Day 13 of ABC Sports coverage of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games starts off at the L A Sports Arena with Howard Cosell covering a quarterfinals lightweight bout between USA Pernell Whitaker verses West Germany’s Reiner Geis…..which Whitaker wins by a 5 – 0 unanimous decision.
This boxing match is followed by an interview and personal profile of Paula McGee….one of the USC basketball twins Pam and Paula McGee by Frank Gifford….after Paula didn’t make the USA women’s basketball Olympic Team….but sister Pam did….as this piece is a very introspective view of sharing an unfulfilled dream with an identical twin sister….whose Olympic dream was fulfilled….as Keith Jackson and Ann Meyers call the final minutes of action in the women’s basketball gold medal game against South Korea….when the Americans take the gold by a score of 85 – 65. A really great moment of this part game coverage was the South Korean Team lifting their coach in uncontrolled joy after they lost the game but won an unexpected silver medal.
Next come coverage of the gold medal game in women’s volleyball…..as the USA takes on the women from China….as ABC’s Bob Beattie and Kirk Kilgore bring the action….which is won by China by a score of 3 games to 0….but, still marks the 1st time ever that the USA women’s volleyball team wins an Olympic medal….as they take home the silver medal.
ABC’s Russ Hellickson and broadcasting legend Curt Gowdy are behind the mikes for the 3rd round men’s freestyle wrestling competition match between USA Ed Banach verses CAN Clark Davis….as these two wrestlers were the favorites coming into the 198 lb / 90 kg class competition…..but USA Banach would dominate and win the match 11 – 2 in points.
The last event covered during this Day 13 live telecast was the gold medal game in the Olympic exhibition sport of baseball…..as the USA would face off against the team from Japan…..as Don Chevrier and Jim Palmer man the mikes for this game….as the Japanese would take the victory by a score of 6 – 3. Baseball at the 1984 Summer Olympics was a demonstration sport…..albeit single exhibition games had been played in conjunction with five previous Olympics….this was the first time that the sport was officially included in the program….and also the first time that the sport was played in Olympics held in the United States….when eight teams competed in the tournament….which was held at Dodger Stadium.
