Wide World of Sports

"Wild World of Sports"

Wide World of Sports (or ABC's Wide World of Sports ) was an ABC sports series that ran from 1961 to 1998. Originally hosted by Jim McKay, the show covered everything from Wimbledon to the Indianapolis 500. Aside from the hosts, the series also featured many famous announcers, including Howard Cosell, David Letterman, and O.J. Simpson.

References

• The 1983 Hallmark calendar The Muppets Look at TV features Statler and Waldorf in the spoof "The Wild World of Sports" where the pair are in Crotchety Bend, Indiana, where they will vie for the world title in the Verbal Decathlon (consisting of four events - hurling insults, jumping to conclusions, running off at the mouth, and dashing each other's hopes).

• Louis Kazagger and the Muppet Sports sketches are a loose parody of the series and Jim McKay's opening monologue for the show.

• Baby Rowlf appears as commentator "Rowlf Mushburger" in the Muppet Babies episode "The New Adventures of Kermo Polo."

• Episode 3894 of Sesame Street features Baby Bear and Telly Monster reporting on the X Games for "The Sesame Street Wide World of Sports."

The Muppet version of ABC's show logo

"The Wide World of Sesame Street Sports"

Connections

• Bob Ring was a crew member
• Maria Sansone was an announcer on the show