CONTENTS

17 SOUNDTRACK The editors report and reflect on the news

21 SPECTACLE Action shots of high-flying jai alai IN COLOR

60 COMING EVENTS

62 SCOREBOARD and Week's Winners

6 1954: THE YEAR AND ITS GREATEST SPORTSMAN
The editors choose Roger Bannister as SI's first Sportsman of the Year and GERALD HOLLAND takes a long backward look at the whole wonderful world of sport in the year just ending. Illustrated with photographs from the magazine and a two-page salute in caricature by JOE KAUFMAN to 54 other top sports personalities

20 A FAST MAN WITH A BASKET
That, in effect, is what a jai alai player has to be. OCTAVUS ROY COHEN describes the game, and MARK KAUFFMAN shows it in a great COLOR Spectacle

28 THE HUNTING DOG HAS HIS DAY
Field trials provide a fine opportunity for pointers, setters, spaniels and beagles—not to mention their owners—to show off. By REGINALD WELLS

34 A HOLIDAY IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
Next best thing to a trip is this visit via JOHN GROTH'S spectacular water colors and appreciative prose

38 BLACK ICE AND FLYING SKATES
A young star, SHEILA MULDOWNY, describes the passionate sport of figure skating and demonstrates her points in photographs by MARK KAUFFMAN

44 THE NEW EUROPEAN SPORTS CARS
A preview of the 16 hottest new models, with an evaluation by JOHN BENTLEY and pictures of each IN COLOR by PIERRE BOULAT

50 OTTO'S BIG GOODBY
Graham and the Browns make Cleveland deliriously happy by upsetting the Detroit Lions for the pro football title. A report in words and pictures by MARTIN KANE and the PESKINS

55 THE CUP COMES HOME
After four years of trying, the U.S. recaptures the Davis Cup

THE DEPARTMENTS:

1 Pat on the Back: Praise for those not already smothered with it
2 Hotbox: JIMMY JEMAIL asks: Should spring football practice be banned? (Asked of former Rose Bowl captains.)
37 Nature: JOHN O'REILLY discloses a fact about hibernation—that bear may just be taking a light snooze
42 Sporting Look: If you're going skiing your boots may make all the difference
56 Horse Racing: ALBION HUGHES finds the thoroughbreds hard at work in Florida, California and the South
57 Column of the Week: FURMAN BISHER wonders if and when Archie Moore will be old enough
58 Bowling: The All-Star is about to begin, and VICTOR KALMAN gives the ladies first call
59 Tip from the Top: This week CLAUDE HARMON offers advice on aligning the grip
63 Fisherman's Calendar & Snow Patrol: ED ZERN and BILL WALLACE in the streams and on the snowy slopes
64 Yesterday: Roy Riegels' classic run, plus a visit to Riegels today
66 The 19th Hole: The readers take over

COVER: Roger Bannister

Photograph by MARK KAUFFMAN

When SI Staff Photographer Mark Kauffman arrived at Vancouver for the British Empire Games last August, he tested out various locations along the cinder track in preparation for photographing what turned out to be the "Miracle Mile." In one of these test shots, he caught SI's Sportsman of the Year (page 6) running easily in his qualifying heat. It was a good spot, for it was precisely here that Bannister went surging by Landy in the Miracle Mile.

Acknowledgments on page 57

PHOTO

IN NEXT WEEK'S ISSUE

THE HOWS AND WHYS OF THE BOWLS

Four famous football coaches will cover the New Year's Day games for SI. The line-up:

•At the Sugar Bowl, SI's own HERMAN HICKMAN.
•At the Rose Bowl, RED SANDERS of UCLA.
•At the Cotton Bowl, BUD WILKINSON of Oklahoma.
•At the Orange Bowl, GENERAL NEYLAND of Tennessee.

THE UNTOLD STORY OF JACK DEMPSEY'S EARLY YEARS
A distinguished biographer, ROBERT COUGHLAN, tells the heart-warming tale of a "mama's boy" who learned to use his fists.

PLUS:

•THE DAVIS CUP BY BILLY TALBERT
•RACING AT SANTA ANITA, SKIING IN AFRICA. BOTH IN COLOR