CONTENTS

14 THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SPORT As the camera sees it

21 SPECTACLE Ylla photographs a fight between a cobra and a mongoose IN COLOR

25 SOUNDTRACK SI's editors report and reflect on the news

57 SCOREBOARD and Week's Winners

59 COMING EVENTS

10 FORGET SOMETHING, BOYS?
Baseball's bosses met in solemn conclave last week, dealt with trivia, ignored baseball's biggest problem and went home. A report by ROGER KAHN with drawings by WILLIAM SHARP

28 YOU HAVE TO THINK TO LIFT
Weight lifting is not just a matter of mighty muscles. EZRA BOWEN reports in words and RICHARD MEEK in pictures on an exact science

32 THE DAVIS CUP: AN ANSWER AND A FORECAST
The U.S. captain, BILL TALBERT, replies to Harry Hopman (SI, Dec. 13), and SI presents pictures of the American and Australian stars IN COLOR along with a report on the imminent challenge round and a survey of the history of the most important trophy in tennis. By WHITNEY TOWER

40 YOUR GOOSE IS COOKED FOR CHRISTMAS
Your duck, too, for that matter. HARRY BOTSFORD offers some savory recipes for holiday feasting on two of the great game birds

43 A TIP FROM THE TOP FOR GOLFERS
The editors introduce a new weekly feature in which famous professionals offer specific advice on golf problems. This week GENE SARAZEN leads off the series with a tip on the after-40 finger

45 SOME PRETTY GIRLS IN THEIR NEW BATHING SUITS
A glimpse of the 1955 beach fashions for swimming and sunning, photographed in California IN COLOR by CHRISTA

61 CULBERTSON'S COUP IN THE MATCH OF THE CENTURY
H. Allen Smith, who was there, re-creates the hilarious 1931 bridge battle between the Culbertsons and Old Master Sidney Lenz

THE DEPARTMENTS:

2 Hotbox: JIMMY JEMAIL asks: What can the major leagues do to save the minors?
4 Soccer: The French comedian, JACQUES TATI, tells how to tend goal. With illuminating photographs by PHILIPPE HALSMAN
6 Pat on the Back: Praise for those not already smothered with it
44 Boating: ROBERT N. BAVIER JR. welcomes the hardy frostbiters
49 Bowling: VICTOR KALMAN reports from Chicago on the sport's TV thrills
51 Column of the Week: ARTHUR DALEY says goodby to Umpire Bill McGowan
52 Motor Sports: JOHN BENTLEY puts the Arnolt-Bristol through a stern test
54 Under 21: DUANE DECKER takes you on a boy's first deer hunt
56 Skiing: ROLAND PALMEDO looks at our international ski policy
60 Snow Patrol & Fisherman's Calendar: BILL WALLACE and ED ZERN compile the late reports from the slopes and streams
64 The Matchwit Puzzle: A crossword for two
66 The 19th Hole: The readers take over

COVER: Ken Sears

Photograph by MARK KAUFFMAN

Santa Clara's Ken Sears is the latest in the succession of athletes to win the nickname "big cat." He is also the biggest. Sears is a 6-foot 9-inch forward whose agility will prove a key to Pacific Coast basketball this season. Chiefly because of Sears, Santa Clara is the favorite to retain its title in the California Basketball Association. Most valuable player in the C.B.A. last season, Sears scored over 400 points.

Acknowledgments on page 51

PHOTO

IN NEXT WEEK'S ISSUE

ALL ABOUT THE NEW YEAR'S DAY BOWL GAMES
The Rose, The Sugar, The Cotton and The Orange—everything you need to know if you're going—or just watching on TV. With scouting reports on each of the competing teams and Hickman's Hunches on these and other bowl games. A section every football fan will want to save for New Year's Day

SNOW FOR CHRISTMAS IN DAVOS
A five-page feature IN COLOR by Toni Frissell on Europe's most glamorous ski resort

BEST COLLEGE BASKETBALL PLAYER
Tom Gola, the sharpshooting center of the LaSalle College five. MILT GROSS introduces him to SI readers in an intimate study of a quiet but explosive star

PLUS A CHRISTMAS FEATURE IN COLOR: SPORT IN STAINED GLASS AT NEW YORK CATHEDRAL