Sports Illustrated Cover Quiz: The first SI cover was Aug. 16,
1954…with baseball great Eddie Mathews on it. Since then
there have been 2,547 others. So the question is, name the 11
‘teams’ (pro or college) that have graced the cover at least 30
times each. [Keep the ’54 date in mind. Only one of the eleven
is a college team. Zero hockey.] Answer below.
The Day That Changed America
Like many of you, I will watch one of the specials on the 40th
anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
From time to time I use this space for historical moments such as
this.
It was a picture-perfect day in Dallas, November 22, 1963. Just
knowing that, I flash back to 9/11/01, because the weather was
similar back then, too.
President John F. Kennedy was in town for a fence-mending trip,
ostensibly to enhance his chances at re-election the following
year. Kennedy had lost Dallas in the 1960 election and he
decided to invite Vice President Lyndon Johnson along for the
campaign swing.
Because of the nice weather, JFK had ordered the plastic bubble-
top removed so that the crowds could see both him and First
Lady Jackie. Normally, the press vehicle follows directly
behind, but this time LBJ and Lady Bird were in the next
limousine. [This would prove to be important because the press
was 7 vehicles back and unable to get good photos of the
aftermath, which may have aided in the investigation and helped
to avoid all the various theories since.]
The President’s plane had landed at Love Field late that morning
and the motorcade crawled along the route to the Dallas Trade
Mart where JFK was to give a speech. Kennedy stopped twice to
greet well-wishers.
At 12:30 PM Central Standard Time three shots rang out. Within
minutes reports began trickling in. At 1:40 ET (12:40 CT), CBS
interrupted its daytime drama “As the World Turns” with a
graphic that read, “CBS News Bulletin.” Walter Cronkite then
reported, “In Dallas, Texas, 3 shots were fired at President
Kennedy’s motorcade in downtown Dallas. The first reports say
that President Kennedy has been seriously wounded by this
shooting.”
Kennedy had been taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital and at
1:33 CT Assistant White House Press Secretary Malcolm Kilduff
announced the President had died. A few minutes earlier,
Kilduff asked Vice President Johnson for permission to inform
the press. LBJ wanted Kilduff to wait until he was out of the
hospital, saying, “We don’t know whether it’s a communist
conspiracy or not. I’d better get out of here and back to the
plane.”
Kilduff then went before the press.
“President John F. Kennedy died at approximately 1:00 PM
Central Standard Time here in Dallas. He died of a gunshot
wound in the brain.”
A few minutes later, back in New York, Walter Cronkite
reported, “From Dallas, Texas, a Flash, apparently official.
President Kennedy died at 1:00 PM Central Standard Time, 2:00
Eastern Standard Time, some 38 minutes ago.”
Beginning at 1:45 CT, the three networks broadcast without
interruption for more than 70 hours. It was the day that changed
television forever
Following the announcement back at Parkland, JFK’s body was
placed in an 800-pound casket and loaded into the rear of Air
Force One at Love Field. The Secret Service had ignored
demands from the medical examiner to take the body to a local
morgue, as Jackie made it clear she wasn’t leaving the hospital or
Dallas without the President’s body.
On board the plane were about 27 people and a press pool of 3.
LBJ’s friends Bill Moyers and Jack Valenti were among them.
Johnson had spoken to Attorney General Robert Kennedy and
Kennedy’s advice was to take the oath of office before the plane
was airborne.
Jackie was standing vigil with the casket and Johnson asked her
to come forward and stand beside him while taking the oath. She
was still wearing the 2-piece pink wool suit and her hand and
skirt had caked blood on them. Johnson took the oath from a
federal judge at 2:38 PM CT and it was wheels up for Air Force
One at 2:47, 2 hours and 17 minutes after the shots were fired.
Jackie sat with the casket the entire flight back to Washington
and at one point someone suggested she change her clothes, at
which she replied, “No. Let them see what they’ve done.”
Sid Davis, one of the three pool reporters who witnessed the oath
taking, later commented, “The orderly transfer of power on that
chaotic November 22, aboard Air Force One, was – and remains
– a testimonial to the strength of the Constitution and of our
country.”
The next few days were of course chaotic in its own right, with
the assassination of Lee Harvey Oswald taking place on the 24th.
The next day, November 25, world leaders and royalty came to
Washington for the state funeral. Joseph Gardner sums up that
day.
“But the most commanding presence…was the black-shrouded
widow, who conducted herself with unflinching dignity during
the harrowing hours of the procession from the White House, the
funeral mass, the burial on a hillside at Arlington National
Cemetery, the lighting of the eternal flame over her husband’s
grave, and the reception later for the visiting dignitaries.”
Little did Americans know, even then, that the next 10+ years
would prove to be among the most turbulent in our history.
[Sources: “We Interrupt This Broadcast,” Joe Garner; Sid Davis /
American Heritage; “American Heritage: The Presidents,”
General Editor Michael Beschloss…Garner and Gardner are
different people.]
Stuff
–Bowl Championship Series Poll
1. Oklahoma
2. USC
3. Ohio State
4. LSU
5. Texas
6. TCU (#9 USA Today / ESPN, #10 AP)
7. Tennessee
8. Michigan
According to USA Today, here is how things would shake out
(assuming that Oklahoma wins the Big 12 championship, LSU is
SEC champ, etc.)
Sugar Bowl…Jan. 4
#1 Oklahoma vs. #2 USC
Fiesta Bowl…Jan. 2
#4 LSU (SEC champ) vs. #6 TCU (at-large). Yippee! This
would be after LSU whips Georgia in the SEC championship
game and the Horned Frogs “luxuriate in the honor of being the
first non-BCS school to crack the elite bowl lineup.”
Rose Bowl…Jan. 1
#3 Ohio State (Big Ten champ) vs. #5 Texas (at-large).
Orange Bowl…Jan. 1
#13 Florida State (ACC champ) vs. #19 Pitt (Big East champ)
Pitt’s early season loss to Toledo really hurts. It’s not even in the
top 15 BCS, but the Big East champ gets into one of the four
main bowls regardless. And, hell, Pitt is as entertaining as any of
the others.
–Sports Illustrated Covers by sport:
Football (511), Baseball (502), NBA (295), College Basketball
(155), Golf (154), College Football (152).
Back in the early days, the cover had to be sent to the printer 6
weeks before publication. Covers are also dated 5 days before
the day it hits the newsstand. So back on January 31, 1955, the
cover was of U.S. ski champion Jill Kinmont. But during a run
on January 30, Kinmont wiped out, hit a tree, and was paralyzed.
–Best Swimsuit Covers:
Of course this is for those of you who have the current issue with
all the covers in it. Here are your editor’s ‘exclusive’ top picks.
#1 Cheryl Tiegs, 1975………you have to remember the times.
#2 Elsa Benitez, 2001
#3 Tyra Banks, 1997
#4 Daniela Pestova, 1995
#5 Tannia Rubiano, 1971……….underrated.
–From the world of track and field comes word that, incredibly,
Edwin Moses comeback attempt appears to be on track, no pun
intended. Moses, the gold medallist in the ’76 and ’84 Games in
the 400-meter hurdles, is attempting to qualify for next year’s
U.S. Olympic Trials in July….at age 48.
Moses, you’ll recall, won 107 consecutive races from 1977
through 1987, retiring 14 years ago. Depending on the
competition, he needs to get his time down between 49 and 50.5
seconds to get to the Trials (49 seconds guarantees it), and he’s
already at 52 seconds in his workouts. Should he make it to the
Trials and then, spectacularly, qualify for the Games, he would
be the oldest track athlete in Olympic history (according to
Runners’ World magazine).
Moses’ hurdle streak is the longest of its kind for track. Here are
the next-best.
69 – Emil Zatopek (Czechoslovakia)…5000 and 10,000m (’49-
’51)
58 – Michael Johnson (U.S.)…400m (’89-’97)
56 – Merlene Ottey (Jamaica)…100m (’87-’91…you could win
some major coin on this one)
49 – Bob Hayes (U.S.)…100m (’62-’64)
45 – Steve Ovett (Britain)…1500m and 1 mile (’77-’80)
–A few weeks ago I noted that Canadian Ed Whitlock had
become the first over age 70 (72) to run a sub-3:00 marathon. It
turns out the same day (September 28), Fauja Singh of India, age
92, became the first over 90 to run a sub-6 hour marathon. He
did 5:40. Absolutely unbelievable.
–I didn’t know this…September was the warmest on record for
planet Earth.
–Golf Bits
Chi Chi Rodriguez: “I like watching the young guys. All of them
except Jim Furyk. I like his swing, but the way he gets over the
ball and then backs off – on every shot – drives me crazy. I have
to turn the TV off.” [I put on the Food Channel for a few
seconds.]
Canadian Mike Weir, Masters Champion, on what he plans to
serve at the traditional champions dinner next spring: “Got to be
a keg of Canadian beer there, for sure, even though I’m not a big
drinker. Bricia (his wife) is Mexican, and I love Mexican food.
That’s a possibility. And Atlantic salmon. Coffee and
doughnuts. We could have it catered by Tim Hortons, coffee and
doughnuts. That’s huge in Canada.” [I want to party with Weir!
Bricia, too.]
If you’re thinking of building a golf course, sand for the traps
will set you back anywhere from $200,000-$600,000. Greens
run $6,000-$60,000 a piece.
Final Top Ten on the PGA money list for 2003
1. Vijay Singh…$7,573,907
2. Tiger Woods…$6,673,413
3. Davis Love III…$6,081,896
4. Jim Furyk…$5,182,865
5. Mike Weir…$4,918,910
6. Kenny Perry…$4,400,122
7. Chad Campbell…$3,912,064
8. David Toms…$3,710,905
9. Ernie Els…$3,371,237
10. Retief Goosen…$3,166,373
*Since I mentioned Jay Haas the other day, he slipped from #13
to #15 in the final tally.
**The record for winnings is $9,188,321 set by Tiger in 2000.
***Singh had 18 top-tens (27 tourneys), the most on tour since
Tom Kite had 21 in 26 starts back in 1981.
–So the New York Giants’ Michael Strahan, who’s paid
something like $15 million, was upset at Giants fans following
the team’s unbelievable loss to the Falcons the other day. Many
were chanting “Fire Fassel! Fire Fassel!” (the coach). Said
Strahan:
“If you’re not a Giants fan, then stay at home. It’s just like that.
I don’t show up at your job when you’re doing bad, saying ‘Fire
you, fire you.’ The man’s out there doing his best, and that’s
that.”
First off…the fans are paying $60+ to watch you, Strahan, while
you pocket $millions. Second….oh, forget it…this Giants team
is the biggest bunch of thin-skinned a-holes around. I happen to
be a Jets fan and admittedly we’re the worst in all of New York
sports, but Giants fans are far and away the best. This year, the
Giants suck, and the coach should be fired…at the end of the
season…and assuming they don’t qualify for the playoffs and run
the table through the Super Bowl…as I predicted at the start of
the season…
–College Basketball AP Top Ten
1. Connecticut
2. Duke
3. Michigan Stae
4. Arizona
5. Missouri
6. Kansas
7. Syracuse
8. Florida
9. North Carolina
10. Gonzaga!
20. Wake Forest…we’re already banged up, though.
And U Conn is pre-season #1 in Women’s Basketball (Duke #2
here as well).
–Researchers, in their never-ending quest to prove drinking is
good for you, now believe that two 12-ounce glasses of dark
beer provides the optimal anti-clotting effect because of the anti-
oxidant compounds found in ale such as Guinness. So all those
years when I saw billboards in Ireland… “Guinness is Good
Food,” “Guinness is Good For Your Heart,” they weren’t
kidding. Of course if you quaff 10 or 12 a night, you tend to
cross the line, thus, the government took the signs down.
–We note the passing of Art Carney, everyone’s favorite. He
won best supporting actor Emmys in ’53, ’54, and ’55 for “The
Honeymooners.” And I loved this line of Ed Norton’s.
“When the tides of life turn against you,
And the current upsets your boat,
Don’t waste those tears on what might have been;
Just lay on your back and float.”
Top 3 songs for the week of 11/11/67: #1 “To Sir With Love”
(Lulu) #2 “Soul Man” (Sam & Dave) #3 “It Must Be Him”
(Vikki Carr…sappy, but we like it here at StocksandNews)
Sports Illustrated Cover Quiz Answer: At least 30 covers since
Aug. 1954.
New York Yankees, 59
Los Angeles Lakers, 57
Dallas Cowboys, 45
Chicago Bulls, 44
Los Angeles Dodgers, 38
Boston Celtics, 37
Boston Red Sox, 35
Cincinnati Reds, 35
San Francisco 49ers, 33
Notre Dame (football), 32
St. Louis Cardinals (baseball), 31
*The San Diego Clippers had two. Wake Forest, zero! Well for
cryin’ out loud…………
Next Bar Chat, Tuesday.
