MAIN Recreation Sports SI Swimsuit Issue

In the winter of 1964, Sports Illustrated magazine was in its usual sales slump. So the editorial staff at SI decided to try something new.

Babette Marche, a model in a racy (for the time) bikini was splashed across the cover for their new February issue and - surprise! - the very first SI swimsuit issue was almost an instant sellout.

Soon, hot-blooded sports fans by the millions were waiting at mailboxes for delivery of the Sports llustrated Swimsuit Issue in an annual winter tradition.

Since then, Sports Illustrated is credited with almost single-handedly launching the Era of the Supermodel, giving rise to the careers of Tyra Banks, Christie Brinkley, Rachel Hunter, Elle Macpherson and Kathy Ireland (to name only a few) who have since graced the cover.

The 2006 landmark "topless" cover featured models Veronica Varekova, Elle Macpherson, Rebecca Romijn, Rachel Hunter, Daniela Pestova, Elsa Benitez, Carolyn Murphy and Yamila Diaz. Inside, Heidi Klum was the featured photo spread and, (just to keep it fairly legit as a sports issue), tennis pro Maria Sharapova also appeared in the lower right hand corner over the sub-headline, "...As You've Never Seen Her".

Swimsuit Issue 2009

With a recent appearance by cover girl Beyonce in 2007 followed by 2008 covergirl supermodel Marisa Miller, who is the next famous bod to grace the cover?

Hot rumors originally pointed to tennis star Andy Roddick's main squeeze, Brooklyn Decker, as this year's cover girl, but even hotter buzz surrounded Bar Refaeli, ex-girlfriend and housemate of actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

Otherwise, compared the recent past, rumors were in short supply as SI tried to keep this year's swimsuit issue a closely guarded secret until publication on Tuesday, February 10, 2009.

More about SI Swimsuit Issue around the Web:

Fortunately, fans no longer have to wait anxiously at their mailboxes for the hardcopy, and enjoy almost instantaneous access to the swimsuit issue online - including model profiles, behind the scenes photo shoots and video clips, along with an entire archive of favorite editions. Check them all out here ....

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue - The full multimedia extravaganza including the latest & greatest photos, video clips, screen savers, cell phone wallpapers and, of course, the full Marisa Miller spread ....

AskMen.com - Sports Illustrated Models - Their choice of the hottest babes in the 2006 issue with photos and related links to more on Elsa Benitez, Carolyn Murphy, and Daniela Pestova.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue - The complete history from Wikipedia, including a list of SI cover girls and related gallery of historic covers from 1964 to the present.

YouTube.com - Maria Sharapova Swimsuit - Promo video of the hot tennis star before, during, and after her famous photo shoot for the 2006 issue.

Random Swimsuit Pics - One guy's personal, high-quality collection from recent and past SI Swimsuit issues.

also in Pop Culture ->  Victoria's Secret Models