The Lineup
50 YEARS OF SPORTS IN AMERICA
92
Why We Play
To earn glory and money, but most of all to feel truly alive
100
Timelines
How things changed, from sneakers to sports couples
102
As They Were
Before they became icons, they were beguiling prodigies
112
The Prose
A quick trip through great writing from 50 years of SI
114
Tipping Points
Many crucial events occurred far from any field or arena
130
The Shock
When Cassius Clay battered Sonny Liston, sports changed
138
Genesis
A fresh look, via Michelangelo, at the evolution of sports
146
Apocalyptica
We've collected signs of doom for 11 years; the end is still nigh
150
Great Sports
Some favorite characters--for humor, style (and a mink coat)
164
They Said It
Think of the folks quoted here as Yogi Berra's children
167
The Poll
Here's what sports fans think about the past 50 years
173
Dumb Moves
We'll not soon forget, or ever understand, these colossal blunders
176
The Beauties
Why not apply instant replay to the Swimsuit Issue?
Departments
12 Leading Off
22 Contributors
24 Catching Up With...
28 Letters
33 Air and Space
Tom Coughlin, unholy spawn of Draco and Emily Post
by Steve Rushin
38 Scorecard
• Ageless Titan kicks on own terms
• A few handoffs for Tony Dorsett
• Recalling ladies' baseball pioneer
53 Faces in the Crowd
57 Players
202 The Life of Reilly
Our 50-year subscribers remember ... practically nothing
by Rick Reilly
Inside ...
71 The NFL
• Colts' Big Three prevail again
77 Baseball
• Cubs see Sosa stepping up
80 College Football
• Tigers (Auburn) beat Tigers (LSU)
83 Boxing
• Hopkins drops De La Hoya
86 Golf
• A bloody dismal Ryder Cup for U.S.
Cover
ILLUSTRATION BY JEFF WONG
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COLOR PHOTO
FRED LYON--RAPHO GUILLUMETTE (TITTLE)
Y.A. Tittle and Daunte Culpepper
COLOR PHOTO
TOM DIPACE (CULPEPPER)
Y.A. Tittle and Daunte Culpepper
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CONVERSE INC. (SNEAKER)
The 1923 Converse All-Star
COLOR PHOTO
MICKEY PFLEGER (ELWAY)
John Elway at Stanford
COLOR ILLUSTRATION
LANE STEWART (PLIMPTON)
George Plimpton at Shea Stadium
COLOR PHOTO
DAVID E. KLUTHO (UCONN)
UConn women at the Final Four
COLOR PHOTO
HERB SCHARFMAN (CLAY)
Cassius Clay and Angelo Dundee
COLOR ILLUSTRATION
ILLUSTRATION BY JEFF WONG
And God created ... the Bambino
COLOR PHOTO
GERARD CERLES/AFP/GETTY IMAGES (SWIMMERS)
French synchronized swimmers
B/W PHOTO
LOS ANGELES TIMES (MURRAY)
Columnist Jim Murray takes a cut
COLOR PHOTO
WILLIAM R. SMITH (PERRY)
The Refrigerator cools down
COLOR PHOTO
DAVID E. KLUTHO (JORDAN)
Michael Jordan's first comeback
COLOR PHOTO
LINDA KANE/AP (BASEBALL)
Nolan Ryan pounds Robin Ventura
COLOR PHOTO
FRANK W. OCKENFELS (SWIMSUIT)
Is this really Paulina Porizkova?