When Bone Daddy bought the 1st satellite dish for Madison Square Garden, The Sports Place at 302 E. 6th Street in downtown Austin, Tx…..that’s when his sports bar entered “the satellite age” …..which was at a time in the mid-late 1970’s….which was in the early development of the satellite industry ….for there were only two “birds” (satellites) in the sky providing live sports content…..Satcom 1 and Westar…..and these two limited sources filled their airways with live sporting events that mostly likely were not on network television….as the simple fact remains, for a period of 3 years, MSG was the ONLY place in Austin to show live satellite sports events…..like on September 28, 1976 when Muhammad Ali took on Ken Norton for the World Heavyweight Boxing Title….as Bone Daddy puts it….“We were packed….floated 76 kegs (16 gal beer keg)….what a fight!!!!….what a night!!!!” …..so, do the math, that’s 1216 gallons of beer….and when you put that with Ali vs Norton….that’s when for a Sportsphile, it just doesn’t get any better than that. WHAT A NIGHT!!!
Comedy – 2007 – Special Sit Down With Jonathan Winters – On How He Got Into Comedy
This 1st dish provided the opportunity to record live satellite sports programming….which would then be replayed at MSG throughout the coming year with content that was not aired on cable networks during 1976…..and that is when Madison Square Garden, The Sports Place began the era of the MSG recorded video library….which was the actual genesis of the future video museum ImaSportsphile…..as 2300 hours of recorded programming would follow over the next 15 years.
Music – 1959 – The Kingston Trio – “Try To Remember”
Many of the power brokers of “satellite technology” …..the folks putting the birds up in the sky would benefit greatly from the CATV/cable networks….as the “birds “ would allow “the cable guys” ….whose birds would mature into “giant condors” in the industry in the 1980’s and 1990’s…..who are still feeding their “chicklet offsprings” small doses of content…..and all that was being done on the floor of the National CATV Convention in 1978….would eventually develop into the mega marketing vehicle that satellite and internet technology have become some 35 years later. It was a time when young creative ideas were getting ready to take flight….and while they had their moments where they were “flying with the turkeys”. The satellite industry finally figured it out….as many of those on the floor of the convention that weekend….would learn to “soar with the eagles….even becoming lead eagles in many areas”. This developing industry in 1976 was just in the process of test their wings…..and MSG was testing theirs too.
MLB – 1914 To 1935 – HBO Special – Babe Ruth
It is my belief that during the next decade….so by year 1988….those in the televised sports industry who have stood the test of time….have retired recently….or passed away….or are on live television, but maybe on “their last rodeo circuit” ….folks like ESPN’s Chris Berman and Bob Ley….like NBC’s , Joe Garaziola, Curt Gowdy, Bob Costas, Dick Enberg….like ABC’s Jim McCay, Keith Jackson, Chris Schenkel, Howard Cosell….like CBS’s Brent Musberger, Pat Summerall, John Madden….I could go on and on, along with all those “all time greats of today and the not too distant past”….each got their start in the industry at the same time that MSG was cutting its teeth. It was a time to put on your sunglasses….cuz the future looked bright.
NBA – 1970 To 1980 – Special – Pistol Pete Maravich – Highlights Of Top 20 Plays
Without the cable boys and their networks….TBS, ABC, NBC, CBS, ESPN, HBO, USA, TNT and so many other providers over the years….their would not be a ImaSportsphile Video Museum today. Everything that makes up the years of dedication to this project….could not have happened without “the cable boys”….and I intend on giving credit where credit is due….while continuing to write stories about those televised sports personalities….for this lil ole Chiweenie is forever indebted to those guys….and even though I might want to bite one or two….or all of them….if I ever met them….I probably wouldn’t…..just out of respect for their input into ImaSportsphile. Today in 2020, nearly all things “satellite technology” are already almost forgotten….which will completely pass when the “baby boomers” are all gone….that will be a sad day….it would mean the BD isn’t here with us….and I’m just not ready for that….so, suffice said, the Baby Boomers kicked tail and took names in the 1980’s and beyond.
Comedy – 2012 – Robin Williams Live In Concert – On Donald Trump
