sports

Henry Kissinger: Scholar, statesman, Olympic fan

The former secretary of state and Olympic booster on why the Games are good diplomacy

By Katie Benner, writer

FORTUNE -- In 1936, Adolf Hitler watched with dismay as African-American track star Jesse Owens won four gold medals, dominated the Summer Olympics in Berlin, and undermined the Fuhrer's edict that the Aryan race was the supreme race. Henry Kissinger, at the time a 13-year-old boy living in Bavaria, was enthralled by MORE

Rugby World Cup fever

FORTUNE -- The 2011 Rugby World Cup is well underway, causing a major influx of tourists and dollars and bringing an estimated $654 million in revenue into New Zealand. The world's third-largest sporting event (after the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup), this year's contest will feature 20 teams in 13 venues on the home pitch of the world's most legendary and top-ranked team -- the All Blacks. --Alex MORE

High school football's high dollars

FORTUNE -- Even as school districts around the country cut budgets, lay off teachers, and slice sports programs, high school football remains big business, with the market for uniforms and equipment last season at $450 million. That's nearly half of all money spent on football gear nationally. To understand the economics of the sport, we've focused on two Texas powerhouse programs: Southlake Carroll and Allen, which will meet in the MORE

Weekly Read: Those Guys Have All the Fun

Welcome to the Weekly Read, a new column that will feature Fortune staffers' takes on recently published books about the business world and beyond. We've invited the entire Fortune staff -- from our writers and editors to our photo editors and designers -- to weigh in on books of their choosing based on their individual tastes or curiosities. Each week we'll feature a different staffer's review. This week we kick MORE