This is the latest post for an ongoing media project — SoCal Sports History 101: The Prime Numbers from 00 to 99 that Uniformly, Uniquely and Unapologetically Reveal The Narrative of Our Region’s Athletic Heritage. Pick a number and highlight an athlete — person, place or thing — most obviously connected to it by fame and fortune, someone who isn’t so obvious, and then take a deeper dive into the most interesting story tied to it. It’s a combination of star power, achievement, longevity, notoriety, and, above all, what makes that athlete so Southern California. Quirkiness and notoriety factor in. And it should open itself to more discussion and debate — which is what sports is best at doing.
The many not-so- obvious choices for No. 59:
= George Kase, UCLA football
= Collin Ashton, USC football
= Lou Ferrigno Jr., USC football
= Mario Celotto, USC football
= Evan Phillips, Los Angeles Dodgers
= Ismail Valdez, Los Angeles Dodgers
The most interesting story for No. 59:
= Barbie, pop culture icon (1959 to present)
Southern California map pinpoints:
Hawthorne, El Segundo, Los Angeles
= Reference books on the subject:
“Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World’s Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her,” by Robin Gerber, 2010
“Barbieland: The Unauthorized History,” by Tarpley Hitt, 2025
Of all the pretty petty people, from all the impenetrable places on the globe, with all the pretend things to chose from, Barbie pushed herself onto the cover of Sports Illustrated in early 2014.
It figures that the iconic figurine and model citizen created by the then-Hawthorne based Mattel toy company was depicted neither as an athlete nor the SI Sportsperson of the Year. Maybe a jockified Barbie could have played that part, but there was more fashionable forward thinking here.
Since her creation, Barbie has gone fell beyond just a fancy-dressed glamor symbol. She’s been a volleyball player. And a soccer player. And a softball player. Name the sport — we’re even thinking pickleball — and in many display cases, she’s there sporting a No. 59 jersey.
That’s a call back to the year she was created, 1959.
Some of those “59” Barbies tout off her active lifestyle as part of the “Malibu Collection,” along with genital challenged boyfriend, Ken. She can also play into the “fashionista” genre.
But for this purpose, for this SI cover, this Barbie — a certified Southern California 11 ½-inch titan — made the Swimsuit issue. Wearing her a classic black-and-white one-piece retro swimsuit.
Legendary photographer Water Ioos, Jr., was also in on the photo shoot.
“She’s like the best model I’ve ever worked with,” he said. “She takes directions almost silently.”
Officially, it was an #unapologetic synergistic marketing ploy, a “cover wrap” to coincide with the American International Toy Fair as well as celebrate the 50th anniversary of the magazine. Indeed, Mattel paid SI for the privilege. And a limited edition SI Barbie doll went on sale to add to the transactional process.
All in all, this Barbie/SI co-oped exposure led to more uncomfortable pearl clutching for those concerned about image-consciousness messaging to young women. SI and Barbie provided two easy targets.
“Mattel has long contended with complaints that Barbie, with her lithesome figure and focus on fashion, is not a positive role model for girls,” a New York Times story noted. “At the same time, Sports Illustrated is no favorite of some critics who believe that the swimsuit issue objectifies women.”
A Mattel spokesman responded in a story for NBC News: “Barbie has always been a lightning rod for controversy and opinions. Posing in SI gives Barbie and her fellow legends an opportunity to own who they are, celebrate what they have accomplished and show the world it is OK to be capable and captivating.”
That story noted Sports Illustrated claims to have more than 17 million women read its Swimsuit issue, more than most major fashion magazines combined, and sales for items the models wear get a significant boost.
“Barbie sort of has been taken hostage,” said a university marketing professor, “(but) despite her haters and naysayers, she’s comfortable with who she is.”
Continue reading “No. 59: Barbie”
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