The Vault

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SI Staff

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Beach Time

The photos you remember and others that you've never seen, now at SI.com/vaultswimsuit

I haven't been to a beach in America since I don't know when—it isn't worth it," said cover subject Elle Macpherson in the 1986 Swimsuit Issue. "People who recognize me always think I don't look that good in real life. That's fine with me. Let them deal with the dreams."

Over the past 45 years SI's annual swimsuit coverage has evolved from a short feature wedged in among the week's regular coverage (box, below) to this year's 180-page dedicated magazine. The iconic images of memorable models—Cheryl Tiegs stepping out of a lagoon wearing that fishnet one-piece in 1978, anyone?—have at times been supplemented with spreads on athletes such as Danica Patrick, Gabrielle Reece and Serena Williams, and player wives like Ingrid Vandebosch (Jeff Gordon) and Debbie Clemens, whose 2003 swimsuit shoot came up in last year's congressional investigation into her husband Roger's alleged steroid use.

Similarly, SI.com continues to expand its swimsuit content with pictures and other model-related media that did not appear in the magazine: extensive photo galleries, on-site videos (the bodypainting of Brooklyn Decker, for example) and candid seaside interviews. What do you get when you add the new images to the classic ones? SI.com/vaultswimsuit. It's all there.

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From Tom Verducci on the struggling A-Rod:

The Yankees finally addressed the issue of a slumping, fatigued Rodriguez by keeping him out of the starting lineup last Friday and Saturday, and more occasional days off may be in order. Rodriguez is down to .213 for the season and has hit only one home run on the road. The last time he slugged this low [.456] for a season he was 19. Age and health have now come into play. Rodriguez is stuck in a 13-for-74 slide, and since he turned 33 last July 27, he has a .246 batting average over 95 games.