PEN American Center has teamed up with ESPN to create a new $5,000 award to honor the best nonfiction books about sports. “Sports have inspired some of America’s best writers, including Norman Mailer, Joyce Carol Oates, George Plimpton, David Halberstam and many others,” said Steven L. Isenberg, PEN American Center’s executive director. “PEN’s Literary Awards Program is one of the most comprehensive in the country, but we’ve never honored this corner of America’s great literary heritage. In ESPN, we found the perfect partner to help us begin doing so.” The winner will be chosen by a panel of three judges. The deadline for submissions for 2009 titles is June 15.