1957

In historic firsts, the U.S.S.R. sends Sputnik into space, and blacks attend Central High in Little Rock. Another breakthrough comes when Hank Aaron leads Milwaukee to its first and only World Series win. The Lions, Celtics and Canadiens win too. Ditto North Carolina's basketball team, a triple-OT winner over Kansas in the NCAA final, and in football, Ohio State and Auburn share No. 1.

INCIDENTALLY
DUTY FULFILLED
After deep thought, the Buddhist monks of Mount Koya, whose templed mountaintop south of Osaka has long been a shrine for Japanese pilgrims, have now carved out a baseball diamond and ordered bats, balls and uniforms for themselves. "The priestly duty has always made it imperative for us to understand what is uppermost in the secular minds," explained one of Mount Koya's elders. "Baseball is uppermost."

FACE IN THE CROWD
Jack Nicklaus
Jack, husky 17-year-old homebred, made up two-stroke deficit soon after start of final round but had to hang on grimly in face of determined challenge by John Konsek to win (294-296) international Jaycee junior golf title at Columbus.

It's something new called the Frisbee.

Hammerin' Hank pounds out 44 homers and 132 RBIs for the champion Braves.

Larry Joe Bird is nine months old.

Why indeed, SI? Notre Dame snaps Oklahoma's 47-game win streak 7-0.

Heavyweight champ Floyd Patterson earns $250,000 for one fight. One fight!

The Edsel comes in with a promotional bang. Two short years later it will sputter out.

Gotham mourns the imminent loss of its Giants and Dodgers.