Before he could make any decision as the face of the NBA, however, Stern had to be "sworn" in as commissioner. And when he took on that task, his right hand was pressed to the 1984 Sporting News Official NBA Guide, as Bloomberg Businessweek notes in a feature article. With his left hand raised, Stern took an oath.
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“I swore to uphold the NBA constitution, bylaws, and all that’s holy,” he told Bloomberg Businessweek.
After taking a hard look at this photo, we could focus in on the physical transformation of Stern over the years. He no longer has that strong mustache or those thick-rimmed glasses.
Instead, we'll simply remember Stern's sterling career from start to finish, and revel in the fact that Sporting News was there with him from Day 1.
[Photo credit: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE]
