{"product_id":"big-con-australias-unknown-soccer-pioneer-paperback","title":"Big Con: Australia's Unknown Soccer Pioneer - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eTrevor Thompson\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe fled a scandal. He built a sporting empire. He left behind a legacy-largely forgotten in his homeland.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCon Jones-born Thomas Shortel-was a bookmaker, a fugitive, a family man, and a genius sports promoter who reshaped Canadian soccer and lacrosse in the early 20th century. Leaving Sydney in disgrace after a Melbourne Cup betting scandal, he arrived in Vancouver and reinvented himself as a sporting visionary. Jones introduced professional soccer to British Columbia, built a stadium, and helped forge North America's first international football links. He was bold, brash, and endlessly ambitious.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBig Con is a gripping tale of reinvention, scandal, and sporting revolution. It's a vivid portrait of a forgotten trailblazer who played a major role in shaping modern sport-and got away with it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA compelling read for sports lovers, historians, and anyone fascinated by the messy intersection of ambition, identity, and redemption.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 108\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.22 x 8.5 x 5.5 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e September 02, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49554628378776,"sku":"9781923236318","price":30.02,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8830\/4024\/files\/k93zkDJbow9781923236318.webp?v=1784971523","url":"https:\/\/thepinkflamingobooks.myshopify.com\/products\/big-con-australias-unknown-soccer-pioneer-paperback","provider":"The Pink Flamingo","version":"1.0","type":"link"}