List of events broadcast on Wide World of Sports (American TV program)
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Main article: Wide World of Sports (American TV series) § Format
ABC's Wide World of Sports was intended to be a fill-in show for a single summer season, until the start of fall sports seasons, but became unexpectedly popular. The goal of the program was to showcase sports from around the globe that were seldom, if ever, broadcast on American television. It originally ran for two hours on Saturday afternoons, but was later reduced to 90 minutes.
Usually, "Wide World" featured two or three events per show. These included many types not previously seen on American television, such as hurling, rodeo, curling, jai-alai, firefighter's competitions, wrist wrestling, powerlifting, surfing, logger sports, demolition derby, slow pitch softball, barrel jumping, and badminton. NASCARGrand National/Winston Cup racing was a Wide World of Sports staple until the late 1980s, when it became a regularly scheduled sporting event on the network. Traditional Olympic sports such as figure skating, skiing, gymnastics and track and field competitions were also regular features of the show. Another memorable regular feature in the 1960s and 1970s was Mexican cliff diving. The lone national television broadcast of the Continental Football League was a Wide World of Sports broadcast of the 1966 championship game; ABC paid the league $500 for a rights fee, a minuscule sum by professional football standards.
Wide World of Sports was the first U.S. television program to air coverage of – among events – Wimbledon (1961), the Indianapolis 500 (highlights starting in 1961; a longer-form version in 1965), the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship (1962), the Daytona 500 (1962), the U.S. Figure Skating Championships (1962), the Monaco Grand Prix (1962), the Little League World Series (1961), The British Open Golf Tournament (1961), the X-Games (1994) and the Grey Cup (1962).
Los Angeles Invitational from the Los Angeles Sports Arena, Jim Beatty sets indoor mile record of 3:58.9, becoming the first man in history to run a sub-4:00 mile indoors.
February 18
Bob-sledding championships from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, and men's finals in surfing.[6]
February 25
First coverage of the NASCAR 500 Stock Car Championship from Daytona Beach, Florida
1964 Italian Grand Prix, John Surtees won the Italian Grand Prix from Bruce McLaren
September 26
Oklahoma Live Rattlesnake Hunt.
November 21
in Sacramento.
See also: 1964 in sports and 1964 in television
1965[]
Day
Event
Commentators
Reporters
March 13
International Toboggan Championship, better known as the Cresta Run, from St. Moritz, Switzerland.
March 20
American Internationals features the first appearance by Jean-Claude Killy on WWOS.
April 10
In addition to the U.S. National Men's Swimming and Diving Championships, the show featured Robert F. Kennedy's ascent of Mt. Kennedy in Canada, to place the family flag atop the mountain named in honor of his brother, and a segment on the Houston Astrodome with Roger Maris trying to hit the roof of the stadium.
April 17
NCAA Wrestling Championships.
May 29
The rematch between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston from Lewiston, Maine.
May 30
Grand Prix of Monaco.
Jim McKay Phil Hill
June 5
First coverage of the Indianapolis 500 on Wide World of Sports after covering the time trials the four previous years.
Charlie Brockman Rodger Ward
June 19
Live coverage via satellite of the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans
Jim McKay Phil Hill
Chris Economaki
July 24
Coverage of the Matterhorn Climb from Zermatt, Switzerland.
August 1
USA-USSR Track & Field Meet, live from the Soviet Union.
August 7
1965 German Grand Prix Jim Clark showed everyone by winning the race and the drivers championship.
September 11
Southern 500 stock car race.
Jim McKay Rodger Ward
See also: 1965 in sports and 1965 in television
1966[]
Day
Event
January 1
Horse racing on Ice from St. Moritz becomes the first Wide World of Sports segment in color.
February 26
basketball from Milan, Italy.
April 2
Muhammad Ali defeats George Chuvalo in a 15-round decision to retain his World Heavyweight Championship in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
April 9
AAU Indoor Swimming & Diving Championships.
May 7
Willie Mays hits his 512th home run, breaking the all-time National League record.
May 21
Muhammad Ali retains his World Heavyweight Championship title with a sixth-round TKO of Henry Cooper in London.
July 30
Jim Ryun sets his first world mile record in Berkeley at the age of 19, breaking the previous mark by 2.3 seconds.
September 10
Muhammad Ali defeats Karl Mildenberger in a heavyweight title defense, live from Frankfurt, West Germany with a 12th-round TKO.
October 8
International Figure Skating Revue in Berlin.
November 26
Muhammad Ali defends his world heavyweight title for the sixth time in 1966 on Wide World of Sports against Cleveland Williams.
British yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester completes his 28,500-mile around the world trip.
June 10
A. J. Foyt wins the Indianapolis 500.
Jim McKay Rodger Ward
Chris Economaki
June 24
National AAU Track & Field Championships in Bakersfield, California. Jim Ryun set a world record in the Mile run, 3:51.1 which lasted for eight years. The mark remained the American record until the Dream Mile in 1981, also on Wide World of Sports.
World Heavyweight Championship fight between Joe Frazier and Jerry Quarry, won by Frazier in the seventh round, plus Olympic champion George Foreman's first professional fight against
July 26
Vince Lombardi's first day of training camp with the Washington Redskins.
Howard Cosell interviews Curt Flood about the Major League BaseballReserve Clause.
January 17
from Petaluma, California
February 21
Joe Frazier knocks out Jimmy Ellis in the fifth round for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship from New York City.
February 28
1970 Daytona 500
March 14
World Figure Skating Championships in Ljubljana, Yugoslavia.
March 21
International Ski Flying Championship from Oberstdorf. On his third jump, Vinko Bogataj tumbled down the jump and became forever more the "agony of defeat".
March 28
Report on Buddy Baker breaking the world closed-course speed record of over 200mph at Talladega Superspeedway. Phoenix 150 - Live coverage of the race in segments. Florida Derby - Live coverage of three races.
April 18
- Live Coverage of the latter stages of the race.
May 2
Dan Gable loses his final match in collegiate competition to of Washington at the NCAA Championships. It was the only loss of his collegiate career.
May 9
1970 Rebel 400 - Live Coverage of the latter stages of the race.
Analysis of the World Heavyweight Championshipfight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier with Muhammad Ali. Plus a report on Mario Andretti's victory in the Grand Prix of South Africa.
April 17
The U.S. Table Tennis Team, following its historic trip inside the People's Republic of China, appears on Wide World of Sports live via satellite from Tokyo with its own "home movies" of their trip.
June 5
Grand Prix of Monaco.
August 28
Coverage of the USA-Cuba volleyball match from Havana marks the first time an American television network sports department covers a sports event in Cuba since Premier Fidel Castro came to power in 1959.
Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier scuffle during the telecast as they watch tape of their first fight in 1971.
February 9
February 17
Evel Knievel jumps 11 Mack trucks in . The show, which also included the National Finals Rodeo.
March 2
Muhammad Ali defeats Joe Frazier in their second fight in New York City.
March 16
Roberto Durán knocks out Esteban De Jesús in the 11th round to retain his World Lightweight championship from Panama City, Panama.
March 17
World Figure Skating Championships from Munich.
March 31
George Foreman scores a second-round TKO of Ken Norton in a World Heavyweight Championship fight.
April 7
Oxford-Cambridge Regatta.
May 26
1974 Monaco Grand Prix
August 31
Evel Knievel's daredevil motorcycle jump in Toronto and Philippe Petit's high wire walk from New York City.
September 14
Evel Knievel attempts to jump the Snake River Canyon in Twin Falls, Idaho in a machine called a skycycle in front of 33,000 fans. The parachute opened prematurely and Evel crashed into the canyon wall and had to be pulled out of the water.
September 21
Wide World of Sports returns to Havana, Cuba for the World Boxing Championships, which featured Teófilo Stevenson.
October 6
1974 United States Grand Prix: Emerson Fittipaldi won the F1 championship and was interviewed by Jackie Stewart but it was a tragic race when Helmut Koinigg died.
See also: 1974 in sports and 1974 in television
1975[]
Day
Event
January 5
Muhammad Ali knocks out George Foreman in the eighth round to reclaim the World Heavyweight title from Kinshasa, Zaire.
January 19
Philippe Petit high wire walks between the two towers of the cathedral in Laon, France.
March 29
Muhammad Ali scores a 15th-round TKO of Chuck Wepner in their World Heavyweight Championship fight.
May 25
1975 Monaco Grand Prix.
May 31
Evel Knievel's attempt to jump 140 feet over 13 double-deck buses in Wembley Stadium in London ends in failure when he's thrown off his bike on the landing ramp and has the motorcycle land on top of him.
First Wide World of Sports coverage of the Tour de France.
August 16
Coverage of John Walker's world mile record of 3:49.4 in Göteborg, Sweden, making him the first to break the 3:50 barrier.
September 13
World Heavyweight Championship fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Bugner from Kuala Lampur, Malaysia.
October 4
October 25
Evel Knievel jumps for the first time since his crash in Wembley Stadium and clears 14 Greyhound buses. The show, from Kings Island in Kings Mills, Ohio, ranks as the highest rated show in the history of Wide World of Sports.
See also: 1975 in sports and 1975 in television
1976[]
Day
Event
January 1
Olga Korbut and the USSR Gymnasts Team visit Disneyland.
January 11
Wide World of Sports telecasts tape of Muhammad Ali defeating Joe Frazier in the "Thriller in Manilla" heavyweight title fight.
January 25
The Harlem Globetrotters play at the Attica Correctional Facility in New York.
World Figure Skating Championships in Göteborg, Sweden.
March 21
Dorothy Hamill parade in Greenwich, Conn.
March 28
American Cup Gymnastics Championships.
May 22
Dorothy Hamill's last amateur performance.
May 30
1976 Monaco Grand Prix
June 26
U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials from Eugene, Ore.
October 2
Exclusive Sports Illustrated still photographs of the Muhammad Ali-Ken Norton heavyweight fight and interviews with Ken Norton, Joe Frazier and George Foreman.
October 30
Evel Knievel's final jump on Wide World of Sports is over seven Greyhound buses in the Kingdome in Seattle. Mario Andretti wins the Japanese Grand Prix but James Hunt finishes third and crowned world champion by one point over Niki Lauda.
Profile of 16-year-old apprentice jockey Steve Cauthen.
January 23
The USA-People's Republic of China gymnastics meet from Peking.
February 5
in Hartford, Conn.
February 12
A special gymnastics competition from South Bend, Ind. features Olga Korbut and Nellie Kim and the USSR gymnastics team. That marked Olga's final competitive appearance on Wide World of Sports.
February 19
Coverage of the Mr. Universe contest.
March 5
World Figure Skating Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
May 7
Seattle Slew, who would go on to become the first Triple Crown winner in 29 years, won the Flamingo Stakes (March 26) and the Wood Memorial (April 23) on his way to the Kentucky Derby title.
May 14
Sugar Ray Leonard defeats Willie Rodriguez in the second fight of his professional career.
May 22
1977 Monaco Grand Prix
July 2
from Sochi, USSR.
July 23
Arthur Ashe's report on Apartheid and sports in South Africa.
September 3
.
October 1
Pelé's farewell game between the club he started his career with, the Santos, and the club he finished his career with, the New York Cosmos.
October 29
The ascent of mountain climber George Willig to the top of Eldorado Canyon in Eldorado Springs, Colorado
Affirmed's first race as a 3-year-old and Alydar's victory in the Florida Derby.
April 1
Olga Korbut's retirement ceremonies in Moscow.
April 22 & 23
George Willig's climb of Angel's Landing in Zion National Park almost ends a bit early when he falls on the way up, but he was able to complete the climb.
May 7
1978 Monaco Grand Prix
July 8
from Berkeley.
August 26 & September 2
World Swimming Championships from West Berlin.
September 16
Grand Prix of Italy in MonzaMario Andretti won the Championship sadly his teammate and rival Ronnie Peterson died in the first chicane pileup .
In the final tune-up for the Americans prior to the Olympic Games, the United States hockey team is crushed 10-3 by the Soviet Union. The show also included Shirley Muldowney's first victory in the Winternationals.
Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Durán fight for the WBCWelterweight Championship.
August 16
U.S. National Swimming Championships.
September 27
In his second bid for the WBA/WBCMiddleweight championship, Marvelous Marvin Hagler scores a third-round TKO of Alan Minter in a fight marred by a crowd riot.
December 27
U.S. Figure Skaters in China: A Special Performance.
Report on week of mile world records: Steve Ovett in West Germany and Sebastian Coe in Belgium. Ovett lowered the mark to 3:48.40, then Coe lowered it to 3:47.33.
Brian Boitano makes his debut on Wide World of Sports.
February 14
Special ice skating performance by Peggy Fleming from Lake Tahoe.
February 21
leader Julie Moss collapses just 440 yards from the finish of the marathon run. She struggled to her feet and wobbled to within 100 yards of the finish where she collapsed again. She started to crawl, but was passed by Kathleen McCartney only 10 yards from the finish line. Moss and McCartney appear in the WWOS studios the following week to discuss the finish.
Bazooka Limón loses his WBCSuper Featherweight Championship to Bobby Chacon in a 15-round decision, while Wilfredo Gómez retained his WBC Super Bantamweight title against .
Dave Scott wins his second in Hawaii. During that same show, Shirley Muldowney, wins her second title at the Winternational Drag Racing Championships in Pomona.
March 12
Mary Lou Retton makes her first appearance on Wide World of Sports at the American Cup.
April 17 & 23
The Great American Bike Race from Santa Monica, California to New York City.
May 15
1983 Monaco Grand Prix
June 25
U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Indianapolis.
July 2
, now known as the Olympic Festival, in Colorado Springs
August 6
U.S. Swimming Championships.
August 20
The International Special Olympics from Baton Rouge, La. It becomes the first sports show to win a Christopher Award.
Second professional fights of Pernell Whitaker (vs ), Evander Holyfield (vs ) and Meldrick Taylor (vs ), live, from Atlantic City.
February 3
Brian Boitano wins the first of four consecutive national titles at the in Kansas City. In the same show, Pirmin Zurbriggen wins the downhill at the World Alpine Ski Championships in Bormio, Italy.
Matt Biondi sets his first individual American records in the 100- and 200-yard freestyles at the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas.
April 20
The second professional fight of Olympic gold medalist Tyrell Biggs.
May 18
UCLA Invitational Track and Field Meet.
May 19
1985 Monaco Grand Prix.
June 8
Barry McGuigan defeats Eusebio Pedroza to claim the WBAWelterweight title in London.
July 27
Wide World of Sports coverage, via satellite, of the Dream Mile from Oslo, Norway.
August 24
Microminiature camera in the mask of a home plate umpire was introduced during Wide World of Sports live coverage of the Little League World Series from Williamsport, Pa.
September 28
Barry McGuigan defends his WBAWelterweight title against Bernard Taylor in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Evander Holyfield wins his first world title with a 15-round decision against Dwight Qawi for the WBAJunior Heavyweight crown live from Atlanta.
July 26
Mike Tyson destroys Marvis Frazier with a first-round knockout in their live heavyweight fight from Glenn Falls, N.Y. In the same show, Barry McGuigan loses his WBAWelterweight crown in a 15-round decision to Steve Cruz in Las Vegas.
August 30
Men's World Cup Gymnastics Championships from Beijing, China.
Report on America's Cup yacht races from Freemantle, Australia.
February 7
U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Tacoma, Washington
February 28
Women's World Cup individual finals from Beijing.
March 1
Race Across America.
March 21
Iowa State ends Iowa's nine-year run as team champion at the NCAA Wrestling Championships, while John Smith wins his first NCAA title.
March 22
from Avon and Beaver Creak, Colo.
March 29
The first broadcast on Wide World of Sports of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
April 11
Pablo Morales concludes his collegiate swimming career with an NCAA record 11 individual titles and Matt Biondi ends his by setting American and NCAA records in the 50, 100 and 200 yard freestyles at the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas.
May 16
Western States Endurance Race from Squaw Valley to Auburn, California
May 31
1987 Monaco Grand Prix.
June 27
U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships in San Jose, California
August 1
Greg Louganis wins the 3-meter and platform at the U.S. Diving Championships in Bartlesville, Okla., while Janet Evans makes her WWOS debut by winning four events at the U.S. Nationals in Clovis, California
August 15
International Special Olympics from Notre Dame, Indiana
Romanian Aurelia Dobre upsets teammate Daniela Silivaş and Soviet to win the all-around title at the World Gymnastics Championships.
March 26
The battle for the World Cup overall title between Pirmin Zurbriggen and Alberto Tomba is decided in the final races of the year in Saalbach, Austria, with Zurbriggen winning his second straight overall title.
May 7
The Kentucky Derby becomes a fixture on Wide World of Sports and witness a piece of history as Winning Colors became only the third filly to win horse racing's first leg in the triple crown.
Men's World Cup Downhill from Wengen is canceled after Gernot Reinstadler of Austria falls during a qualifying run and later dies from internal injuries. Meanwhile, the U.S. Ski Team withdraws from the World Cup circuit due to the Gulf War.
January 26
World champion Svetlana Boginskaya is upset by teammate in the all-around at the World Cup Gymnastics Championships. Meanwhile, the feature 1984 Olympic Games gold medalists Torvill and Dean,
February 2
The Harlem Globetrotters from Disney MGM Studios in Orlando. Hosted by Jim Valvano, with a special guest appearance by Miss Piggy. Plus, a replay of Whitney Houston singing the National Anthem at Super Bowl XXV. And an interview with quarterback Todd Marinovich after he is suspended from USC football team due to drugs and declares himself eligible for the NFL Draft.
February 16
U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Minneapolis. Plus, a feature on Nancy Kerrigan and her legally blind mother Brenda.
Rick Swenson wins his record fifth Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
April 13
Tonya Harding performs a triple Axel in her exhibition performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Plus, Mark Spitz begins his very public comeback to competitive swimming with a spot on the 1992 Olympic team as his goal.
April 27
Mark Spitz meets Matt Biondi in another 50-meter butterfly match race. Biondi wins, but Spitz finishes closer to Biondi than he did to Tom Jager the week before.
April 29
Wide World of Sports' 30th anniversary show with hosts Jim McKay and Frank Gifford.
May 4
Kentucky Derby.
June 1
Mike Tyson scores a TKO of Razor Ruddock in a heavyweight fight, taped on March 18.
June 8
Belmont Stakes.
July 13
As the International Olympic Committee lifts its ban prohibiting South Africa from competing in the Olympics, WWOS features U.S. javelin thrower Tom Petranoff, who was banned by U.S. track officials from worldwide competition for having competed in South Africa in violation of the international sports boycott. Petranoff talks about his relocation to South Africa and his desire to compete for his new country in the Olympics.
August 10
ABC strikes a deal with the U.S. Treasury Department and obtains the exclusive rights to televise the Cuban hosted Pan American Games. The telecast features over 20 hours of comprehensive coverage and a rare look inside Cuba. The highlight of the trip is an ABC WWOS exclusive interview, conducted by Jim McKay with Fidel Castro.
A special report on Mike Tyson's trial and conviction of rape.
February 29
Kim Zmeskal becomes the first American to win the women's all-around title at the World Championships.
March 14
The pairs figure skating team of Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov earn six perfect 6.0s for artistic impression to win the .
April 4
An up close and personal look at Bill Shoemaker, one year after a car accident left him paralyzed. Meanwhile, A.P. Indy wins the Santa Anita Derby and Belmont Stakes (on June 6) on Wide World. Those wins would propel him to Horse of the Year honors.
April 11
Jim McKay talks with Arthur Ashe about his battle with AIDS.
May 2
Kentucky Derby.
July 4
Jim McKay reports on Sarajevo, eight years after the 1984 Winter Olympics.
July - August
WWOS cameras follow Dick and Rick Hoyt as they bike across the country. The father and son team begin their trip in Santa Monica, California and end it in Boston.
As South Central Los Angeles is in the midst of rebuilding from the riots, WWOS orchestrates a roundtable discussion with gang members at Crenshaw Senior High School.
January 16
WWOS debuts a new series about athletes living on the edge and expanding the horizons of sport, with a feature on .
January 23
U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
January 30
Nancy Kerrigan skates an exhibition performance to "The Lord's Prayer".
Riddick Bowe knocks out Evander Holyfield in the 11th-round of their fight from Las Vegas. Plus, makes its debut, with "The Great Alaska Sled Dog Race", a show on the Iditarod sled dog race, from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska.
March 20
1992 Olympic silver medalist Paul Wylie defeats 1988 Olympic gold medalist Brian Boitano for the first time in his professional skating career at the .
April 3
Santa Anita Derby.
April 10
WWOS broadcasts the first-ever from Austria.
April 24
World Gymnastics Championships.
May 1
Kentucky Derby.
May 15
Preakness Stakes.
May 22
A retrospective show which features the top 10 elements of WWOS (1961–present). Viewers voted through USA Today for their favorite shows, including A. J. Foyt and the '67 Indy 500, Muhammad Ali and appearances by the Harlem Globetrotters.
June 5
.
August 21
World Track and Field Championships.
August 21
Travers Stakes.
August 28
At the Little League World Series, Maria Sansone, at 12-years of age, becomes the youngest network sports announcer when she covers the LLWS for WWOS.
WWOS begins its 34th season with a new host, Julie Moran, from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit. The entire event is overshadowed by the attack on reigning national champion, Nancy Kerrigan, at a practice rink. WWOS correspondents report on the story as it unfolds with exclusive interviews with Kerrigan and they examine Tonya Harding's role in the attack as it comes into question.
January 22
WWOS debuts a joint venture with Sports Illustrated TV's with a feature on Archie Manning's son Peyton.
January 29
WWOS debuts its series of features leading up to the 1994 World Cup of soccer, with Jim McKay as host.
WWOS debuts its show, with a repeat telecast of "The Great Alaskan Sled Dog Race." On Feb. 12, "Kids on Ice - A Skating Adventure!" takes a closer look at one young skater's road to the . On June 11, "A day at the Races", host Maria Sansone offers a behind the scenes look at horse racing.
April 2
Two events return to WWOS after long hiatuses: from Planica, Slovenia the World Ski Flying Championships and from Silver Springs, Florida, the .
April 9, May 21, June 11 and August 20
WWOS tracks the recovery and grueling rehabilitation process undertaken by , who was severely injured by thoroughbred race horse Tabasco Cat.
April 23
World Gymnastics Championships.
May 7
WWOS debuts the Cable Cam at the 120th Kentucky Derby. This innovative camera is suspended from a cable in the infield of the track and is able to follow the progress of the horses on the backstretch at speeds of up to 35 mph.
May 14
Feature on the figure skating pairs team of Paul Martini and Barbara Underhill. One of Underhill's twins recently drowned in the family pool. They dedicate their performance at the to her child.
July - August
ABC devotes more than 17 hours of comprehensive weekend coverage of the third Goodwill Games from St. Petersburg, Russia.
August 13
On day two of the Major League Baseball strike, Al Michaels moderates a panel discussion from Los Angeles, with Los Angeles Dodgers' player representative Brett Butler, Sports Illustrated Editor-at-Large Steve Wulf in New York and Peter Angelos, principal owner of the Baltimore Orioles in Maryland.
August 20
Al Michaels talks with Bud Selig, acting commissioner of Major League Baseball on day 9 of the 1994 Major League Baseball strike. Meanwhile, Holy Bull wins the Travers Stakes.
August 27
A three-hour rain delay forces WWOS to go off the air on many ABC affiliates before the Little League World Series World Championship Game can be completed. The West Coast sees the remainder of the game live from Williamsport, Pa.
Al Unser Jr. is named WWOSAthlete of the Year after dominating the Indy car circuit with eight victories, including a second Indy 500.
January 28
Julie Moran hosts WWOS from "The NFL Experience" at Joe Robbie Stadium, site of Super Bowl XXIX. Also, Bob Beattie reports on the cancellation of the World Alpine Ski Championships, due to lack of snow, for the first time since the event's inception in 1931. WWOS had planned extensive coverage beginning Feb. 4.
February 11
Richard Callaghan becomes the first coach since to train the men's and ladies national champions when Todd Eldredge and Nicole Bobek win at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The Ladies' event airs live in prime time on ABC.
February 18
Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur defeat Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow for the U.S. Ice Dance title. Punsalan and Swallow also admit in an exclusive ABC interview that, in '94, they lobbied Congress to not grant Sur, a native Russian, U.S. citizenship, so that they could represent the U.S. at the '94 Olympics.
Picabo Street win's her third, of what would be a U.S.-record five downhills in a row. By season's end she would become the first American ever to win the World Cup Downhill title.
February 25
Bonnie Blair wins her third World Sprint Speedskating championship in her final event on U.S. ice. Also, four-time Olympic gold medalist Johann Olav Koss makes his television commentating debut on ABC and interviews fellow Lillehammer gold medalist Dan Jansen.
March 4
World Freestyle Skiing Champsionships.
March 11
Florida Derby.
March 18
As Nadia Comăneci returns to Romania for the first time since her 1989 defection, WWOS details her brilliant career.
May 6
Kentucky Derby.
May 28
Indianapolis 500.
June 10
At the , D. Wayne Lukas becomes the first trainer in history to lead two different horses to all three Triple Crown titles in one season.
June 24
.
July
Tour de France.
July 8
During an appearance at the Special Olympic World Games, Monica Seles announces she will return to pro tennis in a comeback after she was stabbed by a fan in 1993.
July 22
Mike Tyson retrospective: one month before his return to the ring.
, a 22-year-old Russian skier, collides with , a former U.S. Ski Team coach and FIS official, while training for the women's downhill at the World Alpine Skiing Championships in Sierra Nevada, Spain. Lebedeva catches air off a bump and when she comes back to the ground, Shownower had mistakenly skied onto the course and right into her path. Both suffered fractured legs and were airlifted off the mountain.
February 24 and March 2
Alberto Tomba, the three-time Olympic gold medalist from Italy, ends a decade of frustration at the World Alpine Skiing Championships by winning two gold medals.
March 2
Christine Witty becomes the women's champion at the 27th World Sprint Speed Skating Championships. Meanwhile, three-time and reigning World Sprint Champion Bonnie Blair makes her network commentating debut.
March 21 and 23
The World Figure Skating Championships live from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Three-time U.S. champion Todd Eldredge wins his first world championship, while the newest U.S. champion, Rudy Galindo, earns the bronze. On the afternoon of March 23, WWOS featured taped coverage of the ladies' short program and the unsuccessful comeback of former world champion Midori Ito to the amateur ranks. That evening, WWOS provided live coverage of Michelle Kwan's first world championship.
May 4
Kentucky Derby.
May 18
Preakness Stakes.
May 26
Indianapolis 500.
June 8
.
June 15
WWOS road racing analyst Marty Liquori jumps from the lead car of the to stop a spectator from harassing and running alongside eventual winner Tegla Loroupe. Liquori's linebacker move occurs less than a minute from the finish line in Central Park. Plus, former Soviet star Svetlana Boguinskaya, now competing for Belarus, makes her comeback to the international scene by placing second in the all-around at the European Women's Gymnastics Championships.
June 29, July 6 & 13
Tour de France.
September 23
The first U.S. women's gymnastics team to win the Olympic team gold medal—including WWOS stars Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu and Dominique Dawes—star in the . The show airs in prime time and leads into Monday Night Football.
The Winter "X Games" features snowboarding and mountain biking on snow in its Wide World debut. The Summer "X Games" premiere with skysurfing, street luge, and bike stunts on the June 21, 1997 Wide World from San Diego.
February 15 & 16
Fourteen-year-old Tara Lipinski becomes the youngest U.S. figure skating champion in history by upsetting the reigning national and world champion Michelle Kwan. Also in Nashville, World Champion Todd Eldredge wins his fourth national title.
March 20 & 22
World Figure Skating Championships. Fourteen-year-old Tara Lipinski becomes the youngest World figure skating champion in history by upsetting the reigning national and world champion Michelle Kwan.
April 19
Wide World airs network television's first women's professional boxing match. Former kickboxer Yvonne Trevino wins the WIBF Superflyweight championship live from Las Vegas in a first-round TKO over .
May 3
At the 123rd Kentucky Derby, Silver Charm beats Captain Bodgit by a head. Also, Bodgit jockey Alex Solis wears the Derby's first "jockeycam." The 19-ounce device was also used during Bodgit's Wood Memorial win on April 12, but rain/mud obscured the view.
Todd Eldredge wins his fifth U.S. Figure Skating Championship in Philadelphia and a live national audience, placing him second all-time behind Dick Button's seven titles.
January 10
With the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics less than a month away, the rivalry between Michelle Kwan (1996 U.S. and World Figure Skating Champion) and Tara Lipinski (1997 U.S. and World Figure Skating Champion) heated up on the ice in Philadelphia. Both would make the team, but the winner at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships would be the odds-on favorite for gold at Nagano.
January 17
The from Crested Butte, Colo. featured snowboarding and snow mountain bike racing. Also, for the first time in 30 years, snowmobiling returned to Wide World of Sports and network television. Meanwhile, the Summer X Games from San Diego, California returned with skateboarding, skysurfing, street luge, bike stunts, snowboarding, wakeboarding and barefoot jumping on shows on June 20, June 27 and July 4, 1998.
March 15
In the network television debut of Major League Soccer, Tony Sanneh and D.C. United welcomed the Miami Fusion to Major League Soccer with a 2-0 victory over the expansion team before a sellout crowd of 20,450 at Lockhart Stadium. Sanneh scored one goal for United and assisted on the other, as the two-time defending champions won the opening game of MLS' third season.
March 28
During ABC's same-day coverage of CART's first-ever foray to Japan for the Budweiser 500, Mexico's Adrian Fernandez held off Al Unser Jr. to win the second race of his CART career.
April 2
Competing in his final world championships before a live national audience, Todd Eldredge won the free skate and captured the silver medal, the fifth world medal of his career at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
April 4
Michelle Kwan won her second world championship in three years despite falling on a double Axel and failing to complete three rotations on a Salchow.
April 26
Bobby Labonte ousted older brother Terry Labonte from the lead with two laps remaining in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series DieHard 500 and then blocked all challengers to claim his first-ever victory at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala.
May 2
The 124th running of the Kentucky Derby.
May 16
The Preakness Stakes.
May 17
In its new update role, Wide World of Sports reports New York YankeesDavid Wells' perfect game. Wells tossed the 15th perfect game in baseball history against the Minnesota Twins on Beanie Baby Day at Yankee Stadium.
May 24
Eddie Cheever Jr. defeats Buddy Lazier by 3.191 seconds to win the 82nd Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
June 6
The horses completed the mile and a half at the 130th Belmont Stakes in 2 minutes and 29 seconds, but it took nearly six minutes to determine the winner. In the stretch, Real Quiet drifted out and bumped Victory Gallop. Ultimately, after the delay, Victory Gallop was declared the winner.
June 13
World Cup soccer on ABC kicked off with a scoreless draw between the Netherlands and Belgium.
June 21
Iran eliminates the United States from the World Cup with a 2-1 victory. The pregame show featured a piece on U.S.-Iranian relations and included same-day video of crowds gathering to watch the soccer game in Iran.
Host country France won its first World Cup championship, defeating Brazil3-0 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
July 19
The 127th Open Championship from Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England was won by Masters champion Mark O'Meara before a live national television audience.
August 1
Jeff Gordon became the first driver to win the Brickyard 400 twice and he also pocketed the largest single first-place payout in NASCAR history, a whopping US$1,637,625.
August 2
Marco Pantani became the first Italian to win the Tour de France since 1965, the first climber since Lucien Van Impe in 1976. Patani is also one of a handful of riders to have claimed the Tour and the Giro d'Italia double in the same year. Plus, the MLS All-Star Game made its network television debut as the MLS USA All-Stars defeated MLS World 6-1 at the Florida Citrus Bowl in OrlandoColumbus Crew forward Brian McBride earned Most Valuable Player honors with one goal and two assists in the first half.
August 23
The Arena Football League made its network television debut with Arena Bowl XII. The Orlando Predators crushed the Tampa Bay Storm 62-31 at the Ice Palace in St. Petersburg, Florida Orlando had played in three previous Arena Bowls, losing each of them.
On January 3, 1998, long time Wide World of Sports host Jim McKay declared that Wide World of Sports was canceled; the hour-and-a-half of all sorts of sports was replaced by a studio host introducing single event broadcasts such as the Indianapolis 500, horse racing's Triple Crown, and the national and World Championships in figure skating.
1999[]
Day
Event
January 23
David Duval sank a six-footer on the 90th hole for eagle and a 59 at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. It was only the third 59 ever recorded in PGA Tour history—and the first on a final day of competition.
February 13
Michelle Kwan won her third national title over Naomi Nari Nam at the State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships. In the men's competition, Michael Weiss became the first father since Roger Turner in 1934 to win the U.S. title. He defeated Trifun Zivanovic and Timothy Goebel. Danielle and Steve Hartsell won the pairs over Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman, while Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev won over Eve Chalom and Mathew Gates in dance.
March 20
Mike Wallace, in his Ford Truck, wins ABC's first NASCAR Truck race, the Florida Dodge Dealers 400.
March 25
Russia becomes the first country to sweep gold at the World Figure Skating Championships since Austria did it in 1925. In the Ladies, Russia won two of the three medals with Maria Butyrskaya placing first, over defending world champion Michelle Kwan. At 26, Butyrskaya was the oldest woman ever to win the World Championship. Yulia Soldatova was third. In the Men's, Alexei Yagudin won the gold over fellow Russian Evgeny Plushenko. In the Pairs, Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze won their second straight world title over the Chinese couple Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao. In the Dance, Anjelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsyannikov won their second straight World gold medal over Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat from France.
May 1
125th Kentucky Derby.
May 15
Preakness Stakes.
May 30
83rd Indianapolis 500.
June 5
Belmont Stakes.
July 3
At X Games V, Tony Hawk executed the first '900' in skateboarding history.
July 10
Brandi Chastain converted a penalty kick past China's Gao Hong and took off her uniform jersey as the United States won the Women's World Cup Final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
July 17
Scotland's Paul Lawrie won the 128th British Open in Carnoustie, Scotland in a four-hole playoff over Justin Leonard and Jean van de Velde.
July 25
Lance Armstrong captures cycling's biggest race, the 83rd Tour de France.
August 7
On his way to his first NASCAR Winston Cup championship, Dale Jarrett won his second Brickyard 400.
A yearlong countdown of North America's 50 greatest athletes culminates as Michael Jordan is named the athlete of the 20th century by ESPNSportsCentury's panel of experts. Babe Ruth, the century's second greatest athlete, is also featured in an hour special.