WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS

 A breakfast conversation the other day led me to search for ABC's Wide World Of Sports and find their iconic show opener.  You know;  "the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat."  Like everything else in the world, it's available on YouTube.  

That show started in April 1961, aired year-round and lasted for 36 years.  It was broadcast in the late afternoons on Saturdays and I never missed it in it's early years.  

The intro was refined in 1972; it started with a group of Little Leaguers celebrating a World Series victory and ended with a skier falling off the edge of a giant ski jump on his way to an ugly crash at the bottom.  Yikes!  The 'thrill of victory' portion of the intro was changed over the years but never the part depicting the 'agony of defeat'.  

The ski jumper's name was Vinko Bogataj - he was making a practice jump in 1970.  It was a  spectacular fall.  I think he's still alive and well; living with his two daughters in his native Slovenia.  

The show and the intro were hosted by the venerable sports broadcaster, Jim McKay.  In the last 10 years of the show, various co-hosts were used.