“The Agony Of Defeat”…The Story Behind TV Sports Most Famous Line
“The Agony Of Defeat”…The Story Behind TV Sports Most Famous Line
Brent Musburger takes us to Oberstdorf, Germany and the 1970 ski jumping competition where this all got started. There, Vinko Bogataj, the former Yugoslavian skier, became a part of sports history and here’s the whole story of the man that put “the agony” in defeat. There are some surprises here too!
Although the clips in the “Wide World Of Sports” intro changed over their 37 year run, the copy read by Jim McKay was the same as it was when the show started on April 29, 1961. The Saturday afternoon tradition came to an end January 3, 1998.
“Spanning the globe, to bring you the constant variety of sports…the thrill of victory…and the agony of defeat…the human drama of athletic competition…this is ABC’s Wide World of Sports!”
Another look at the story of Vinko Bogataj, the former Yugoslavian (Slovenian) ski jumper who became infamous as the man in ‘Agony of Defeat’, in the opening…
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Saturday afternoons for almost 15 years were spent watching that opening. Still terrifies me seeing that failed ski jump attempt.
The best promo I’ve ever seen. Always loved it when it ran. Just wish this was better quality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3QLwuYr2f4
That footage along with Carlton Fisk waving his arms to “steer” the ball is in my opinion the greatest sports footage ever.
The miracle was, he wasn’t hurt.