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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SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (ISSN 0038-822X) is published weekly, with an extra issue in February and two issues combined in July and at year end, by Time Inc. Principal Office: Time & Life Building, Rockefeller Center, New York, NY 10020-1393. Ann Moore, Chairman, CEO; Richard Atkinson, Executive Vice President. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40110178. Return undeliverable Canada Addresses to: Postal Stn A, PO Box 4322, Toronto, ON, M5W 3G9. GST #122781974RT. U.S. subscription: $81.95 for 55 issues. SUBSCRIBERS: If the postal service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within two years. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, Post Office Box 30602, Tampa, FL 33630-0602, MAILING LIST: We make a portion of our mailing list available to reputable firms. If you would prefer that we not include your name, please call or write us. ©2004 TIME INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF TIME INC.

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COLOR PHOTO

FRED LYON--RAPHO GUILLUMETTE (TITTLE)

Y.A. Tittle and Daunte Culpepper

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TOM DIPACE (CULPEPPER)

Y.A. Tittle and Daunte Culpepper

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CONVERSE INC. (SNEAKER)

The 1923 Converse All-Star

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MICKEY PFLEGER (ELWAY)

John Elway at Stanford

COLOR ILLUSTRATION

LANE STEWART (PLIMPTON)

George Plimpton at Shea Stadium

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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

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DAVID E. KLUTHO (JORDAN)

Michael Jordan's first comeback

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LINDA KANE/AP (BASEBALL)

Nolan Ryan pounds Robin Ventura

COLOR PHOTO

FRANK W. OCKENFELS (SWIMSUIT)

Is this really Paulina Porizkova?