1986

The Challenger explosion and the meltdown at Chernobyl shock the world. The bombing of Libya stirs controversy. Mr. Insider (trader Ivan Boesky) and Mr. Outsider (the deposed Ferdinand Marcos) get little sympathy. Applauded: the Celtics, Canadiens, New York's Mets and Giants, Penn State in football, Louisville in basketball.

IN SI'S WORDS

Here had come Nicklaus, an American legend still under warranty, armed with a putter the size of a Hoover attachment, denting the back of Augusta's holes with 25-foot putts at an age when most guys are afraid to take the putter back. Here had come Nicklaus, sending such a deluge of decibels into the Georgia air that lakes rippled and azaleas blushed: starting such a ruckus that grown men climbed trees, children rode on shoulders, concession-stand operators abandoned their posts.... Was that Jack in the checked pants and yellow shirt? Hmmmm. Yellow goes nice with green, doesn't it, Jack? You devil.

Maybe that was it. Maybe Nicklaus had drawn up a contract with Lucifer for...a sixth green blazer.
—RICK REILLY

INCIDENTALLY
RUN TO DAYLIGHT

Bears fullback Matt Suhey awoke (or so he says) to find teammate Walter Payton putting on running shoes. Payton said there was a real bear outside the tent.

"You can't outrun a bear," said Suhey.

"I don't have to," said Payton. "All I have to outrun is you."

Just another night in the NHL.

The Statue of Liberty is 100 years young.

Sox hero: Roger Clemens, 20 K's.

Sox goat: Bill Buckner, E-3.

Bill Shoemaker, on Ferdinand, wins his fourth Run for the Roses.

JACK WINS NO. 6

It is Nicklaus's Masters (left, photograph by Michael O'Bryon), but the British belongs to Greg Norman, never mind that he blows leads in the other three majors.

Six astronauts and Christa McAuliffe die aboard Challenger.

A backcourt Laker and a front-row fan.

Michael Jordan goes for 63 in a playoff game.

Len Bias, killed by cocaine at 22.

Psst, hot tip for the '89 Belmont. A foal named Easy Goer.

TWELVE PHOTOS

"We had a lot of nicknames-Scarface, Blackie, Toothless-and those were just the cheerleaders."
—FRANK LAYDEN, UTAH JAZZ BASKETBALL COACH, REMINISCING ABOUT MIS HIGH SCHOOL DAYS IN BROOKLYN

"There were 150 people in the courtroom-third-largest crowd ever to see the USFL in action."
—DAVID LETTERMAN, COMMENTING ON THE USFL ANTITRUST LAWSUIT AGAINST THE NFL