Sports 1860-1900 9. Visions of Australian Sport in 1900 10. Sports Images in a Time of Turmoil 1910-40 11. Heyday of the Amateur?: 1950s 12. Changing Times 1960-75 13. Marketing Sports Nationalism 1975-85 14. Take the Money and Run 1985-2007 15. Conclusion