1973 Superstars swimming heats

[32rumandcoke]

Great fighter....horrible swimmer lmao...rest well smoking Joe we miss you

[cbcbcbg]

Sports sure were different back then. There is no way to compare eras. The things that jumped out at me:

1. Rod Gilbert did this competition the day after a game. That would never happen now.

2. Look at how out of shape they all seem to be. Athletes today, for whatever reason and by whatever methods, are much more conditioned.

3. Jim McKay was a master!

RIP Joe. I never liked you when I was young (I was an Ali fan) but I respect you now that I look back.

[deeniemarie7]

Smokin' Joe ,sad to see you go! rip.

[WhiteHatBobby]

25m pools are called "short course" pools and as of 1993 are recognised as a discipline of swimming, with its own World Championship in even-numbered years. It is a fall/winter sport as compared to spring/summer, because in the past, many long-course (50m) pools were outdoor and 25m pools are indoor. Most Short Course World Championships are held in temporary pools at sporting arenas.

[bucknorm]

I remember this show and I thought I saw Smokin Joe running in the water?

[Krazyeman2]

RIP Joltin Joe!

[46spoony]

"Down goes Frazier....!"

[frankjfalco]

Boy... They timed Joe Frazier with a calendar...

By the way...might be time for a little cardio work Johnny...

[HarryTheTalkingDude]

Frazier wasn't too great at these competitions because he wasn't a very naturally athletic heavyweight... Ken Norton would've demolished them, he set all sorts of track and field records while he was at school

[6400az]

"Jolin Joe Frazier huh". I must have missed that one back in 73'.

[6anatolyy4]

Takes a champ to put himself in a station like that. You the man, Joe.

[khahkhahkhahkhah]

how many people didn't look at this until they heard the reference on ARCHER???

[rdangelo]

Yes, he really did almost drown. 

[toby099]

@rdangelo

he wasnt anywhere near drowning! He was slow as hell, but drowning is a bit much.

[TheLeilisa]

what's the ideal height for swimming?

[toby099]

@TheLeilisa

for women at least 5'10

for men at least 6 foot one

[trwent]

If there is one thing I do not miss from the 1970s, it is this kind of trash passing itself off as a legitimate sport. "Battle Of The Network Stars" was even worse. It is sad that a great commentator like Jim McKay tarnished his reputation by being involved with stuff like this.

One thing that I DO miss from the 1970s is the cliff diving from Acapulco. What ever happened to that ?

[TheFridgechucker]

@trwent hey! thats only you're opinion, good on em I say, this show was always good for a laugh, glad not everyone takes themselves as seriously as you do..

[6400az]

@trwent

And don't forget the hang gliding events !

[MsCarlettina]

have you got other videos with bob seagren'

[dave4248]

Fraser was a lousy swimmer be he didn't "nearly drown." The pool at that point was only 5 feet deep. He was disqualified for "walking"

[joclance22]

I wonder if antone has the video of the Superstars episode from 1973/74 when Reggie Jackson was in the bycicle race event heading for the finish line so far back and peddling so slow that Tug mcGraw yelled out from the sidelines `Hey Reggie. Throw me a paper'. It was a very funny Superstars moment.

[fightfan101a]

Wow, Joe Frazier is truely BRAVE .. (unwise) to try and swim the pool without ever taking a swimming lesson - WHAT WAS HE THINKING? Surprised at the lack of conditioning on these athletes , Johnny Bench ran out of gas as did others?

[LukeL007]

I think it shows how specialized athletes have become (even in the 70s) it use to be world class athletes could do anything (think of superstars in the 20s and 30s)

[billysue2]

@LukeL007 well thats why they were so poor compared to todays lads at their sport.Elite level athletes cannot be generalists,they have to be completely specialised to each potential in that spot.

[ricflarefucknsucks]

lulz at uncle joe,A true coward and a true joke

[03041976001]

@ricflarefucknsucks How is Joe frazier a coward?

[superman11978]

Everyone said he almost drowned. Nah, he was just really slow. He looks like a guy who has only been in the pool a few times before. He did better than most people, most people who aren't used to swimming would have stopped halfway down the lane then started drowning.

[joeytrimble]

wow johnny u let his hair go!

[spittle8]

Takes a big man to laugh at a champion taking a beating you yourself would never endure.

[swami1]

This was taped just a few weeks after Frazier got destroyed by Foreman. His head was probably still spinning.

[Panthera0nca]

By the look on Joe's face just before the start of the race I think he knew swimming wasn't his bag and was ready to be embarassed!

[inbredagogo]

he did better than I would have

[Reg197844]

LOL...pretty funny! The other dudes had already dried by the time Joe finished.

[NINJUGGALOTUS]

at least frazier finished the race

[bratwurstsalad]

lol at frazier

[davisreardon]

Ive known about this since the 80's. At least joe had a go, sure he was bad. But could you imagine if they had had a Boxing round in this Superstars event? How would the other guys have got on against Joe?

[seattlearuba]

You weren't allowed to compete in your own sport.

[hurleytom]

I don't believe for a second Joe Frazier had never swam before, he wouldn't have made it 5 metres if he hadn't. He's just a very bad swimmer... I should know - I'm worse!

[sq1972]

I was hoping someone would post this. The idea that someone would enter a nationally televised swimming race without ever learning to swim is something you can't make up. The second heat was just as entertaining with a bunch of guys trying to walk instead of swim--at least Joe didn't do that. Conditioning was not as important back in the day...

[seattlehumor]

I about fell out of my chair watching Joe. LOL It wasn't until after they pulled him out that he admitted he'd never swam before. I just wish they would have shown more of him trying to stay afloat. LOL

[JIM2u007]

Correction - finished 2nd in '71 Indy 500. He had qualified 1st that year. Great driver.

[JIM2u007]

Wow. Peter Revson (essentially a non-athlete) wins! Sadly, this Indy 500 winner and winner of 2 F1 races that year would lose his life the following year in F1 practice. He was heir to a fortune worth an estimated $1 billion. Amazing vintage film!! Thanks for posting.

[LeanaJo76]

Stick with boxing, Joe. Swimming isn't for you. Mark Spitz would already be on his 3rd lap when Joe comes back around. Hahaha!!

[carloswigan]

And how long would Spitz last in a ring with Frazier? 2 rounds if a round was measured in nanoseconds!

[makpak]

hahahaha

[ThatsmyYokoOno]

Johnny Bench disqualified for walking hahaha

[atticvs53]

Poor old Joe...my favourite fighter but he swims like a brick...lol