Happy 66th birthday to Fred Couples, seen here on the cover of Spots Illustrated after winning The Masters in 1992.

⛳ While it was his only major win (and only SI cover appearance), Couples was among the most popular players of the 90’s, in part due to his appearances on made-for-TV events like Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf and The Skins Game, where he raked in more than $4 million in 11 matches.

Also in this issue: “Touchdown” Tommy Vardell of Stanford, who would be drafted 9th overall by the Cleveland Browns, and a feature on Charlotte Hornets rookie Larry Johnson.

Stumbled across this on eBay recently, had to pick it up. A steal at twice the price. 🎳

“Hate me or love me, you watched. That’s all you could do.” 🫡

On the first full football Saturday of the year, here’s the first issue of Sports Illustrated to feature a college football player on the cover, Iowa’s Calvin Jones.

Inside, an article about Notre Dame features color photos of their 26-year-old (!) head coach Terry Brennan.

Five months before Sports Illustrated made LeBron James a household name, the 16-year-old high school junior graced the cover of Basketball America: The National Basketball Monthly, a recruiting-focused publication with (presumably) a minuscule circulation.

This issue is newsprint and oversized, so it won’t get pressed or slabbed, but I’m happy to have this little piece of LBJ history as he nears an apparently golf-filled retirement.

Swipe for a reminder of just how long Windy has been covering LeBron. ➡

Tiger Woods on the cover of Sports Illustrated 26 years ago today.

I always felt this was a bland cover for what was a really memorable showdown between 24-year-old Tiger and 19-year-old Sergio Garcia at Medinah Country Club in Illinois. As Tiger stumbled down the stretch, Sergio was a jolt of energy, swinging blindly near tree trunks, bounding down fairways, even shooting Tiger a look after draining a long birdie putt on the 13th. No one watching that day would have predicted a near-two decade wait for Sergio to capture his first major.

Count me among those who wish the PGA never moved from its late August spot on the schedule!