CONTENTS

No Such Word As Can't 16
Gary Player did his exercises, ate the right food, doted on his family and won his third straight golf tournament
by Barry McDermott

Down Goes Big Bill, Up Go the Sonics 20
Walton played hobbled—and then was out of it entirely. So the Blazers must struggle to stay alive in the NBA playoffs
by Curry Kirkpatrick

Keeping Super Sabre Under Raps 22
Gilbert Pereault is used to being harassed, but his Stanley Cup encounters with Philadelphia turned up new obstacles
by Jerry Kirshenbaum

The Boston Manglers 24
The Red Sox have been crushing the ball and the opposition, and Jim Rice and Butch Hobson have been the main mashers
by Peter Gammons

Mikey and Me 30
The holder of two pole-vaulting records is sore because of humans like Mike Tully
by A.M.F. Pacer III as told to Joe Marshall

Rags Can Bring Riches 34
Len Ragozin is the absolute best Marxist-oriented handicapper of the Sport of Kings
by Jerry Kirshenbaum

New Hope on the Street of Dreams 40
It's too early to call it a smashing success, but the Times Square Gym sure beats anything else playing on 42nd Street
by Bruce Newman

Yesterday's Child 78
After years filled with turmoil and pain, Mary Decker is running again, and already she has set a world record
by Kenny Moore

The Departments

Scorecard 13
Baseball 57
Automobiles 62
Horse Racing 67
Boxing 73
For the Record 93
19th Hole 94

Cover photograph by Walter Iooss Jr.

Credits on page 93

Next Week

It is a capital day on the sports calendar, a day brimming with history and tradition. It also is a day for people and horse watching, and for wild, sweet imagining. Artist Oscar de Mejo paints a singular portrait of the Kentucky Derby.

Into the open come track and field athletes for the first big outdoor meets of the 1978 season. Joe Marshall is in Des Moines to report the Drake Relays, while Ron Reid, at the packed Penn Relays, tells the Philadelphia story.