[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 115 (Tuesday, August 16, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 16, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                     TRIBUTE TO SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

                                 ______


                         HON. THOMAS J. MANTON

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 16, 1994

  Mr. MANTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Sports 
Illustrated, our Nation's only sports newsweekly, on its 40th 
anniversary. For the past 40 years, men and women of all ages have 
turned to Sports Illustrated every week for their sports information. 
Today more than 24 million men and women are readers of this magazine. 
I commend Sports Illustrated today for the effort they have put forth 
to give this country a weekly magazine filled with entertainment and 
information surrounding sports.
  Sports Illustrated has been the recipient of a number of prestigious 
writing awards including the National Magazine Award for Feature 
Writing in 1992; National Magazine Award for General Excellence in 1989 
and 1990. Sports Illustrated was the first magazine in the one-million-
plus category to win the award twice. In addition, Sports Illustrated 
was the winner of the Magazine-Week Publishing Excellence Award in the 
News category in 1990 and 1991; winner of the 1990 Excellence in Sports 
Journalism Award for Print, sponsored by the Northeastern University 
and the Center for the Study of Sports in Society; and named the ``best 
men's magazine'' in the Washington Journalism Review ``Best In The 
Business'' readers poll for 1991.
  Forty years ago, Sports Illustrated photographer mark Kauffman 
introduce the new readers to a scene during a night game at County 
Stadium in Milwaukee between the Braves and the New York Giants. 
Included in this scene were Braves third baseman Eddie Mathews, Giants 
catcher Wes Westrum, and umpire Augie Donatelli. The lead story, 
written by Paul O'Neil, was about the ``mile of the century'' where 
England's Roger Bannister and Australia's John Landy became the first 
two men in history to break the 4-minute mile mark in the same race. 
Sports Illustrated continues to bring its readers award winning 
photography and high quality sports writing.
  Although Sports Illustrated had its shaky beginnings, its circulation 
rate base today of 3, 150,000 reflects the following they have 
accumulated in the past and continue to keep today.
  The importance of the Olympic games as a significant sporting event 
not only in the eyes of advertisers but in the American public was 
reflected by the coverage of Sports Illustrated. The magazine was a 
sponsor of the 1980 Winter Games in Lake Placid as well as the Winter 
Games in Sarajevo and Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984. In 
addition, Sports Illustrated joined The Olympic Program [TOP] in 1988 
as a worldwide sponsor of the Winter Games in Calgary and Olympic Games 
in Seoul. In 1992, Sports Illustrated for Kids became a sponsor of the 
Winter Games in Albertville and the Olympic Games in Barcelona. 
Recently, Sports Illustrated renewed its affiliations with TOP and 
signed on as sponsors for the 1994 Winter Games held in Lillehammer and 
the 1996 Centennial Olympics to be held in Atlanta.

  In addition to its award winning photography and sports journalism, 
Sports Illustrated has touched on some very important social issues 
facing our Nation and our world. The magazine over the years has done 
stories such as the series in 1968 entitled ``The Revolt of the Black 
Athlete'' as well as stories exposing the dangers of steroid use, drug 
abuse, and eating disorders faced by our young athletes. Articles such 
as these are examples of how Sports Illustrated has enabled their 
readers to become aware of the social impact of sports and those who 
are involved in them.
  As Sports Illustrated moves into the future, it employs the latest in 
high-tech production equipment not only to provide readers with dynamic 
graphic presentations, but also to afford its audience more late-
breaking news coverage. Special commemorative issues honoring 
championship teams in all sports--college and professional--have also 
been introduced to its readers including one for the New York Rangers 
after they won the Stanley Cup this year.
  Sports Illustrated for Kids is celebrating its 5th anniversary this 
year as well. This is a magazine geared toward children 8 years old and 
up. The ``Reading Team'' is the largest literacy program of its kind in 
the country in which 250,000 copies of the magazine are donated to 
10,000 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade classrooms nationwide during the 
school year.
  Other innovations have allowed Sports Illustrated to expand well 
beyond the pages of their magazine. Sports Illustrated Television is 
responsible for television programming for Sports Illustrated Kids and 
Sports Illustrated as well as for Time Warner, Inc.'s impending full 
service network. This year, ABC's Wide World of Sports has aired Sports 
Illustrated news and feature reports produced by Sports Illustrated 
Television. Sports Illustrated hopes to be an essential source of 
information to their viewers just as they have been to their readers in 
the past 40 years.
  Mr. Speaker, Sports Illustrated symbolizes the importance of sports 
in the lives of so many Americans. I know my colleagues join me in 
congratulating Sports Illustrated today for 40 years of successful 
journalism and for continued prosperity into the future.

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