Pair of early Sports Illustrated advertising posters dating from the magazine's debut year in 1954. These posters,  which are exact replicas of the magazine's covers for the respective week, were issued to newsstands for promotional purposes. Because they were displayed for only one week, and often discarded immediately afterward, examples are rare today. These are the first we have offered and we cannot recall having seen any others from 1954. The first, issued to promote the September 13, 1954, issue, features auto racer Jim Kimberley on the track as he races past a member of his pit crew. As noted in print along the top, this was just the fifth issue of what was soon to became the most popular sports magazine in the United States. 19.25x26.5". The second promotes the December 27, 1954, issue, and pictures the Swiss village of Klosters, which was the venue for an interior skiing pictorial. 19.75x27". Each poster is linen backed and in Excellent to Mint condition. Please note: because the posters are linen backed they will be shipped rolled.