Wide World of Sports Celebrates 50th

The show that proved that there were more sports than just Baseball, Basketball, and Football, Wide World Of Sports debuted on April 29th, 1961. It would remain of the air until 2006. According to the Wikipedia, it was the creation of Edgar J. Sherick, Scherick hired Roone Arledge to be his producer and the rest is history. The show would air every Saturday on ABC. Arledge became became the leading figure in television sports and the creator of Monday Night Football.
Viewers of Wide World Of Sports could see Boxing, Skiing, Track and Field, Auto Racing, and other sports that would not normally be seen on the air. It was Wide World Of Sports where such icons as Jim McKay, who would do the intro shown above, and Howard Cosell became household names.
This week, ESPN, now owned by ABC, will celebrate Wide World Of Sports' 50th Anniversary by showing highlights of the show from over the years. Thank you to KJR's Mike Gastinaeu for the "heads up".