Sports Poets Society

https://vault.si.com/vault/1982/12/13/the-hitman-becomes-the-hit-and-run-man A RENOWNED SLUGGER TURNED BOXER, THOMAS HEARNS SEPARATED WILFRED BENITEZ FROM HIS WBC SUPER WELTERWEIGHT TITLE PAT PUTNAM Sports Illustrated - December 13, 1982 TABLE OF CONTENTS ORIGINAL LAYOUT It has been the lot of Thomas Hearns to be regarded solely as a cannon , something to be rolled into a ring to reduce an opponent to rubble. Last Friday night, against Wilfred Benitez in New Orleans' Superdome, Hearns finally showed that he brings more to boxing than a big bang. Fighting with only his left hand from the eighth round on after hurting the right on Benitez' head , Hearns outboxed the master boxer and lifted the Puerto Rican's WBC super welterweight (154-pound) championship on a majority decision. One judge ruled it a draw, the two others had Hearns the winner. "When I fight, people expect to see a knockout," said Hearns, known as The Hitman, beforehand. "Well, they're only

https://vault.si.com/vault/1982/12/13/a-tough-man-in-a-scramble THE BULLETS HAVE FLIPPED OVER 6'11" JEFF RULAND, WHO'S BETTER THAN HE WAS CRACKED UP TO BE BRUCE NEWMAN Sports Illustrated - December 13, 1982 Ruland's arms look so short and thick that it seems as if they're trying to retract into his body . Arms don't dangle gracefully at Ruland's sides; they hang from his shoulders like meat on a hook . In every way that arms are capable of being remarkable, these are not. And yet what makes Ruland's arms the kind that any NBA team would be happy to have hanging around is precisely what makes them appear so small to begin with—they are attached to the rest of Ruland. Since joining the Washington Bullets as a rookie last season, the 6'11", 260-pound center/power forward has used his size and strength to become one of the NBA's best sixth men (although he's lately been starting in place of injured Forward Spencer Haywood) and one of the

https://eu.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2023/06/17/nothing-but-love-rick-mahorn-not-a-bad-boy-when-it-comes-to-family/70273221007/ Mike Curtis  - The Detroit News Detroit — If you ask Rick Mahorn's children to describe their father, they won't hesitate. Derrick II calls him a hero . Jordan nearly tears up at the thought of how giving her dad is. Blake says he's inspiring, supportive and hilarious. Others know Mahorn know as a straight-shooter — someone who doesn't mince words — and that includes his intention of spending Father's Day, like many dads, being left alone to enjoy the day. But his intentions are rooted in love. It's a special bond that Mahorn has with his six children, and none of them sees their father as the popular radio analyst who shares his basketball knowledge during Pistons games. Nor do they view him as the legendary Bad Boy who helped lead the Pistons to their first championship in franchise history in 1989. Some people even r