Wide World of Sports live promo, Chris Schenkel - 1966

Live promo for ABC Wide World of Sports book, 1966. Shows the original animation and Jim McKay voiceover for Wide World of Sports. Billy Welu throws to Chris Schenkel during Pro Bowlers Tour telecast.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• wide world of sports
• chris schenkel
• pro bowlers tour
• bowling
• billy welu
• jim mckay

[altfactor]

The filmed opening of "Wide World" (parts of which were seen in this spot) was the second opening, used beginning in January of 1962, when "Wide World" became a permanent part of ABC's schedule (it premiered as a 20-week Summer replacement in 1961).

By year's end, that opening was replaced with a new theme song and a new open (filmed in color, since the show was, with the exception of a few events until August of 1967, broadcast in color beginning in the Fall of 1966)

[altfactor]

For a few years in the 1960's, ABC published a "Wide World" yearbook, featuring photos of the preceding year's biggest sports events, even some not carried by ABC.

Note the mailing address indicated a "Sports Programs, Inc.". In the 1950's, it was an independent outlet that produced whatever sports events ABC had the rights to. In 1961, ABC purchased SPI, and it's personnel became the nucleus of the network's sports division, becoming the first network to move sports out of the news division.

[tk339]

remember, this offer is not good in Canada

[fromthesidelines]

I believe ABC's 1966 Saturday afternoon schedule (after "AMERICAN BANDSTAND" signed off at 2:30 Eastern) was this:

3:30 PRO BOWLERS TOUR

5:00 ABC'S WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS

(to 6:30)

That book is probably a "collector's item" today....

[sportsmedia25]

When real broadcasters were on the air, not these pretenders on ESPN today