SI, AI, and the bleak future of sportswriting

Nov 28 2023 by South Side Sox

 
Some 40 years ago, a Sports Illustrated hoax made Sidd Finch a household name. Today’s fake writing revelations are something else, entirely. | Courtesy of the hoaxers at Sports Illustrated

Content, and its discontents

On April 1, 1985, readers of Sports Illustrated encountered an article by George Plimpton titled, “The Curious Case of Sidd Finch.” This legendary article detailed, a bit ridiculously, a tall and skinny Mets pitching prospect who could throw 168 miles an hour, was...

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