SPORTSCENTURY: SPORTSCENTER OF THE DECADE: THE 1960s (TV)
Summary
The third in a series of six special "end of the millennium" programs that examine the top athletes, coaches, and sports highlights from the last six decades of the twentieth century, as chosen by an elite group of sports experts and journalists. Hosted by Chris Berman and Charley Steiner, with historical segments hosted by actor Dennis Hopper, this particular program features the two main anchors' comic affectation of the mannerisms and speech patterns of 1960s hippies. Berman and Steiner explain that the program will consist of highlights from many different types of sports, aired chronologically. The first story the two cover is the dramatic 1960 baseball World Series between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Yankees. Defying everyone's expectations, the underdog Pirates took the series when Bill Mazeroski hit a bottom-of-the-ninth home run to win the game. Steiner then reports on the 1960 U.S. Open golf tournament, which Ben Hogan won in the biggest come-from-behind victory in golf history. Steiner and Berman then turn the program over to Robin Roberts, who hosts a mini-documentary about the disparity between the treatment of African-American athletes at the 1960 Olympics and their treatment when they returned to the United States. David Aldridge presents a report on the U.S. Ice Hockey team's upset of the Russian team during the same Olympic games; he also reports that the Chicago Blackhawks took the Stanley Cup in professional ice hockey that year. John Miller reports on the "home-run derby" between New York Yankees teammates Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris during the 1961 season. Maris, Miller explains, ended up finishing the season with sixty-one home runs, beating previous record holder Babe Ruth. After Hopper turns in a historical segment about the Vietnam war, Berman reports on the boxing world, which was shaken up when young boxer Emile Griffith killed his opponent, Benny "the Kid" Paret, in a widely watched match. Berman also reports that basketball player Wilt Chamberlain's famous 100-point game took place during this same week. Chris Fowler profiles hot young football quarterback Roger Staubach, who is described in the narration as the kind of guy who "makes Pat Boone look kinky." Chris Mortenson reports on the football/gambling scandal and its participants, Alex Karras and Paul Hornung. Peter Gammons talks about the 1963 World Series, in which brothers Clete and Ken Boyer hit back-to-back home runs. Other topics covered during the program include Cassius Clay's discovery of the teachings of Malcolm X, the 1968 "Black Power" Olympics featuring Tommie Smith and John Carlos, and the infamous "Ice Bowl" football game. Commercials deleted.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation.
Details
- NETWORK: ESPN
- DATE: May 21, 1999 7:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:35:29
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:57603
- GENRE: Sports; Specials
- SUBJECT HEADING: She Made It Collection (Robin Roberts); Sports - History; African-American Collection - Sports
- SERIES RUN: ESPN - TV, 1999
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Chris Berman … Host
- Charley Steiner … Host
- Dennis Hopper … Host
- David Aldridge … Correspondent
- Chris Fowler … Correspondent
- Peter Gammons … Correspondent
- Bob Lee … Correspondent
- Peter Miller … Correspondent
- Chris Mortenson … Correspondent
- Dan Patrick … Correspondent
- Robin Roberts … Correspondent
- Clete Boyer
- Ken Boyer
- Clay, Cassius (See also: Ali, Muhammad)
- John Carlos
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Emile Griffith
- Ben Hogan
- Paul Hornung
- Alex Karras
- Malcolm X (Malcolm Little; El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz)
- Mickey Mantle
- Roger Maris
- Bill Mazeroski
- Paret, Benny 'the Kid"
- Ruth, Babe (George Herman Ruth)
- Tommie Smith
- Roger Staubach