SPORT Magazine was published monthly for over fifty years beginning with the September 1946 issue featuring Joe DiMaggio on the cover and ceasing publication in 2000.
SPORT Magazine was originally published by Macfadden Publications, which was not under Bernarr Macfadden’s control at the time however, but was instead headed by former Macfadden underling O.J. Elder. Elder had forced the company out from under Macfadden’s control in a 1941 stockholders revolt.
Over the years SPORT passed through the hands of other publishers, winding up with Petersen Companies when the end came.
From its beginnings SPORT Magazine concentrated its coverage on the four major sports, baseball, football, basketball and hockey, but would also offer features on the other major competitive sports, such as Boxing, Golf and Tennis.
As with other Macfadden Publications, SPORT Magazine catered to the American masses, whereas latter competitor Sports Illustrated started out on the wrong foot by attempting to cultivate a readership of better educated upper class Americans with coverage of events like dog shows, bird watching and fox hunts.
In the end, SPORT Magazine couldn’t compete with weeklies like Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News, or the popular new kid on the block, biweekly ESPN Magazine.
Go to Part 2: A Detailed Look at Sport Magazine 1956 Issues