Sports Illustrated Kids facts for kids
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The first issue of Sports Illustrated for Kids, January 1, 1989, showing NBA Superstar Michael Jordan with friends Brad Pielet and Nancy Deller.
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| Managing Editor | Bob Der |
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| Staff writers |
Staff
Managing Editor SI.com: Paul Fichtenbaum |
| Categories | Sports magazine |
| Frequency | bi-monthly |
| Circulation | 950,000 |
| Founded | January 1, 1989 |
| Company | Authentic Brands Group |
| Language | English |
| ISSN | 1042-394X |
Sports Illustrated Kids (often called SI Kids) is a cool magazine about sports. It's made especially for kids and teens, and it's a spin-off from the famous Sports Illustrated magazine.
SI Kids first came out in January 1989. It covers all sorts of sports, but it uses simpler words and often adds humor. One of its main goals is to get more kids excited about sports!
The very first issue had a huge sports star on its cover: Michael Jordan, a famous basketball player from the Chicago Bulls.
Contents
What Was Sports Illustrated Teen?
Sports Illustrated Teen (or SI Teen) was a special section inside the regular SI Kids magazine. It was made for older readers of the children's magazine.
This section had more details like statistics and predictions. It also looked deeper into team sports and exciting extreme sports. Sports Illustrated Teen started in January 2004. It was published until March 2010, when it was replaced by a selected article from the main Sports Illustrated magazine.
Working with Topps Trading Cards
In March 2006, Sports Illustrated Kids teamed up with the Topps company. Topps makes popular trading cards. This partnership aimed to get more kids interested in collecting sports cards.
Because of this team-up, the magazine often tells readers that each issue includes cool sports cards!
What's Inside SI Kids Magazine?
Each issue of SI Kids is packed with fun stuff. You can find comics, funny captions for sports photos, and interviews with famous athletes. Sometimes, even kids get to be reporters!
Meet Buzz Beamer
The magazine has a recurring mascot named Buzz Beamer. He's a blond-haired boy with a buzz-cut and always wears dark glasses. Buzz stars in most of the comics, where he plays all kinds of sports. He also appeared in cartoons on the magazine's website. Buzz is created and drawn by the award-winning cartoonist Bill Hinds.
Other SI Kids Creations
Besides the magazine, Sports Illustrated Kids has also created other cool things. These include video games, a television show, and even books, like a sports pop-up book.
Every December, the magazine features the amazing SportsKid of the Year. This special award celebrates a young person who shows great sportsmanship and talent.
Plus, each issue usually comes with a poster that you can easily tear out and hang up!
Who's Been on the Cover?
Many famous athletes have been on the cover of SI Kids. Here are some of the athletes who appeared the most between 1989 and 2011:
| Athlete | Number of covers |
|---|---|
| Michael Jordan | 4 |
| Shaquille O'Neal | 5 |
Awards and Recognition
Sports Illustrated Kids has won many awards for being a great magazine for children.
- It won the "Distinguished Achievement for Excellence in Educational Publishing" award 11 times.
- It also won the "Parents' Choice Magazine Award" 7 times.
