Superstars
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Superstars is an all-around sports competition that pits elite athletes from different sports against one another in a series of athletic challenges resembling a decathlon. The BBC originally aired the program, which quickly became a hit. Television broadcasts of the competitions were popular both in Europe and North America in the 1970s and 80s.
Competitors participate in 10 different sporting events, including a 100 metre sprint, 800 metre (half-mile) run, obstacle course race, weightlifting, football, rowing, tennis, bicycle racing, gym test, and swimming. The sports used have varied somewhat over time and between the European and American competitions. Points are awarded for the position in which the competitor places in each event. The competitor with the most points at the end of ten events is declared the champion.
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[edit] Britain/Europe
David Hemery, the 1968 Olympic champion in the 400 meter hurdles, won the first British Superstars in 1973. Three men each won two European Superstars championships: Swedish pole vaulter Kjell Isaksson; Dutch field hockey player Ties Kruize and British judoka Brian Jacks. One of the European competitors was Ivo van Damme, a middle-distance runner who was killed in a road accident in 1976. British competitors included John Conteh (boxing), Tim Crooks (rowing), Keith Fielding (rugby), Andy Ripley (rugby), Lynn Davies (1964 Olympic long jump champion), James Hunt (racing driver), John Sherwood (track), Brian Hooper (pole vault) and Jonah Barrington (squash). For most of the duration of the run of this programme on BBC TV, the programmes' producer was Peter Hylton-Cleaver.
One of the most famous moments in the British series was when footballer Kevin Keegan injured himself by falling off his bike during the cycling event. He insisted on re-racing and secured second place in the event, before going on to win that edition of the programme. Another famous moment was the controversial use of sunflower oil by Brian Jacks to aid him in the squat thrust event.
In 1982, electronic scoring systems were introduced, with pressure pads for the squat thrusts. These originally ran on the Commodore VIC-20, and later on the BBC Microcomputer. The programs were developed and the system operated by Simon Taylor.
The programme had a spin-off called The Superteams in which one memorable moment was when British athlete Gary Cook played goalkeeper in the six-a-side hockey contest without wearing a helmet, running out of the D circle and tackling an opponent.
The show returned to the BBC in 2002 with an one-off special for Sport Relief, with England rugby union star Austin Healey the winner. Du'aine Ladejo (athletics) won the 2004 events (actually filmed in 2003), with Alain Baxter (skiing) winning in 2005 (actually filmed in 2004). One notorious incident in 2003 saw boxer Wayne McCullough severely burning his feet by sliding during the squat thrust competition. This caused a change in the rules whereby the competitors must now lift their feet off the ground during this event.
The BBC Superstars used a musical theme composed by Johnny Pearson and titled "Heavy Action". This piece later became familiar to Americans as the theme music for Monday Night Football.
[edit] United States
The Superstars was first broadcast by ABC Sports in 1973. Bob Seagren, an Olympic pole vault gold medalist, was the first winner. However, it was heavyweight champion boxer Joe Frazier who nearly stole the show, almost at the cost of life and limb. In the very first event, the 50 meter swimming heats, Frazier nearly drowned, and only after he was retrieved from the pool did he admit to commentators that he didn't know how to swim. When a reporter asked him why he tried the race, Frazier replied, "How was I to know I couldn't unless I tried it?"
Spin-offs included a women's version of the show, and a Superteams version. The show remained popular in the 1970s, but ratings declined and the last edition produced by ABC came in 1984. NBC Sports picked up the program the next year and carried it from 1985 to 1990. ABC took the show back in 1991, and broadcast it through 1994. There was no American version for three years, then ABC revived the show in 1998 and broadcast it through 2002. CBS Sports picked up the show the next year with sponsorship from Met-RX, a manufacturer of vitamins and supplements for athletes.
Several athletes won the event two or more times. Among them:
- Kyle Rote, Jr., Association football, 1974, 1976, 1977
- Renaldo Nehemiah, track and field/American football, 1981-3 and 1986
- Herschel Walker, American football, 1987-8
- Willie Gault, American football, 1989-90
- Dave Johnson, American decathlon, 1993-4
- Jason Sehorn, American football, 1998-2000
Other notable winners include football great O.J. Simpson in 1975 and skier Bode Miller in 2002.
Speed skater Anne Henning won three straight women's competitions (1976-8). Basketball player Ann Meyers matched that feat in 1981 through 1983. Volleyball and tennis great Linda Fernandez won two straight events in 1979 and 1980.
[edit] World
A World Superstars competition was held in consecutive years from 1977 through 1982. Bob Seagren won the initial competition followed by three straight wins for Canadian soccer player Brian Budd, who was then barred from further competition. South African F-1 racer Jody Scheckter won in 1981 and Brian Hooper in 1982.
