THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SPORT

MARILYN'S BIG SURPRISE

Marilyn Bell, 16-year-old Toronto schoolgirl, was tired even before she stepped into Lake Ontario one night last week. She had been up since early morning, waiting at Youngstown, N.Y. for the weather to clear. But shortly before midnight Marilyn entered the dark, choppy water and set out at a strong, 50-strokes-a-minute pace for Toronto, 32 miles away. At the same moment, the world's most famous channel swimmer, San Diego's Florence Chadwick, churned off for the same goal.

Champion Chadwick, of course, was the center of attention. But by morning the focus shifted. Chadwick was out of the water, sick and exhausted after 15 miles. It seemed impossible, but 16-year-old Marilyn was still out there, threshing away for Toronto and keeping up a steady 50-a-minute stroke.

By night, the news brought 250,000 to the Toronto waterfront. Out in the lake, Marilyn struggled against cold and exhaustion, but training and experience (she swam a 26-mile marathon around Atlantic City in July) brought her through. "Look, Marilyn," a voice said, "just over there." After 20 hours, 57 minutes, she made land. Proud Canadians showered her with more than $50,000 in prizes and gifts.

Group portrait showing most of the top-rung professional women golfers was taken on the practice green at Glen Echo Country Club before play began in the St. Louis Women's Open. Reading clockwise from center foreground they are: Louise Suggs, Atlanta; Marlene Bauer, Sarasota, Fla.; Betty Hicks, Durham, N.C.; Betty MacKinnon, Savannah; Betty Jameson, San Antonio; Fay Crocker, Montevideo, Uruguay; Betsy Rawls, Spartanburg, S.C. (the eventual winner); Pat O'Sullivan, Orange, Conn.; Patty Berg, St. Andrews, Ill. and (center) Beverly Hanson, Indio, Calif. Notable absentee: Babe Zaharias, who withdrew before the tournament started because she did not feel well.

Dove Hunters near Louisville, lined up at twilight with guns at the ready, offered an eloquently simple reminder that fall, the hunter's season, is almost at hand. These men were in a group of 60 hunting on the farm of a Louisville businessman, Bert Finzer, who has a mass opening-day shoot every year. The hunters are pictured here as they wait near an apple orchard for fast, elusive doves to appear and offer a fleeting target before diving to their roosts in the tree branches.

Giant Tuna caught by Maricio L. Guerra of Tampico, Mexico was one of five taken by Mexican team during International Tuna Cup matches off Wedgeport, Nova Scotia. Guerra's 656-pound catch helped his team to its second straight championship. U.S. was second, Argentina third.

Never say die, Kentucky-bred and U.S.-owned horse which won the Epsom Derby in June, romped home 12 lengths ahead in the historic St. Leger at Doncaster, England to become the first American horse since 1881 to win both classics. In tears after watching the race, the owner, 78-year-old Robert Sterling Clark, a New York financier who prefers to race his horses in Europe, gulped: "I'm too old to celebrate, but I'm just about the happiest man in the world today." For more about the victory, see p. 52.

Juan Manuel Fangio coolly demonstrated his skill by taking close turns and clinging to the lead during Grand Prix of Italy at Monza. The onetime Argentine bus mechanic, 43, who leads Germany's crack Mercedes-Benz team on the Grand Prix circuit, won the Monza race and firmly cemented his position as champion driver of the year (SI, Sept. 13) over such competitors as his onetime protégé, José Froilan Gonzalez, 33, who is shown, just as cool, at the wheel of the Ferrari trailing Fangio's Mercedes.

Junk Heap grew suddenly during stock-car race at State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, N.Y. when one car bounced off of a crash wall, was rammed by another and 26 more piled in. Two drivers and nine spectators were slightly hurt.

Stanley Steamer (vintage: 1906), driven by Paul J. Tusek, postmaster of Power Point, Ohio, was the hit of the Anglo-American Vintage Car Rally in Britain after it suffered a series of explosions, limped most of the way to finish, then collapsed.

Long Stretch by Gloria May of Fresno put out Phoenix Catcher Dot Wilkson during national women's softball tournament at Orange, Calif. Fresno won game 5-1, later swept tournament to gain second straight title.

High-Speed Spill from skimming hydroplane left driver Bob Oliver soaked and shaken but not seriously injured. Oliver tumbled from his boat into Lake Dallas, Texas during local qualifying trials for the international outboard championships.

Flying Speedboat took off after its engine broke loose during Long Beach, Calif. race. Owner-driver Paul Terheggen, similarly dunked and seriously hurt last year, was tossed clear of the falling boat and suffered only bruised ankles.

Scottish Heavyweight strained mightily while tossing a 17-foot, 3-inch caber at annual Highland Games in Braemar, Scotland. Object is to heave caber so that small end in tosser's hand up-ends and lands as far away as possible.

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ON STRETCHER LATER MARILYN SAID, "I CAN'T STOP GRINNING"

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MARILYN'S HEAD BOBBED TIREDLY WITHIN SIGHT OF TORONTO SKYLINE AS TRAINER SHOUTED ENCOURAGEMENT FROM BOAT

ELEVEN PHOTOS