By Jae-Ha Kim
Playboy
July 1988
“Beach volleyball got some great exposure in that scene with Tom Cruise in Top Gun,” says Sinjin Smith. “Although looking at it from a professional standpoint, their game was a little weak.” Smith, 31, should know — the sandy-haired Californian is the world’s reigning beach-volleyball champion and the most successful player in the sports history.
“When I started,” Smith recalls, “a played made almost nothing.”
Only recently did the prize money become competitive with other pro sports, so Smith learned early on how to supplement his income. His sportswear line is expected to gross $8,000,000 this year and his well-toned 6’3″ frame is much in demand as a model.
“My size is an advantage as an athlete, but not as a model,” he says. “Clients are afraid I’m too big for their clothes.”
His size hardly deters the game’s groupie, who occasionally pester Smith with an unusual request.
“They’ll ask me to autograph their, uh, rears,” he says. “They’re so oiled up that that’s the only part of their body the pen will write on.”
