Contents

22 A Long Reign Is Over
When N.C. State dethroned UCLA and met Marquette in the final, the NCAA had its first new champion since 1966

26 The Miller's Tale Is a Big Hit
In a rerun of the season openers, Johnny Miller won the Heritage Classic, exuding star-style confidence

28 New Dealer for the Red Sox
Rookie Manager Darrell Johnson shuffles a Boston deck containing pitching aces and some other trumps

30 Bloody Go in Monterey
In a two-day battle royal, 32 rugby teams from Texas to Australia banged heads to exhaustion

32 Up in the Air Is What the Playoffs Are
You can squeeze out a couple of favorites if you try real hard, but three other teams also can win the NBA

40 Colossus of the Game
Babe Ruth achieves his home-run records in years of triumph and turbulence. Last part of a series

56 A New Light on Suits of Lights
An American matador and a Spanish tailor are altering bullfight tradition by modifying the classic costume

76 Only You, Frank Darling
Suddenly he was what TV wanted, a sports commentator for the evening news. Here's the instant replay

The departments

17 Scorecard
60 People
62 Track & Field
66 Steeplechasing
72 Nature
84 For the Record
87 19th Hole

Cover photograph by Rich Clarkson

Credits on page 84

PHOTO

22

PHOTO

26

PHOTO

28

PHOTO

30

PHOTO

32

ILLUSTRATION

40

ILLUSTRATION

76

Next week

Waiting for Henry to hit home runs 714 and 715 is the nation's preoccupation as the baseball season approaches, but there are other matters of moment, too, as William Leggett reports in a look-ahead. A pictorial reprise captures the dusty uproar of the Pete Rose-Bud Harrelson playoff pugilism. Scouting reports assess the strengths and frailties of all the teams, and Ron Fimrite provides an intimate portrait of San Francisco Outfielder Bobby Bonds, a superb player getting better. Plus an account from Caracas of the Foreman-Norton fight and the rest of the week's news and features.