 Classic SI photo by John Iacono |
Tropical punch
An unsung hero of the 1986 World Series, Sid Fernandez pitched 2 1/3 hitless innings to help the Mets clinch Game 7. Drafted by the Dodgers in 1981, "El Sid" became the first Hawaii-born player to be named an All-Star (in 1986). A southpaw known for his considerable girth and sweeping slow curve, he wore uniform No. 50 as a nod to Hawaii's status as the 50th state.
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GREATEST ATHLETES |
Duke Kahanamoku, Honolulu
First great Hawaiian swimmer; in 1912, '20 and '24 Olympics won total of three golds and two silvers; father of modern surfing.
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Chad Rowan, Waimanalo
Known as Akebono in Japan, first foreign grand champion in 1,500-year history of sumo.
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Clarence (Buster) Crabbe, Honolulu
Won gold in 400-meter freestyle at 1932 Olympics; set 16 swimming world records.
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FLASHBACK |
1992: Meat Bomb
Konishiki, the quarter-ton Sumo wrestler from Hawaii, has set off an explosion of new interest -- and controversy -- in the hidebound national sport of Japan
Once again Japan is threatened by a mountainous marauder who mashes everything in his path. Once again the behemoth's thunderous footfalls have kindled fire storms everywhere, from the backstreets of Osaka to Atami Castle in Nagoya. And once again the overlords of this island nation are conspiring to stop him. Only this time the enemy is not a 50,000-ton, flame-belching sauropod named Godzilla.This time he's a human being, a sumo wrestler known as Meat Bomb.
FULL STORY
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SI COVERS |
Wave reviews
Sports Illustrated documented the growing popularity of surfing in this July 24, 1967 cover story, but noted that many of the voyagers descending on Hawaii were more inclined toward land sports. "More than 20,000 people in their teens or early 20s gather on Waikiki Beach each summer, but the gathering has nothing to do with surfing, as the surf is not good at Waikiki in the summer. They gather just to hang out, have fun and get a tan."
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THE SI POLL |
Who do Hawaiians root for? SI asked the Aloha State residents to weigh in* on sports.
Favorite major league baseball team
San Francisco Giants | 12% |
New York Yankees | 8% |
Atlanta Braves | 8% |
Seattle Mariners | 7% |
No favorite | 30% |
Favorite NFL team
San Francisco 49ers | 15% |
Oakland Raiders | 12% |
Denver Broncos | 9% |
No favorite | 15% |
Favorite NBA team
Los Angeles Lakers | 27% |
Seattle SuperSonics | 5% |
No favorite | 33% |
Favorite NHL team
Anaheim Mighty Ducks | 8% |
Colorado Avalanche | 5% |
No favorite | 57% |
Favorite pro team
San Francisco 49ers | 12% |
Oakland Raiders | 10% |
Los Angeles Lakers | 9% |
Denver Broncos | 6% |
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Favorite college team
U of Hawaii football | 32% |
U of Hawaii volleyball | 11% |
Favorite announcer
John Madden | 22% |
Al Michaels | 13% |
Jim Leahey | 10% |
More a fan of college or pro sports?
Pro | 52% |
College | 18% |
Equal | 30% |
Favorite sport to play
Swimming | 24% |
Golf | 15% |
Lifting weights | 10% |
Football | 9% |
Martial arts | 8% |
Favorite sports to watch on TV**
Football | 77% |
Summer Olympics | 54% |
Winter Olympics | 49% |
Basketball | 47% |
**Multiple responses allowed. | |
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State's biggest rival
California | 42% |
Utah | 23% |
Illinois | 2% |
Nevada | 2% |
Arizona | 2% |
Colorado | 2% |
Ohio | 2% |
Greatest athlete who ever lived in or played in your state?
Duke Kahanamoku | 31% |
Jason Elam | 8% |
Jesse Sapolu | 5% |
Russ Francis | 4% |
Ashley Lelie | 4% |
Which is more important - sports or sex?
Sex | 55% |
Sports | 14% |
Decline to answer | 31% |
FUN FACT | |
Twenty-three percent of respondents listed the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team's national championship in 2002 (which was later revoked) as the state's greatest sports moment of the past 50 years. | |
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*Harris Interactive poll, conducted online, of 401 Hawaii residents who identified themselves as sports fans. Margin of error +/- 4.9%. |
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Sports Illustrated's 50th Anniversary |
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STATITUDES |
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7 Different nations represented on the the 2002-2003 University of Hawaii men's basketball team roster. Eight of the 10 scholarship players hailed from foreign countries (Canada, Israel, Lithunania, Nigeria, South Africa and Yugoslavia) and they spoke a dozen different languages between them.
13 Age at which Michelle Wie won the 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links. Wie outlasted former NCAA champion Virada Nirapathpongporn for a one-shot victory at Ocean Hammock Golf Club to become the youngest player to win any adult USGA title.
16 Major Leaguers born and bred in the Aloha State. The first big-leaguer to hail from Hawaii was "Honolulu Johnnie" Williams, who pitched four games for Detroit in 1914.
19 Overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft the Denver Broncos used to select wideout Ashley Lelie, the first University of Hawaii player ever to be picked in the draft's first round.
1980 First year the NFL Pro Bowl was played in Honolulu's 50,000-seat Aloha Stadium on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu. The AFC prevailed 37-27. The game has been held there every year since.
$5,000 Winner's share in the 1980 Pro Bowl. AFC players in the most recent contest took home $30,000 each. The loser's share in 1980 was $2,500. NFC players earned $15,000 in 2003.
11:46:58 Winning time of Gordon Haller, the first Ironman triathlon champion. Fifteen men participated in the intial event held on Feb. 18, 1978, and 12 finished the course, which combined three existing races together: the Waikiki Roughwater Swim (2.4 miles), the Around-Oahu Bike Race (112 miles) and the Honolulu Marathon (26.2 miles).
1975 Year surf legend Rell Sunn, a surfing pioneer and Hawaii's first full-time lifeguard, helped establish the Women's Professional Surfing Association and founded the women's pro surfing tour.
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ENEMY OF THE STATE |
LaVell Edwards
Edwards, the former Brigham Young football coach, had a 17-4 career record against Hawaii. (Runner-up Hill, the football coach at WAC rival Fresno State, is only 2-5 against the Rainbow Warriors.) Hawaiians' most hated opponents: BYU (70%), Fresno State (8%) and UCLA (3%).
LaVell Edwards | 16% |
Pat Hill | 7% |
Jerry Tarkanian | 5% |
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FAST FACTS |
Admission to statehood: Aug. 21, 1959 (50th state)
Area: 10,932 square miles
Bird: Nene
Capital: Honolulu
Flower: Hibiscus or Pua Aloalo
Nickname: Aloha State
Population: 1,211,537
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Economy: Agriculture -- Sugarcane, pineapples, nursery stock, livestock, macadamia nuts.
Industry -- Tourism, food processing, apparel, fabricated metal products, stone, clay, and glass products.
Pro sports teams: None
Major college programs: Hawaii Warriors
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