Heavyweight Knocks Out Competition

Unforgivable Blackness, the fascinating biography of Jack Johnson, the world's first black heavyweight champion, has been declared the winner of the 2006 William Hill Sports Book of the Year.

Author Geoffrey C. Ward was named the winner at an awards ceremony at Waterstone's Piccadilly. Ward's previous books include The Civil War and Jazz. Currently living in New York, he is a former winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Ward has won critical acclaim for his perceptive and moving account of Johnson's life, creating a vivid portrayal of this complex character. Based on new material and with a historian's eye for detail, his depiction of Johnson captured the essence of quality sports writing that defines the William Hill Sports Book of the Year.

This is the first time that Pimlico have had a William Hill Sports Book of the Year winner, although Random House has an established track record of success through Yellow Jersey Press.

Graham Sharpe, Media Relations Director at William Hill and founder of the Award says: "The winner had to fight off a very stern challenge from an extremely strong shortlist and is a thoroughly worthy addition to the Award's roll of honour. The book is a great tribute to a man who changed the sporting world forever a century ago".

Eighteen years old this year, the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award (in association with Waterstone's) is the world's longest established and richest sporting literary prize. Not only does the winner receive the £18,000 cash prize, but also the opportunity for untold wealth in the guise of a free £2,000 bet and a designer bound copy of the book, created by David Sellars.

Each year a separate prize is also awarded by William Hill to the best cover design of a sporting title, this year's winner is Manly Pursuits by Stephen Parker (Yellow Jersey Press), who received a framed copy of the cover, £500 and a £500 free bet.