CONTENTS

THE WINTER OLYMPICS 16

The Calgary Games did not just begin. They glowed. They smiled. They sparkled. They sweated. They sang
by Frank Deford

Matti Nykänen of Finland added to a lusty legend by outdistancing the competition in the 70-meter ski jump
by E.M. Swift

U.S. speed skater Dan Jansen's calamity on the ice followed by only a few hours a much weightier loss
by Rick Reilly

THE KING'S BIG CRASH 48
Richard Petty survived a scary and spectacular smashup as Bobby Allison got his third Daytona 500 victory
by Sam Moses

THE BOILERS ARE SMOKING 52
Purdue, that other school in Indiana, is finally attracting some notice—as the Big Ten's hottest team
by Hank Hersch

BRED TO BE A SUPERSTAR 56
Nearly every college wanted Todd Marinovich, groomed from infancy to be a terrific quarterback
by Douglas S. Looney

THANKS FOR TRYIN', BRIAN 64
Brian Abshire gave the indoor track season a nice lift with a U.S. record in the 3,000 at the Meadowlands
by Kenny Moore

TIME TO HAIL CESAR 75
The WBA's lightweight champion, Cèsar Chàvez of Mexico, may well be the best fighter in the world
by Clive Gammon

WHERE ARE THEY? 100
The once dominant NBA center has all but disappeared as power forwards have taken over the boards
by Jack McCallum

DEPARTMENTS

Letters 6
Scorecard 11
Golf 84
College Basketball 90
Baseball 94
For The Record 115
Point After 116

Cover Photograph by UPI/Bettmann

PHOTO

JERRY COOKE

A GOLDEN MOMENT: The first medals at the Calgary Olympics went to the top finishers—most notably, winner Vida Ventsene of the Soviet Union (center)—in the women's 10-km ski race (page 16).