Table of Contents

THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
FLOYD PATTERSON: THE MAN THE SYSTEM COULDN'T BEAT 8
MARTIN KANE reports from ringside, and the editors look back at the fight it took to get there

THE MELBOURNE OLYMPICS

TRIUMPH FOR AMERICA IN TRACK AND FIELD 19
Drama, courage and greatness have already assured the XVI Olympiad a glowing place in history, and the U.S. can proudly share a large part of Melbourne's golden glow. A comprehensive report on the Games thus far by SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S Olympic team of writers and photographers

THE BEST THOROUGHBREDS OF THE YEAR 30
An assessment of Swaps's Year by WHITNEY TOWER, with three pages of COLOR photographs

QUAIL HUNT DE LUXE 48
On his huge south Texas ranch, Major Tom Armstrong entertains in style. By HOLLAND MCCOMBS

DETROIT'S SPECTACULAR: THE AUTO SHOW 54
Car by car, what YOU SHOULD KNOW to choose among the 1957 models; plus some special sporting features

SCISSORED SUNNERS 60
The winner of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S fashion award, Rudi Gernreich, creates some startling new effects for sun and sea

BOB REIFSNYDER LIGHTS A NAVY FIRE 62
Army missed an upset, thanks to an inspired Navy tackle. A report by DON PARKER and HERMAN HICKMAN

THE SEARCH FOR A SUPERHORSE 70
Federico Tesio spent a lifetime at it, but never lived to learn he had found one: Ribot. By LUIGI BARZINI JR.

THE DEPARTMENTS

•COMING EVENTS 6
•EVENTS & DISCOVERIES 15
•THE OUTDOOR WEEK 53
•THE 19TH HOLE 78
•PAT ON THE BACK 80

•Hotbox: JIMMY JEMAIL asks: Which is more fun, playing college football or pro football? 5

•Motor Sports: KENNETH RUDEEN learns at first-hand what the Great American Mountain Rallye is like 58

•Pro Football: A report on all the week's games by TEX MAULE 66

•Tip from the Top: CHARLES MCKENNA recalls the importance of a rhythmic swing 67

Acknowledgments on page 66

COVER: DISTANCE RUNNERS
A painting by Morton Roberts
Shortly before the Olympic Games began, this week's cover painting was finished and sent to the engravers. Then Tom Courtney, with his magnificent victory for the U.S. in the 800-meter race, made Nature follow Art so precisely in showing the agony of championship that he literally made a prophet of Painter Roberts.

THREE PHOTOS

DEC. 17 ALL THE OLYMPIC MEDAL WINNERS

WINTER SPORTS: A PREVIEW OF THE SKI YEAR AND A FISHERMAN'S GUIDE TO THE KEYS WITH A MAP EVERYONE WILL WANT