MEMO from the publisher

The lure of far places is as old as man. And so is the appeal of sport. But the attraction of sport and travel in combination is of fairly modern vintage.

One example of what has happened comes in SPECTACLE this week, which describes life on the decks of an ocean liner. As on countless ships, sport is a colorful and anticipated part of travel aboard the Cristoforo Colombo—whose name recalls that things were different with the Ni√±a, the Pinta and the Santa María.

Sport and travel, in fact—on land and sea—are now so thoroughly intertwined that often it is hard to separate them. When they are not one and the same, they are at least complementary. It is nearly impossible to be a sportsman without being in some degree a traveler; and it is impossible to be a traveler without encountering sport.

These days, when sport is the direct source of much travel, it is also the sauce of even more. For many the Kentucky Derby, the Indianapolis "500" or the World Series means a major trip; for others a trip to Spain means not only the Prado in Madrid but the bullfights in Barcelona, a trip to Scotland not only Edinburgh Castle but a round of golf at St. Andrews.

The 850,000 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED families make up a good proportion of the people who are both travelers and sportsmen. And in a period when not all businesses are on the rise, both travel and SPORTS ILLUSTRATED are enjoying a most successful year.

Herewith a few travel statistics: during the first three months of 1958 20% more passports were issued than last year; advance bookings for Atlantic ship travel are the highest in a quarter of a century; and international airlines reported booking increases as high as 117%.

For its part, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED continues a steady increase in circulation—and in advertising revenue too, up 66% for the first quarter, not least because of travel advertisers themselves, including a growing number of new ones. They have recognized in these pages the right place to meet the right people. And that seems to make this also the right place to wish all of you who will be off on a trip these summer months "a pleasant flight, smooth sailing and, in either case, bon voyage!"

PHOTO