CONTENTS

STRANGE FINISH 14
Curtis Strange beat Nick Faldo in an 18-hole playoff to prevail in the U.S. Open at The Country Club
by Rick Reilly

TACKLING A TOUGH TASK 22
Detroit had its first NBA title within its grasp, but then L.A. slipped free to even the series at 3-3
by Jack McCallum

THE WINNING FORMULA 32
The McLaren-Hondas of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost finished first and second in the Detroit Grand Prix
by Sam Moses

A HIGH OLD TIME 36
The Indians won two of three games from the Yankees as the American League East race really took off
by Franz Lidz

THE BIG SHOWDOWN 44
After a soap opera prelude, Mike Tyson and Michael Spinks, both undefeated, finally will go at it in the ring
by Pat Putnam

THOSE THUGS AGAIN 49
To some fans, the European soccer championships played in West Germany were merely an excuse to riot
by Clive Gammon

THE COMEBACK KID 64
Elbow surgery and a failure in the biggest game of his life cannot hold Little League star Aron Garcia down
by Kevin Cook

DEPARTMENTS

Letters 4
Scorecard 9
Inside Baseball 54
Television 59
Fishing 60
For The Record 78
Point After 80

Cover Photograph by Richard Mackson; Inset by Michael O'Bryon

PHOTO

ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN

KISS AND MAKE UP: After their spat—tsk, tsk—in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, Isiah Thomas (11) and best buddy Magic Johnson did their customary smooching before the fifth-game tip-off (page 22).