ABC'S WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS: A LOOK AT THE SEVENTIES (TV)
Summary
One in this series of sports programs. This two-part special program features sports highlights from the decade of the 1970s. Baseball highlights include the following: excerpts from the 1974 retirement speech of Willie Mays; Howard Cosell's last interview with Jackie Robinson; the advent of free agents; Hank Aaron's 715th home run; and excerpts from exciting games such as the sixth game of the 1975 World Series and the final game of the 1976 American League Championship Series. Horse racing highlights include the following: the Triple Crown years of Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), and Affirmed (1978) are reviewed, along with the near-miss of Spectacular Bid in 1979. In the track-and-field segment, the performances of Lasse Viren, Alberto Juantorena, and Henry Rono are singled out from the 1972 Olympics; and the domination of milers John Walker and Sebastian Coe, and of marathon runner Bill Rodgers, are highlighted. A look at stunts features George Willig's climb of the World Trade Center and Evel Knievel's Snake River Canyon jump. Pole vault, high jump, and weight-lifting records are reviewed. Older active athletes such as George Blanda and Gordie Howe are noted. Howard Cosell reviews football events, names the Pittsburgh Steelers as the team of the decade, and pays tribute to Vince Lombardi and O.J. Simpson. Other highlights include the following: figure skater Dorothy Hamill's gold medal in the 1976 Olympics; A.J. Foyt's fourth Indy 500 victory; pro basketball; ice hockey's Montreal Canadiens; the Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson battle in the 1977 British Open in golf; and the beginning of a review of the boxing career of Muhammad Ali.
Other boxing highlights include the Olympic successes of Cuba's Teofilo Stevenson, and the 1976 successes of Leon Spinks and "Sugar" Ray Leonard of the U.S. Gymnastics highlights include the following: the growth in popularity of gymnastics due to the Olympic triumphs of Olga Korbut in 1972, Nadia Comaneci in 1976, and American Kurt Thomas. Tennis highlights include the "Battle of the Sexes" defeat of Bobby Riggs by Billie Jean King; and the stars of tennis, such as Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Tracy Austin, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, and John McEnroe. In the soccer segment, Pele brings world-class respectability to American soccer. The remainder of the program looks at the outstanding performances and events of the 1972 and 1976 Olympics as follows: Mark Spitz's seven gold medals in swimming in 1972 and John Naber's four gold medals in swimming in 1976; Valeri Borzov's two gold medals in sprinting events, Dave Wottle's come-from-behind win in the 800-meter race, and Frank Shorter's win in the marathon, all in 1972; Bruce Jenner's 1976 decathlon victory; the 1972 U.S. loss to Russia and the final seconds of that game; and McKay's report on the "worst day in sports history," the day terrorists killed hostage Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. McKay closes with thoughts about the future of sports. Includes commercials.
(This program contains minor technical problems. This represents the best copy of this program currently available to the Museum.)
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: December 29, 1979 Saturday 5:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T80:0422
- GENRE: Sports
- SUBJECT HEADING: Automobile racing; Baseball; Basketball; Boxing; British Open - 1977; Football; Golf; Hockey; Horse racing; Indianapolis Speedway Race; Marathons; Olympic Games, 1972; Olympic Games, 1976; Skating; Sports; Track-athletics; World Series - 1975; Olympics; African-American Collection - Sports
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1961-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Roone Arledge … Executive Producer
- Dennis Lewin … Coordinating Producer
- Dick Buffington … Producer
- Carol Lehti … Associate Producer
- John DeLisa … Director
- Jim McKay … Sports Commentator
- Howard Cosell … Sports Commentator
- Henry Aaron
- Muhammad Ali (see also: Cassius Clay)
- Tracy Austin
- George Blanda
- Bjorn Borg
- Valeri Borzov
- Sebastian Coe
- Nadia Comaneci
- Jimmy Connors
- Chris Evert (see also: Chris Evert-Lloyd)
- A.J. Foyt
- Dorothy Hamill
- Gordie Howe
- Bruce Jenner
- Billie Jean King
- Evel Knievel
- Olga Korbut
- Sugar Ray Leonard
- Vince Lombardi
- Willie Mays
- John McEnroe
- John Naber
- Martina Navratilova
- Jack Nicklaus
- Pelé
- Bobby Riggs
- Jackie Robinson
- Frank Shorter
- O.J. Simpson
- Leon Spinks
- Mark Spitz
- Teofilo Stevenson
- Kurt Thomas
- Lasse Viren
- John Walker
- Tom Watson
- George Willig
- Dave Wottle
- Pittsburgh Steelers (football team)