Sports Illustrated Jinx - Dave's Midwestern Ohio Memories

Series of Guest Blogs by an out-of-state Fish Report reader originally from this area about fond memories of growing up in Midwestern Ohio during the 50’s & 60’s

Sports Illustrated Jinx

The inaugural issue of Sports Illustrated was published on August 16, 1954. As an SI subscriber since about age 10, 4 years after the magazine start, coupled now into retirement with my daily read of the Fish Report, Press Pros, ESPN, as well as the sports pages in various newspapers, my craving for sports news is somewhat satisfied. Doesn’t beat attending in person, but with Covid, that’s not possible anyway. Back to Sports Illustrated, the urban legend of the SI Jinx has always intrigued me, so today’s blog will focus on that theme.

The above cover of that first issue showed Milwaukee Braves slugger Eddie Mathews homering to lead the Braves to a nine-game winning streak. The very next game, the team lost and Mathews broke his hand causing him to miss 7 games. Thus began the SI Curse from that very first issue.

Many examples have unfortunately hit home for me over the years, such as the 1978 Pete Rose cover during his 44 game hitting streak. He went hitless the next day! That jinx continues as Rose still unfortunately is banned from the Hall of Fame.

Race car driver Dale Earnhardt appeared on the cover with his son Dale Jr. in 2000. He died two months later on the final lap of the Daytona 500.

Michigan Wolverines quarterback Denard Robinson was featured on the cover. The Wolverines lost their first game of the 2012 season, 41–14, to the #1 ranked and eventual national champion Alabama Crimson Tide.

Detroit Tigers hitter Miguel Cabrera was featured on this 2012 cover. The Tigers were subsequently swept in the World Series by the San Francisco Giants. During the series, Cabrera went 3 for 13, including making the final out of the Series.

And most recently, The March 2021 issue featured the Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball team hoping to finally win the National Championship. The Bulldogs did go 31-0 and reached the finals of the NCAA Tournament only to lose to the Baylor Bears 86-70.

And definitely the worst cover jinx of all time: President-elect John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy are shown sailing off Cape Cod in 1961. The president would be assassinated less than three years later.

But some curses I appreciated:

After the Los Angeles Lakers swept the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Western Conference Finals to go undefeated to that point in the playoffs, the 1989 SI cover featured Lakers forward James Worthy with the word "SWEEP!" in large letters and, in smaller letters, the caption: "James Worthy and the Lakers beat the Suns to go 11–0 in the playoffs." The Lakers would go on to lose in the 1989 NBA Finals, being swept 4–0 by the Detroit Pistons.

The Kansas City Chiefs appeared on a 2003 cover after starting the season 9–0, but would lose the following game in Cincinnati to the Bengals. Kansas City finished the regular season 4–3, losing home field advantage to the New England Patriots, followed by losing the divisional playoff against Indianapolis.

Fortunately for the magazine, there are many exceptions to the curse; for example, Phil Mickelson won two other green jackets (one of which I witnessed as described in this blog after his initial win depicted on this 2004 cover. Definitely no jinx for Phil.

And Michael Jordon was on 50 covers, none of which hindered his accomplishments. Except maybe his golf cover in 1989!

Muhammed Ali appeared on 40 covers, experience immense success in his professional and personal life, culminating in him be named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Century.

And for sure there was no jinx involving any of models featured in the annual Swim Suit issues!

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