Superstars is an all-around sports competition that pits elite athletes from different sports against one another in a series of athletic events resembling a decathlon.
On the original ABC version, an athlete could compete in up to seven events, but no athlete was permitted to compete in the sport(s) of his or her profession. In the World, International, European and British versions of the contest, athletes would compete in 8 out of 10 events, with no-one generally allowed to take part in their own sport, although some handicapping rules did apply.
The idea was developed by 1948 and 1952 Olympic figure skating champion Dick Button. He shopped the idea to all three U.S. television networks, and ABC bought it as a special for the winter of 1973. The first Superstars competition was held in Rotonda West, Florida in March 1973 and was won by pole vaulter Bob Seagren. The BBC covered the competition and aired their own programme, featuring British athletes on December 31, 1973, which was won by 400 metre hurdles Olympic champion David Hemery. Television broadcasts of the competitions were popular both in Europe and North America in the 1970s and 1980s.
Competitors participate in ten different sporting events, including a 100 yard/100 metre dash, 800 metres (0.50 mi) run, obstacle course, weightlifting, bowling, rowing, tennis, basketball, bicycle racing, shooting and swimming. The sports used have varied over time and between the European and American competitions (for example, in the first USA competition, there was no obstacle course, but there was table tennis and baseball), while the European versions featured a 600m Steeplechase.
Points are awarded for the position in which the competitor places in each event. The competitor with the most points at the end of all ten events is declared the champion.
Canadian football player Brian Budd was unbeaten in Superstars contests, winning the World Championship three times from 1978 to 1980, making him the most successful Superstar of all time.
Originally aired in the USA by ABC in March 1973, Superstars was first broadcast in Britain on 31 December 1973 as "Britain's Sporting Superstars", closely following the American format. David Vine, who was the main presenter of the BBC programme from 1973 to 1985, said "in 1972, Ron Pickering, myself, Don Revie, Billy Bremner and TV producer Barney Colehan sat in a hotel in Leeds and formulated Superstars but the BBC dismissed the idea. Then Dick Button started it in the States and the BBC bought the rights".[1]
Recorded at Crystal Palace in August and promoted as a challenge between Britain's seven best sportsmen, the hard fought contest was won by the 1968 Olympic champion in the 400m hurdles, David Hemery, besting Jackie Stewart, Bobby Moore, Joe Bugner, Roger Taylor, Tony Jacklin and Barry John. Featuring the first ever gym test (devised by Pickering, and comprising circuit running, a medicine ball throw, parallel bar dips and squat thrusts) the event came down to the final steeplechase, where Hemery overcame a 100m handicap to pass Barry John with 60 metres left. Shown on New Year's Eve, the programme was a major success and was repeated the following year.[2]
In the second event in 1974, World Light-Heavyweight boxing champion John Conteh comfortably beat an ill Hemery and Colin Bell to win the title, again at Crystal Palace.[3] Conteh credited the highly competitive nature of the competition with increasing his abilities as a boxer, the inception of this cross-sport contest quickly encouraged many top athletes to push themselves further, introducing the idea that the winner could claim to be the country's "top sportsman" and also provided an arena where recently retired champions (such as Hemery and Lynn Davies) could extend their careers.[4]
Following the success of the first two standalone UK competitions, in 1975 the British national Superstars contest was suspended, and the event was widened to include participants from continental Europe. Five preliminary heats were held, followed by a final at the Ahoy indoor arena in Rotterdam, famous for its banked, wooden cycling track. This proved to make Superstars a major hit, grabbing large audiences across the continent and paving the way for the International and World Superstars editions to follow.[5]
Memorable events in the first year of European Superstars included Malcolm MacDonald winning the 100m sprint in a Superstars record time of 10.9 seconds (after being made to run the race twice following the false start of another competitor), David Hemery being beaten by Dutch field hockey player Ties Kruize following a fall in the 600m Steeplechase, Swedish Discus thrower Ricky Bruch setting records in the weight lifting and medicine ball throw section of the gym tests and the first appearance of pole vaulter Kjell Isaksson, who dominated the final heat in Sweden, scoring a then record 69 (out of a possible 80) points.[6]
Before the final in Rotterdam, Kruize was badly injured in a car accident and was replaced by Hemery, who would eventually finish second. Dominating the event again was Kjell Isaksson, who won four of his eight events and finished second or third in three others, winning the title with an event to spare.
The rules for European Superstars allowed athletes to compete in "near specialist" events with a handicap, meaning that both Hemery and Isaksson were allowed to run in the 100m and Steeplechase, but only after giving the other finalists a head start. In the final 600m Steeplechase event Hemery had to make up a 100m handicap on his rivals in order to finish in overall second, and valiantly did so, but only after again falling badly at the water jump. Hitting the ground hard while challenging Isaksson for the lead, Hemery rose with a grimace of pain on his face then sprinted for the line, grabbing third. However as soon as the race was over he collapsed, with the TV cameras showing huge swelling to his injured leg - he had run the last 100m with badly torn ankle ligaments.[7]
In 1976 national competitions were resumed and Hemery again became UK Superstar, beating Conteh and Formula 1 World Champion James Hunt easily. By now Hemery was a "professional Superstar", competing in Britain, Europe and the USA, and devising his own training regime. His performances duly improved, and even though 1976 Olympic Judoka David Starbrook took his parallel bar dips record in the gym tests, Hemery was clearly Britain's top competitor.
This was not the case in Europe however, where Isaksson again beat Hemery in the Swedish heat of the competition - this time even more comfortably. Two of the highest profile heat winners - Bjorn Borg and Kevin Keegan - would not be able to compete in the Rotterdam final due to scheduling conflicts, and would never again appear in any Superstars contest. Keegan's victory produced the most memorable moment of the year, when he crashed violently during the cycle racing in his heat. With deep cuts and abrasions to his arm, shoulder and back, the Liverpool footballer was expected to withdraw, but with a large crowd present to watch him he famously said "These people here in the stands have come here to see me make a fool of myself and they've got a right to it!", got back on his bike and won the re-ride! Keegan then easily won the steeplechase to finish the heat a hero, but like many of the highest profile performers, his schedule was too full to allow him to compete as regularly as the Superstars format demanded. Partially because of this, less renowned athletes like Isaksson came to dominate and be recognised outside of their specialisms.
In the Ahoy final the sublime Isaksson won five events and finished 20 points ahead of his nearest rival. The top eight finishers were also guaranteed a place at the inaugural World Superstars competition, to be held in the USA the following year. With a new, more competitive era about to start, Isaksson was clearly Europe's top Superstar, though he would never again actually win a Superstars event.
1977 provided two new champions, with Isaksson taking part only in the World contest and David Hemery competing in American Superstars. In the UK national Superstars rower Tim Crooks beat future World's Strongest Man Geoff Capes in a tight contest, but he would fail to qualify for the European final, losing by one point to François Tracanelli in the Spanish heat. Representing Great Britain instead at the Ahoy final was Rugby League player Keith Fielding, who would go on to finish a close second, matching Hemery's best ever performance by a British Superstar.
The winner of 1977 European Superstars was the returning Ties Kruize, who was now fully recovered from his car crash. With just the indoor steeplechase left, Kruize was one point behind Jean-Paul Coche but five ahead of Fielding. With Coche having completed his events Fielding needed to win the final race, and hope that Kruize would finish no better than third, something he duly did. However with Fielding already finished (and celebrating) Kruize passed speed skater Hans van Helden on the final straight to win by 2.5 points. An exhausted Fielding then told BBC TV that the loss was "a damn, bloody shame", but both qualified for the 1978 World Championship.
There was no UK national or European Superstars contest in 1978, but both events returned in 1979. First though came the new "Past Masters" event for competitors over 35, which was won with ease by Lynn Davies, the 1964 Olympic Long Jump champion. Next came the introduction of judoka Brian Jacks, who would become Britain's most famous Superstar. An all-round athlete, Jacks had enormous upper body strength and he quickly came to dominate the gym tests, setting records in both the dips and squat thrusts. In particular Jacks was phenomenal at parallel bar dips, breaking the existing record repeatedly. In the 1979 UK national final Jacks comprehensively beat the field, and then went on to compete in Rotterdam for the European title.
No Briton had ever won this title, but Jacks was a strong favourite. Defending his title was Ties Kruize, and though Jacks won the gym tests and set a new record time in the cycling - hurtling down the steeply banked track to the delight of the crowd in the Ahoy - Kruize would not give in. As the final event steeplechase approached Jacks had a small lead, but was out of events; though he was a talented all-round athlete and unbelievable competitor, Jacks did not enjoy the running events, and rarely participated in them. In this instance this was his downfall and Kruize was able to accumulate enough points in the steeplechase to join Jacks in a tie for first place. With no tie-breaking system in operation both men were crowned European Superstar, though Jacks did have the consolation that he had become the most successful British Superstar ever.
By now Superstars was regularly attracting over 10 million TV viewers in the UK, and Jacks became a national hero, appearing on children's TV shows and picking up endorsements usually beyond the reach of a minority sport participant. Superstars also expanded again in 1980, adding International Superstars to its list of programmes, though this was as a direct replacement for the European event. Although wildly popular in the UK, USA, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, Holland and Australia, Superstars reached its peak at the turn of the decade, and one by one (starting in Europe) the participating nations fell away.
Jacks succumbed to shingles in late 1979 so was unable to travel to The Bahamas for the World Championship, so he started the 1980 season with something to prove. Against him now was Daley Thompson, globally recognised as the top multi-sports athlete after his sensational victory in the 1980 Olympic Games decathlon competition. With Brian Budd in attendance for the UK National final, Brian Jacks took on Thompson, Steve Assinder from Basketball, pentathlete Danny Nightingale and the new "Past Master", former 400m hurdler John Sherwood, who won all his events in the heats, setting a new record. With new events like basketball included for the first time, Jacks was under pressure to show he was still the Superstar, and he did so with panache, winning his greatest victory.
In the gym tests Jacks scored an amazing 80 in the dips and 73 in the squat thrusts, and finished 18 points ahead of Sherwood in second place. Thompson could only finish third. John Sherwood in finishing in second place gained a place in the World Championships and with it the possibility of big prize money. To ensure that he was able to finish second Sherwood had to turn professional part-way through the competition in order to compete in the 100m (as his status as an amateur track and field athlete would normally have barred him from competing in this event). Although many amateur athletes (most notably Kjell Isaksson) had competed in Superstars since its inception, they had never been able to retain any prize money, with this instead going to their sport. In winning three World Superstar titles, Brian Budd won over $130,000, while Bob Seagren (the first World Champion) won over $200,000 - huge amounts in 1980.
Luckily for Sherwood - a PE teacher from Sheffield at this time, and not a full-time sportsman - the World Championship would prove to be a roaring success for him. The same could not be said for Jacks, who desperately wanted to prove his ability by becoming the first European to win the title. In The Bahamas both Britons won events: Jacks in the weightlifting and the gym tests - after an epic struggle against Brian Budd - and Sherwood in the bike race. However it was Sherwood's two second places in the football and 800 metres that propelled him into second place, with the cycling coming at Jacks' expense, and winning him $15000 in the process. He was officially now Britain's best ever Superstar, although he had still finished 26 points behind the imperious Budd.
For Jacks the magnificent demolition of British all-comers earlier in the season, and his International Superstars triumph in Israel were now only distant memories. In Israel he had beaten both of the other European Superstars champions (Ties Kruize and Kjell Isaksson) as well as 1980 Tour de France winner Joop Zoetemelk to claim the new title, but in The Bahamas he was outclassed. Budd and Jacks were similar types of athletes, good all round, and with a game-plan to win their key events and score well in the others. The problem for Jacks was Budd did this and he did not, and he lost by 31 points. His record breaking win in the World Championship gym tests (with an awe-inspiring 118 sliding squat thrusts) was his high water mark. He had never before been beaten in any Superstars contest, and there could only be one way on from here, down.
To start the 1981 season, the BBC decided to invite the most successful British Superstars back for a one-off "Challenge of the Champions" programme, featuring all the past winners of the UK National contest, as well as the two "Past Masters" and the two men who had won heats of European Superstars. Joining Brian Jacks were David Hemery, Keith Fielding, Lynn Davies, John Conteh, Tim Crooks, Malcolm MacDonald and John Sherwood.
This was arguably the strongest ever UK Superstars contest, and with so many competitive sportsmen present it was no surprise that records tumbled. Jacks was the heavy favourite, and duly won his 'banker' events, but his inability to compete in the running tests left him facing huge obstacles. His performance in the gym tests was simply astonishing, smashing his own parallel bars record in the starkly lit Cwmbran Stadium sports centre with an awesome 100 in 54 seconds - had he pushed himself all the way to the minute he could easily have added more. His innovative 'rocking' technique (like Budd's sliding squat thrusts) was widely copied, but none of his rivals could get anywhere near him, and though Sherwood again pushed him close in the squats section, in reality Jacks was in a class of one here.
The key to winning Superstars had become to gain maximum points in your best events and then to place as highly in the others - simple in theory, but appallingly hard in practice. Jacks usually dominated in the gym and weightlifting, and almost always also won the cycling and canoeing. That gave him a nominal 40 point head start on his rivals, but if this sequence could be disrupted, then Jacks was relying on picking up more points elsewhere. He never competed in the two running events and was a weaker shot that his rivals, so he was then faced with winning the basketball or swimming which were much more equal events. And in the Challenge of the Champions Keith Fielding was able to disrupt Jacks' strategy by enough to beat him.
Early on Jacks was looking good, beating Fielding in a record time to win the canoeing, but once Fielding had won the cycling Jacks was beaten. Fielding had entered the event hoping to take the Superstars 100m record first and foremost, and then to put up a good showing against Jacks. Now he was the ultimate champion.
The key had been his ability to score well throughout - he was second in the steeplechase for instance - and even losing his 'banker' (the 100m to David Hemery) was not a problem. By winning the steeplechase in the final event, Lynn Davies was able to push Jacks down into third place, and with injuries forcing the judoka to miss the 1981 British final later that season, this would be an ignominious end to his Superstars story. For Fielding, the forgotten man of 1978, this was a new dawn that he followed up by a second convincing win in the UK final.
Here - in a new venue Bath - the Rugby League winger reached his Superstars highpoint, dominating Davies, pentathlete Jim Fox and new challenger Andy Ripley from Rugby Union with a strong all-round performance. He had his share of luck (water skier Mike Hazelwood was tied in first place in the shooting when he mis-fired the decisive shot, gifting 10 points to Fielding) but he was on top form this season. He had every reason to believe he had a strong chance in both International and World Superstars later that year, but - as so often in Superstars - he could not hold his form; the ever increasing levels of competition saw him lose, first to a resurgent Ripley in the second International, then to a motor-oiled powered Jody Schekter in the 1981 World Final. Again, Fielding would never win another Superstars event. The curse of the European champions seemed to be holding strong.
Since 1978, the BBC had also produced an equally popular British Superteams event, which was dominated from the start by the "Athletes" - a team of Track and Field stars, who won every series but the final one in 1985. From 1979 a stand-out performer in this team was Brian Hooper, a pole-vaulter with an immense will to win. He first came to prominence in the 1979 Superteams final, failing to be able to jump onto a balance beam in the obstacle course event, and by 1982 he had blossomed into a fine, all-round performer.
Leading the 1982 Athletes team to Superteams victory, Hooper was trailed by the BBC as the new challenger to watch in that season's UK final. He was a strong swimmer, almost unbeatable in the canoeing and gym tests, and competitive in all his other events. And then he lost in his heat, to Karate fighter Vic Charles, and his promise seemed lost. However Charles was unable to compete in the 1982 final, and Hooper was his replacement. He would go on to win his next five straight Superstars events, becoming two time British Superstar, three-time International Superstar, and the 1982 World Superstar Champion. Only Brian Budd has a better record in the competition.
| Year | Athlete | Sport | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | David Hemery | 400 metre hurdles | England |
| 1974 | John Conteh | Boxing | England |
| 1975 | No Competition | ||
| 1976 | David Hemery | 400 metre hurdles | England |
| 1977 | Tim Crooks | Rowing | England |
| 1978 | No Competition | ||
| 1979 | Brian Jacks | Judo | England |
| 1980 | Brian Jacks | Judo | England |
| 1981 | Keith Fielding | Rugby League | England |
| 1982 | Brian Hooper | Pole Vault | England |
| 1983 | Brian Hooper | Pole Vault | England |
| 1984 | Garry Cook | 400 metres | England |
| 1985 | Robin Brew | Swimming | Scotland |
| 1986 - 2002: No Competition | |||
| 2003 | Austin Healy | Rugby Union | England |
| 2004 | Du'aine Ladejo | 400 metres | England |
| 2005 | Alain Baxter | Alpine Skiing | Scotland |
| Year | Athlete | Sport | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Champions | |||
| 1975 | Kjell Isaksson | Pole Vault | Sweden |
| 1976 | Kjell Isaksson | Pole Vault | Sweden |
| 1977 | Ties Kruize | Field Hockey | Netherlands |
| 1978 | No Competition | ||
| 1979 | Ties Kruize | Field Hockey | Netherlands |
| 1979 | Brian Jacks | Judo | Great Britain |
| International Champions | |||
| 1980 | Brian Jacks | Judo | Great Britain |
| 1981 | Andy Ripley | Rugby Union | Great Britain |
| 1982 | Brian Hooper | Pole Vault | Great Britain |
| 1983 | Brian Hooper | Pole Vault | Great Britain |
| 1984 | Brian Hooper | Pole Vault | Great Britain |
| 1985 | Robin Brew | Swimming | Great Britain |
The Superstars was first broadcast by ABC Sports as a two-hour special 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?" He also famously opined, "That Mark Spitz," (who had won several gold medals for swimming at the 1972 Olympics) "is a tough muthafucker!"
Spin-offs included a women's version of the show, and a Superteams version, where the two World Series and Super Bowl teams each faced off (except that the owner of the New York Yankees at the time prohibited his players from competing, so in years where the Yankees were in the World Series, their league's runner-up competed instead), with the winners competing in the finals. There were also brief runs of versions for celebrities and for juniors, where each state's Department of Education was asked to nominate one high school, and those schools each sent one boy and one girl to qualifying rounds, with the final aired on TV.
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. During a three year period (1991-1993) the event was held in Cancun. Mexico. The competitions were held in different areas of Cancun Palace and Melia Cancun hotels. During that period former great NFL players Frank Gifford, Dan Dierdof and Lynn Swann worked as commentators of the Superstars Tournament.
There was no American version for three years (1995-1997)then ABC revived the show in 1998 and broadcast it through 2002. CBS Sports picked up the show the next year.
Several athletes won the event two or more times. Among them:
Speed skater Anne Henning won three straight women's competitions (1976-78). Basketball player Ann Meyers matched that feat in 1981 through 1983. Volleyball player Linda Fernandez won two straight events in 1979 and 1980.
| Year | Athlete | Sport |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Bob Seagren | Pole Vault |
| 1974 | Kyle Rote, Jr. | Soccer |
| 1975 | O. J. Simpson | Football |
| 1976 | Kyle Rote, Jr. | Soccer |
| 1977 | Kyle Rote, Jr. | Soccer |
| 1978 | Wayne Grimditch | Water Skiing |
| 1979 | Greg Pruitt | Football |
| 1980 | Charles White | Football |
| 1981 | Renaldo Nehemiah | Track and field |
| 1982 | Renaldo Nehemiah | Track and field |
| 1983 | Renaldo Nehemiah | Football |
| 1984 | Tom Petranoff | Javelin |
| 1985 | Mark Gastineau | Football |
| 1986 | Renaldo Nehemiah | Football |
| 1987 | Herschel Walker | Football |
| 1988 | Herschel Walker | Football |
| 1989 | Willie Gault | Football |
| 1990 | Willie Gault | Football |
| 1991 | Kelly Gruber | Baseball |
| 1992 | Mike Powell | Long Jump |
| 1993 | Dave Johnson | Decathlon |
| 1994 | Dave Johnson | Decathlon |
| 1995 | - | - |
| 1996 | - | - |
| 1997 | - | - |
| 1998 | Jason Sehorn | Football |
| 1999 | Jason Sehorn | Football |
| 2000 | Jason Sehorn | Football |
| 2001 | Hermann Maier | Skiing |
| 2002 | Bode Miller | Skiing |
| 2003 | Jeremy Bloom | Freestyle Skiing |
In 2009 the franchise was revived for ABC. The Superstars paired athletes and celebrities to compete as a team. Kristi Leskinen (Freestyle Skiing) and Maksim Chmerkovskiy (Ballroom Dancing) won the competition.
The popular obstacle course was the final event of the original Superstars to determine the overall winner. The Superteams version featured the obstacle course as an earlier event. The original course had the contestants climb a 12' rope wall, run through a tubular tunnel, push a blocking sled (or traverse across monkey bars in the Women's and Superteams versions), cleanly step through a dozen tires (2 rows of 6), jump over a water hazard (rectangular pool of water), clear a 4'6" high bar, jump two sets of hurdles and cross the FINISH line. Penalty seconds were added for missing tires, stepping in the water hazard and knocking down the high bar and/or hurdles. Some athletes have shown super skills on this course by climbing the wall without using the rope and clearing the high bar like a hurdle.
For the 2009 "elimination event" version, contestants have to climb a rope wall, duck under four rope hurdles (2 sets side-by-side) (this was changed mid-season to a balance beam just over 3-inches wide), cleanly step through a bungee grid, ascend and descend a large ramp, push through a large door-like block, jump two sets of hurdles, run through a cargo net and cross the FINISH line.
A World Superstars competition was held annually from 1977 through 1982. Bob Seagren won the initial competition followed by three straight wins for Canadian soccer player Brian Budd. Budd was not allowed to enter again because of a new rule barring anyone from competing in a Superstars competition after their third victory. South Africa Formula One racer Jody Scheckter won in 1981 and British pole vaulter Brian Hooper won in 1982.
| Year | Athlete | Sport | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Bob Seagren | Pole Vault | United States |
| 1978 | Brian Budd | Football | Canada |
| 1979 | Brian Budd | Football | Canada |
| 1980 | Brian Budd | Football | Canada |
| 1981 | Jody Schekter | Motor Racing | South Africa |
| 1982 | Brian Hooper | Pole Vault | Great Britain |
A companion competition, this event would pit the two World Series teams and the two Super Bowl teams in a playoff-type match using all the Superstars events, with some team events added such as Hawaiian rowing and the Tug-of-War. The running, swimming, and cycling events were relays, with the cycling done on tandem bikes; the obstacle course (which had its blocking sleds replaced by monkey bars similar to those used in the women's competition, as it was felt that the football teams would have too much of an advantage over the baseball teams) was decided by best combined time. The points complied and the winners would advance to the SuperTeams finals where an ultimate champions would be crowned.[9] The New York Yankees advanced to the World Series in 1977, 1978, and 1981, and was eligible to participate in these events held the early in the following year, however Yankees owner George Steinbrenner refused to allow his players to compete, as he had several of his top players under lucrative long term guaranteed contracts that required players to get ownership permission to participate in outside athletic activities, which in this case Steinbrenner refused to grant. In those years, loser of the ALCS in those years took the Yankees place, and in all three years that team ultimately won the competition.
In the 1978 final, the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Royals split the first six events, so the tug-of-war would decide the winner. However, while there was a time limit in the preliminary rounds, there was none in the final, and after 75 minutes in which neither team came particularly close to winning, the organizers declared the event (and, as a result, the competition) a tie.
"Heavy Action" is the name of the theme tune written by Johnny Pearson for this televised sports competition, leading to the piece being frequently misidentified as "Superstars". ABC also used the song during coverage of Monday Night Football.
The ABC version in the 1970s and 1980s also used an instrumental version of Superstar (from Jesus Christ Superstar) as its theme.
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