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Mike Mentzer (right) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (left) at the 1980 Mr. Olympia Bodybuilding Contest, which many believe was marred by corruption.

Schwarzenegger, Mentzer, and the 'Stolen Watch'

The booing from the audience within the Sydney Opera House came cascading down from the balcony and picked up steam from those whose seats more

By John Little | 6/7/25

Sudan's 7’7” Manute Bol playing for the University of Bridgeport in 1984-85. The following year, he would be the tallest player and first African to be drafted into the NBA.

From War-Torn Sudan to the NBA

When he died 15 years ago (6/19/2010), The New York Times wrote in his obituary: “He wore size 16½ sneakers and had the spindliest legs ever to protrude more

5/30/25

Henry Ford II in center with Bruce McLaren (left) and Chris Amon (right), 1966 winners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The victory ended Ferrari's long-running dominance of the endurance race.

Ford Takes on Ferrari

Nothing defined the golden age of auto racing more than the ear-piercing, tire-screeching, high-performance competition between Ford and Ferrari. more

5/24/25

Alan Shepard, Commander of Apollo 14, practicing a golf swing on the moon (February 6, 1971). With one arm, he took 4 swings against 2 balls. The first ball traveled 24 yards and the second 40 yards.

Golfing the Moon

Some 54 years after Alan Shepard golfed on the moon, NASA is preparing to head back to the surface of our celestial neighbor with the Artemis III program more

5/17/25

A rowdy fan being escorted by police at an English football match (early 1970s). Soccer hooliganism was a scourge on British society during the 1970s and 1980s.

What Happened to Britain's Hooligans?

During the 1980s, Great Britain’s Margaret Thatcher identified 3 profound ills that plagued her country: the IRA, striking miners, and football hooligans. more

5/9/25

Northern Dancer, 1964 Kentucky Derby winner and greatest sire of the 20th century. Since 1894, The Jockey Club has been keeper of the American Stud Book, a registry of all Thoroughbreds.

The Jockey Club, Keepers of the Stud Book

It’s no secret that horse racing has lost ground to online gambling and alternative sports betting, not to mention cultural shifts more

5/3/25

Vatican seminarians hoisting the Clericus Cup trophy, a soccer ball sandwiched between a Cappello Romano (a hat worn by priests) and a pair of cleats.

Two Popes and the Call for Sports

Who said young sports lovers can’t rise to spiritual loftiness? Decades before he became Pope Francis (2013-25), young Jorge Mario Bergoglio more

4/27/25

Yankees Captain, Lou Gehrig, at a game in the Bronx in 1938. The legendary slugger ended his career with a .340 batting average, 1,995 RBIs, and 493 home runs.

A Worthy Successor to the 'Iron Horse'

On April 30, 1939, Lou Gehrig played his last baseball game. Two years later, the greatest Captain the New York Yankees had ever produced more

By Rick Bueti | 4/18/25

Gene Sarazen at the 1935 Masters Tournament where he double eagled the 15th hole for a playoff, which he would then win. His shot remains, arguably, the most famous in Masters history.

'The Story of the Masters'

The Story of the Masters fills what had been a gap in golf literature. While many books were written about the famed tournament, few provided more

By David Barrett | 4/10/25

Magic Johnson (left) and Larry Bird facing the press before the 1979 NCAA Final. Their storied rivalry in the NBA began at that game, the most watched in the history of college basketball.

Bird & Magic, Best of Frenemies

One of the most storied rivalries in sports history became so ingrained in popular culture that it was even recreated as a Broadway show more

4/4/25

Rube Waddell, one of baseball’s greatest pitchers of the early 20th century, warming up before a game (early 1900s). The eccentric southpaw was the subject of illicit payoffs by gamblers.

'Deadball Mayhem'

Two questions arose after star pitcher, Rube Waddell, missed the 1905 World Series: Did he skip the Fall Classic because he injured his more

By Ronald Waldo | 3/30/25

Quarterback Johnny Unitas of the Baltimore Colts calling a play at the 1958 NFL championship, the team's first national title.

The Great Escape

On the morning of March 29, 1984, the city of Baltimore woke up to the news that its professional football team was gone. more

3/21/25

5'3 Muggsy Bogues looks to pass the ball past 7'1 Patrick Ewing during a 1993 playoff game between the Charlotte Hornets and the New York Knicks.

Muggsy Bogues, From the Projects to the Pros

“The kids were cruel and it was hurtful. I got picked on a lot,” says Muggsy Bogues in conversation with Rmag. At 5’3, Bogues was the shortest player more

3/14/25

Muhammad Ali towering over a floored Sonny Liston at their second encounter for the heavyweight title (May/1965). Speculation remains that Liston took a dive on a ‘phantom punch’.

An Iconic Photo that Belies the Real Story

On the night of May 25th, 1965, photographers John Rooney of the Associated Press and Neil Leifer of Sports illustrated snapped similar pictures more

3/7/25

The Brockton Wetzell Hockey Club celebrates its U.S. national championship, April 13, 1959. (Stonehill College Archives and Historical Collections: Stanley A. Bauman Photographic Collection).

A Forgotten Cold War Hockey Tale

In November, 1959, America’s reigning amateur ice hockey champions, the Brockton ‘Wetzells’ of Massachusetts, accepted an invitation to play more

By Stephen Hardy and Andrew Holman | 2/20/25

Drivers Bobbie Allison (left) and Cale Yarborough (right) brawling after a crash at the 1979 Daytona 500. It was the first race to be televised live from start to finish.

The Brawl that Put NASCAR on the Map

Even the New York Times couldn’t resist giving it a screaming headline on their SportsMonday front-page: ‘Petty Wins Daytona After Leaders Crash more

2/14/25

Garfield High School football coach, Art Argauer, with his team before taking on Miami High School for the National Sports Foundation’s national championship (December 25,1939).

Recalling a 1939 High School 'Super Bowl'

Awash by the floodlights at Miami’s Orange Bowl, Benny Babula leaned forward at the waist and contemplated the 22 yards between him and the goal post. more

By Hank Gola | 2/7/25

The 1961 U.S. Figure Skating Team boarding the plane that would crash and leave no survivors. Holding the sign is Laurence Owen, ‘America’s most exciting girl skater’.

A Tragic End to the Golden Age of U.S. Figure Skating

On the morning of February 15, 1961, Sabena flight 548 was making its long approach into Zaventem Airport in Brussels, Belgium. more

1/31/25

Jimmy Connors serving against Australia’s Rod Laver at Ceasars Palace in Las Vegas on February 2, 1975. The match was billed as the ‘Heavyweight Championship of Tennis.”

Jimmy Connors Takes on the Australians

Fresh from his 1974 US Open victory against Australia’s Ken Rosewall, Jimmy Connors came off the court at Forest Hills and told his manager, “Get me Laver!” more

By Richard Naughton | 1/26/25

Legendary soccer star Pele and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger shown embracing at Giants Stadium in 1977. Kissinger played a diplomatic role in bringing Pele to the U.S.

Mixing Glitz and Politics, Soccer Lands in America

In the early 1970s, the New York Cosmos were an unremarkable, semi-professional soccer club playing a game that most Americans never cared for. more

1/19/25

Gary Plummer during his days with the San Francisco 49ers. The 240 lb linebacker spent 3 seasons in the USFL with the Oakland Invaders (1983-85) before joining the NFL (1986-97).

Gary Plummer, From the USFL to the NFL

Before racking up over 1,000 tackles and winning Super Bowl XXIX, Gary Plummer was an undrafted nose tackle-turned-linebacker who played more

By Mike Damergis and Robert Hughes | 1/10/25

Muhammad Ali shaking hands with President Jimmy Carter at the White House on February 11, 1980. Ali had just returned from a disastrous diplomatic mission in Africa to rally support for Carter's boycott of the Olympics.

When President Jimmy Carter Recruited Muhammad Ali

In 1980, the intersection of sports and politics came to a bizarre head. Faced with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, President Jimmy more

1/3/25

Kent Washington in action against Polonia, a rival team in the Polish Basketball League. In 1979, he became the first American pro to sign a contract behind the iron curtain.

Cut By the NBA, He Found Fame in Communist Poland

The Polish press called it ‘Kentomania!’, an American basketball player who filled arenas beyond capacity and dazzled audiences more

12/27/24

August 6, 1926: Coated in grease for protection against the cold, Trudie Ederle is set to wade into the English Channel, which she would swim at a record 14 hours and 34 minutes.

'Young Woman and the Sea'

“Her legacy is everywhere you look,” says Glenn Stout, author of ‘Young Woman and the Sea’. In the late 1990s, Stout was working with David Halberstam more

12/20/24

Raiders QB ken Stabler tossing a wobble as he’s tackled at the 1974 AFC Divisional against the Dolphins. It was caught by RB Clarence Davis who outmuscled 3 defenders for the winning TD.

50 Years Ago, The 'Sea of Hands'

The game had everything - great teams, players, coaches, passionate fans, spectacular touchdowns, five lead changes, and a thrilling conclusion! more

By Roger Gordon | 12/13/24

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