SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, September 14, 1994
3B
Controversy created with Sports Illustrated Top 40 list
Magazine's program stirs debate with greatest influential sports figures
By Brian Friedman The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Sports Illustrated is stirring another uproar, and this one has nothing to do with swimsuits.
For its 40th anniversary, the magazine has drawn up a list of the 40 "most influential" sports figures of the past four decades, promoting it in this week's issue and on a one-hour network TV special Wednesday night.
The list is certain to create debate among fans, especially for who's missing: Willey Mills, Mickey Mantle, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Willie Shoemaker, Nike chairman Phil Knight and NBA commissioner David Stern, to name just a few.
The producers of the show, "40 For the Ages: Sports Illustrated's 40th Anniversary Special," (NBC, 10 p.m. EDT) have distanced themselves from the list. Even the host, Bob Costas, disavows it — saying twice during the program that he'd have a different list.
"As it turned out, I had some very strong disagreements with the list," Costas said. While some of SI's top 40 were "inspired choices," he said, others both on and off the list "had me almost screaming in protest."
Few would disagree with SI's choice of the most influential athlete of the last four decades, Muhammad Ali.
"One athlete has bridged those 40 years with us: Cassius Clay-Muhammad Ali," Sports Illustrated managing editor Mark Mulvoy said.
No. 2 is another consensus favorite, Michael Jordan.
But it doesn't take long after that for the more controversial figures to creep in. The rest of the top 10 are: ABC-TV sports pioneer Roone Arledge, Jim Brown, Billie Jean King, Pete Rose, Marvin Miller, the twin pairing of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, Arnold Palmer and sports superagent Mark McCormack.
Mulvoy said that nine months ago, he told 20 people at SI to give him a list of 15-20 names. Out of 300, the list was pared to the top 40.
"We looked for people who not only performed, but also impacted the sport, both on and off the field," Mulvoy said.
Some of the more obscure names on the list—to even diehard sports fans—are Harold Gores, the inventor of Astroturf; Bill Rasmussen, the founder of ESPN; Gary Davidson, founder of the short-lived World Hockey Association and World Football League and onetime president of the American Basketball Association, and Dr. Robert Jackson, a pioneer of arthroscopic surgery.
"To me, how many athletes' careers would have been extended without Dr. Bob Jackson?" Mulvoy said.
Costas specifically objected to the absence of Mays, Mantle and Chamberlain.
"I'm 42 years old, and if I was asked to name 10 sports figures and left off Mays, I should be slapped silly," he said.
Noting that Wayne Gretzky*;who redefined hockey, was No. 12, Costas said: "Is not Wayne Gretzky to hockey what Wilt Chamberlain is to basketball?"
Then there's the issue of whether Sports Illustrated is disagreeing with itself.
Ali and Jordan are 1-2 in appearances on the cover of SI over the years, with Ali appearing 33 times and Jordan 30 times. But Abdul-Jabbar — who is third with 27 cover appearances — isn't among the top 40.
In addition, since 1954, the magazine has picked a sportsman or sportswoman of the year — sometimes picking more than one. But 28 to 70 percent of those 40 annual selections — weren't on the "40 for the Ages" list.
Mulvoy defended that by saying the top 40 list contained more "historical perspective" than the annual sportsman or sportswoman selections.
"Obviously, this list is going to generate a firestorm of controversy," he said.
Costas agreed that a one-hour special probably was too short to encompass the history of Sports illustrated, and he would have preferred seeing several magazine-type feature stories along with the list — plus perhaps a free-spirited debate on who should be in the top 40.
But he welcomed the disagreements the list might cause.
"That's good." Costas said. "That's what I think sports is about."
SPORTS in brief
Crew member's cause of death still unknown
The Associated Press
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — More tests were planned to determine the cause of death for a 20-year-old member of the Rutgers crew team, officials said yesterday.
Andria Keer died Sunday night, shortly after a roommate noticed she was having trouble breathing. an ambulance took her to a hospital two blocks away where she was pronounced dead.
There was no immediate evidence that four play, drugs or alcohol contributed to her death, city police Sgt. Thomas Selesky said.
An autopsy Monday did not reveal a cause of death, and more tests were planned, a Middle-sex County medical examiners office said. "It will be a few weeks before we get anything back," an office representative said.
Reds' center fielder pleads not guilty to charges
The Associated Press
CINCINNATI — An attorney representing Deion Sanders entered written pleas of not guilty yesterday to a felony charge and two misdemeanor charges stemming from a confrontation with an off-duty police officer.
The Cincinnati Reds center fielder was not required to appear at an arrangement before Judge William Mallory Jr. in Hamilton County Municipal Court.
Instead, attorney James Keys Jr. entered written pleas of not guilty to a felony charge of failure to obey a police officer's order and two
misdemeanor charges of leaving the scene of an accident.
A pretrial hearing was set for Oct. 12.
A separate pretrial hearing on two other misdemeanor charges was scheduled for yesterday, but Sanders was granted a continuance until Oct. 12 on charges of driving without a license and resisting arrest.
All five charges stem from an alleged scuffle, which police said started when Sanders tried to drive his motor scooter through a restricted gate after an Aug. 8 game at Riverfront Stadium.
Judge rules NBA player's contract could be illegal
ORLANDO, Fla. — The ball was in Horace Grant's court yesterday after a federal judge ruled that the all-star power forward's $22.3 million contract with the Orlando Magic could be illegal.
But Grant and his agent could have other ideas.
U. S. District Judge Dickinson Debevoise decided Monday in Newark, N.J., that a one-year escape clause in the contract could be a circumvention of the NBA's salary cap, which
is designed to prohibit the richest teams from signing all the best players.
Magic officials indicated they would not pursue the issue in court but would try to sign Grant to a contract acceptable to the NBA.
NBA officials hailed the decision. They had argued that teams were starting to use one-year escape clauses to skirt the NBA rules.
Grant's six-year contract called for him to become a free agent after playing the first year at a salary of $2,125 million, which is the most Orlando can pay under the salary cap. Grant would then sign again with the Magic for the remainder of the contract terms.
The Associated Press
As a result of Debevoise's ruling, Grant now has several options, some of which do not include the Magic. But Grant, who has said repeatedly that he wants to play in Orlando, could not be located for comment yesterday.
KANSAS SPORTS CLUBS Fall 1994
For more information about any of these KU clubs, call 864-3546.
Badminton
Bowling
Champions Club
Climbing Club
Crew
Cycling Club
Equestrian Club, KU Veloc
Fencing Club
Intramural Official's
Club
Japan Karate- Do
Ryobukal
Jayhawk Free Flight
Club
JayRunners
Judo
Karate Klub
Kempo
Ki-Aikido Club
KP Arkto Club
KUGAR (KU Gamers and Roleplayers)
Kuk Sool Won
Men's Lacrosse Club
Men's Volleyball
Nippon Kempo Karate Club
Racquetball Club
Rifle Team
Sailing Club
Shorin Ken Ryu Karate-
Do Martial Arts
Softball Club
Squash Club
Tae Kwon Do Club
Ultimate Frisbee
University Chess Society
Waterpolo
Women's Rugby
Women's Soccer
Wrestling Club
Attention students who will apply to the School of Education
PPST Deadline Information:
Sept. 20 - Registration deadline for Oct. 22 test date Oct.11 - Registration deadline for Nov. 12 test date
If you intend to apply for fall 1995 admission to the School of Education, the School must RECEIVE your PPST scores BEFORE the February 15 deadline. If you have not yet taken the PPST, you must take it this semester.
You may pick up registration materials at Testing Services in 2056 Watkins. Please note that ETS must receive your registration materials by the deadlines listed above.
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