The sports authority for 27 years...
They are self-absorbed far too often and their personalities can test your patience, but for 27 years ESPN has been the first place you go for sports highlights. Anibal Sanchez pitches a no-hitter, sprinter Marion Jones gets a negative drug test result, wondering how the teams match up for tonight's NFL opener ? ESPN will have that and even tell you how Sanchez got his wacky first name (I hope it's as good as NOMAR being RAMON backwards). We don't have the answer to that question but for the curious about all things ESPN:
Here are 10 questions about ESPN answered:
- What does ESPN stand for ? Truth, justice and the American way, oops, sorry. The company was founded as the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network. The name was changed to ESPN, Inc. in 1984...
- Who was the 1st person and 1st words spoken on ESPN ? Lee Leonard: "If you're a fan, if you're a fan (yes, he said it twice), what you'll see in the next minutes, hours and days to follow may convince you you've gone to sports heaven"...
- What was the 1st night's programming ? Leonard introduced George Grande who introduced the show's concept. ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen explained cable television technology. Grande returned with the score of the Chris Evert Lloyd-Billie Jean King U.S. Open match (which Evert won). A view of European sports followed and then remarks by ESPN president Chet Simmons, more sports news, a college football preview and then a professional slo-pitch world series game between the Milwaukee Schlitzes and the Kentucky Bourbons, sponsored by Budweiser (honest)...
- What was the 1st commercial ? Read the last line of question 3. Budweiser, what else ?
- What actor did the 1st promo for ESPN ? John Forsythe ("If you're a sports nut like I am, it'll be like having 7 Sundays in every week")...
- Weren't Chris Berman, Bob Ley and Tom Mees on the 1st night ? No. Ley started 2 days later, Mees on September 17th and Berman on October 1...
- Who are the ESPN commentators with the longest tenure ? Ley, Berman, Cliff Drysdale (tennis), Bob Jenkins (auto racing) and Dick Vitale (basketball)...
- How many employees did ESPN have then/how many now ? 70 at the debut and more than 2,000 today. Argentina has as many employees (70) now as there were on the launch date...
- What was ESPN's "tipping point" ? Some cite the NCAA Tournament in 1980, followed a month later by the NFL Draft. Others point to college football in 1984 and there are those that would opt for 1987 and the America's Cup from Australia...
- Why Bristol ? Because the founder (Bill Rasmussen) lived close by. My nephew Michael Vettor worked in production in the early days and it took him years to sell his home in Bristol, a town of 60,000 conveniently located 108 miles from Boston and 84 from New York...
An ESPN Greatest Moments video can be viewed by clicking on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHg0XKDAdxs
Ten Timeline Memories...
- [1813] The nickname "Uncle Sam" is used as a symbolic reference to the United States. The reference appears in an editorial in the Troy (NY) Post...
- [1927] Philo T. Farnsworth succeeds in transmitting an image through purely electronic means by using an image dissector...
- [1930] "Blondie" makes its 1st appearance in the comic strips...
- [1963] The National Professional Hall of FameFootball is dedicated in Canton (OH). Some of the greats inducted that 1st year include: Sammy Baugh, Red Grange, George Halas, Tim Mara, Bronko Nagurski and Jim Thorpe...
- [1966] "The Dick Van Dyke Show" airs for the final time (CBS-TV). The classic sitcom started in October, 1961...
- [1969] The half-hour Saturday morning cartoon "The Beatles" airs its last show after debuting in September, 1965...
- [1971] "The Beverly Hillbillies" is seen for the last time (CBS-TV). The wacky sitcom started in September, 1961...
- [1977] G. Gordon Libby is released from prison after serving more than 4 years for his involvement in Watergate...
- [1980] John McEnroe beats Bjorn Berg in a classic U.S.Open final for his 2nd straight title...
- [1996] Tupac Shakur and Marion "Suge" Knight are shot in Las Vegas after a Mike Tyson fight. Shakur will die of his wounds 6 days later...
"Happy Trail's: 1978] Who drummer Keith Moon suffers a fatal overdose at 31...2003] Warren Zevon at 56...
#1 on this date: 1986] "Take My Breath Away" - Berlin...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...
Michael Feinstein (50), Corbin Bernsen (52), Julie ("Marge Simpson") Kavner (55), Chrissie Hynde (55) and Gloria Gaynor (57)...
Timeline Countdown: NFL kickoff is tonight (NBC-TV), 27 days until MLB playoffs, 115 days remain in 2006 and The Mets Magic # is down to: 8...
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