Table of Contents

AN ISSUE TO KEEP ON HAND ALL SUMMER LONG

The life-size portrayal of the stitched-horse-hide spheroid so lovingly painted for SI's cover by John Langley Howard symbolizes a memorable issue of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED. From HOTBOX to PAT ON THE BACK, the pages that follow are dedicated to baseball. It is an issue that knows one season only: the baseball season. It has been designed to serve the reader from this date until the day when the umpire cries the final "Out!" of the 1956 World Series. Throughout the whole long summer, as the teams work through the ups and downs of their schedules, this issue can enhance the enjoyment of the great American game. It covers players and prospects, managers and matters of moment, teams and temperaments, leagues and laws. Many of the regular SI departments have graciously made way for this single-minded coverage; but those who seek and do not find old friends like TIP FROM THE TOP, THE OUTDOOR WEEK and others may rest assured that they will all be back in subsequent issues, along with our regular baseball coverage. Meanwhile we say, with Chief Justice Earl Warren (see page 23): Play ball!

SPECTACLE: HERE COMES THE PITCH 19
The look of baseball, its geometric forms and its vast crowds, in four pages IN COLOR

A MAJORITY OPINION BY THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE U.S. 23
EARL WARREN, speaking for all baseball fans, issues an order to the major leagues

MAJOR LEAGUE PREVIEW, WITH 16 PAGES OF SCOUTING REPORTS 28
The strengths, weaknesses and ifs of each club, with an analysis by ROBERT CREAMER

THE NEW MANAGERS 51
Alfred Wright discusses them, and JOE KAUFMAN draws them in conclave with their colleagues

CONVERSATION PIECE: SUBJECT: YOGI AND CAMPY 24
Baseball's two Most Valuable Players talk about life and the game with JOAN FLYNN DREYSPOOL

THREE HOURS AND A MILLION CHOICES 62
In text and pictures JEREMIAH TAX and ROBERT RIGER show the intricacies of the average game

10 YEARS AT A GLANCE 54
Baseball's great postwar decade is unfolded in revealing statistics assembled by LES WOODCOCK

FLANNELS AND FIELDS 84
Baseball's stage trappings, its uniforms and ball parks, IN COLOR, with text by GERALD HOLLAND

CASEY AT THE BAT 47
The classic story of Mudville's darkest hour, with new illustrations by MARC SIMON T

AN ARTIST'S BALL GAME 76
The gifted eye of a talented painter, RALPH FASANEL LA, interprets baseball's colorful beauty

FACTS FOR 40 ARGUMENTS 79
SI's baseball quiz, compiled by PAUL ABRAMSON, checks your knowledge with questions, answers

A HOTBOX FOR TELEVIEWERS 10
Jimmy Jemail asks major league broadcasters: Who is the player on your team to watch this year?

7 SCOREBOARD
15 EVENTS & DISCOVERIES
91 COMING EVENTS
96 PAT ON THE BACK

THREE PHOTOS

TWELVE ILLUSTRATIONS

IN NEXT WEEK'S ISSUE

KENTUCKY: HORSE RACING'S HOMELAND
Its story is told in eight pages in color, with text by Whitney Tower and a portrait of Col. Philip Chinn by Gerald Holland

THE CAPITAL OF SOVIET SPORTS
Moscow is building a sports center to rival ancient Rome's. Panoramic and architects' drawings, with text by Horace Sutton