CONTENTS

12 Faith, Hope And Celerity
A devout Swiss and a cardinal-kissing miss from the U.S. worked miracles at the Alpine world championships in Italy
by William Oscar Johnson

20 Fast Turns And Strange Twists
While others cashed in on the banks, Mary (Decker) Slaney was again felled by fate during the Olympic Invitational
by Craig Neff

22 The Key Man Is Sharper
In his sixth season in the NHL, the Oilers' Wayne Gretzky is better than ever, but he still has not reached his best
by Jack Falla

26 They're All For One
In Northern Ireland, Catholics and Protestants unite when featherweight contender Barry McGuigan enters the ring
by Clive Gammon

38 Back Home In Indiana
From Bippus to Birdseye, from Holland to Peru, Indiana's game is basketball, otherwise known as Hoosier Hysteria
by Bruce Newman

DEPARTMENTS

9 Scorecard
62 Basketball's Week
67 For The Record
68 19th Hole

Cover photograph by Paul Bereswill

PHOTO

HEINZ KLUETMEIER

LEADING OFF: Wearing a whole passel of pastels, Elisabeth Kirchler of Austria came roaring down the giant slalom course at the women's Alpine Skiing World Championships in Santa Caterina, Italy. Sadly for Kirchler, one color she would not get to put on was gold. She had to settle for second-best silver behind victorious Diann Roffe of the U.S.

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