,,"' :8~2:,,-, -:N.::EW:..:.~YORK=:.':..PO:.:.:S:.:.:T.-:.TU=iE::S.:;DA:.;,Y..:.._A...:U..:.G..:.,US_T_2_0..:.,_1_99...:6 _ PlUS .. Next on Classic- Sp~orls: Overtime, '~...... : ...

'~ seems remote, acco~ No sudden death Richard Aurelio, presider Time Warner Cable of : as hot network York. ' "They've made presel gets reprieve tions to us in the past By MICHAa STARR but we have so many cl: nels that my reaction HE Classic' Sports Net­ [Classic Sports) is that t worle might go into enra really oUght to be a""... innings after all , round channel on a Contractually, Classic ~rts network like l\I T ESPN2 or SportsChann Sports is scheduled to be dropped by WBIS'Ch. 31 on Aurelio said. "As a chaD Oct. 16, when the new sta- by itself, it doesn't seen " tion - which used to be be a viable programm v.~'YC and was bought for service. We're tracking ~207 million bv Dow Jones pretty closely, and we de and ITT - 06tensibly starts see anything signific. airing its own programming. about its impact. It's a n But it's doubtful WBIS will elty and it's new ... , people want to watch I meet the Oct. 16 startup sports events, usually date. meaning Classic Sports prime time." could continue on WBIS. The There aren't any offil sports network is being seen Nielsen numbers on I: on Ch. 3 on cable systems in Classic Sports is penal Manhattan and on Ch. 31 on ing. According to one p S\"5tems in the other bor­ lished report, Cia! o~ Sports scored cable ratil -As of today, we're sched­ rangiog from 0.4 to 1.2 uled to go off WBIS on Oct. New York on July 24 • 16: said Classic Sports 26 - outperforming otl President Steve Greenberg. cable networks like ESE -Contractually, we 'have a Comedy Central. CN limited ron on WBIS and at and Discovery Channel. some point between now "'We've gotten thousal and January we're going to of letters and phone Cl go off. But whether or not from people thanking us that will change we're just creating the network , - not sure." asking us to run spec WBIS station president prograDlming," . Greenb Carolyn Wall said the sta­ said. "There's even a 'Ho tion 'Irill have several pro­ Run Derby' cult and WI gramming announcements bearing from a lot ofbox: "in the next couple of fanatics rediscovering weeks~ but wasn't specific Cable's Classic Sports Network has ca..tluehul New York ...... - fans with Its lineup of boxers of the '405 and'S about WHIS' startup plans...... - We've developed a v ~r\'e legendary sports events, including great boxing matches such as the young Muhammed strong followi!1t in a v been here since June short period oftime." and I think there's still a Ali's first bout against heavyweight champion SOnny Uston (left) in Miami In 1964. . To ,ensure people WI lirtle bit of time that needs schedule," she said. -x'o Classic Sports relies not Greenberg said Classic forget about the networl to be devoted to planning what degree and extent will only on arcliival footage, but Sports is talking to Beveral it leaves WBIS, Greenb -" and staffing," Wall said. be discussed. I don't know also features old shows like loCal cable systems - in- said Classic Sports is And Wall said that Clas- how permanent it will be." "Home Run Derby," "Sparta eluding Tel (North Jersey, vertising on radio, TV, o sic Spons could find a home Classic Sports - a Cballenge" o..nd '1'be Super- and Westchester>, Cablevi- newspapers and on 1 on WBIS"': though for how 24-hour network devoted to stars." In addition, roUnd- sion and Comcast - about boards. long remains to be de­ replaying memorable sports table discussions and inter- picking up Classic _§ports "We have a substan termined. events - has generated a view segments with sports once its run ends on WBIS. budget allocated for pro -The\' will continue to be lot of passionate talk legends are hosted by sPorts- But the chances of Classic tion and marketing in !' represented after the among sports fans since it caster AI Trautwig from the Sports !anding on Time York over the next launch and will have a began airing July 1 on network's "Vtctory Yard" stu- Warner Cable - which car- weeks," he said. "We wan place 00 our [programming] WBIS.· , . mos in midtown Manhattan. ries WBIS in New York - be somewhat ubiquitous." WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1996 CABLE MUSTN'T BENCH CLASSIC SPORTS CHANNEL '" EVERY measure. the new B Classic Sports Network has But the No. 1 fan of Classic It's taken Greenberg and his been a home run ever since it Sports may be Rudy Giuliani. partner, Brian Bedol, three years startt,d airing on WBIS July 1. The other day, the mayor had a to 11('!{otiale 'ic('n~ing deals with Its ratings are higher than City Hall meeting with Magic all the major sports film libraries. ESP:-:·.s and Comedy Central's. Johnson. The first thing the The network has been receiving mayor told Magic was, "My son Part of the appeal of CSN is its about 300 letters a week from and r watched you play against taste in programming. It does not fnns. Yesterday, it got a $20 mil· Larry Bird last night." go for cheap thrills. lion infusion ofnew capital. "Classic Sports is the best thing "We elected not to show the But unless something unex. that happened this summer," third IEmilel Griffith·IBenny] pected happens, Classic Sportll Giuliani says. "I watch it with Paret fight. despite many reo will lose its New York outlet at Andrew all the time. My son quests, because Paret died after the ~nd of tht> year because of the never knew the Knicks won two the bout," Gr~nhe..g says. "We monopoly politics of cable televi· NBA titles. We saw the catch by won't show any of O.J. [Simp· sion. Willie Mays in the 1954 [World} son'sl games because that would CSN shows complete, memora. Series together. He became a box­ be cxploith'e and we don't want to ble sports events, plus old shows ing fan watching the Carmen Ba· promote O.J. silio·Tony DeMarco and Jimmy like "Home Run Derby." It pre­ "The biggest problem we face is serves legacies and standards. Young-George Foreman tights." Yet, despite all this consumer that there isn't a rh'al cable dis· It shows the younger generation tributor we can sell our product to oril,rinal.s like Ruherto Clemente, enthusiasm - and genuine fam­ ily values - Classic Sports may in New York. It's like ha\;ng one Larry Bird, Willie supl.'rmarket in a City, and no Ma\'s, Billie J~an be forced off cable at the end of the yt>ar. Its trial run on WBIS, neighborhood groceries to stock a Kilig. Oscar Rob· superior product." ertson, Bobby Orr which took over Channel 31 from and Sugar Ray Rob· WNYC. is limited. And Time Over the next 10 d:l\'s. Classic inson - in their Warne... whkh has a cahl(' mo­ Sports will air: the 1947 Yankt>es' pnmes. in the context of dramatic nopoly. inc....dibly seems to have Dodgers World Series: the 19M2 confrolltations. no inte..est in giving CSN one of NCAA finals between North Car· Thel'~ is no doubt that such ar· its i6 channels - many of which olina and Gt.'orgetown: the 1980 chival film and tape -like an old air junk or P0l"ll. Bjorn Borg·John McEnroe tennis song - has the mystical power to "Th(' chances of CSN getting a match; the 1955 Stanlt>)' Cup fi· m;Jkt' menHlry Sef,'m magical. dedicated channel from us are nals: the third til{ht in the Tony I watched the 1970 Knick!> with Zalc.Rocky Graziano trilogy; and my daughtt'r, and she gained new very remote," says Barry Rosen· ever)' tight in "s in"lght mto selness teamwork. blum. president of Time Wamer curecr in a mar;Jlhon this Satur· Illy pl'1\'atl' mt'mory bank and Cable ofNew York. day. wht're Bill Bradley came from. "We would have to give up one Ont' reason I shed a tear when I of our six pay·per-view channels. The VCR industry would proba­ walched Muhammad Ali light the and thill would irritate our cus­ bly be pressurinK Time Warner OlympIC name with a trembling tomers." Cable to give CSN a slot just for hand was that [ had just seen Ali Richard Aurelio, Rosenblum's all the VCRs it will help sell. - forev€'r young at 22 - jab and boss. was quoted earlier saying, When I told Giuliani that Clas­ dance Sonny Liston silly an hour "CSN doesn't seem to be a viable sic Sports will probably be l'al"lil'r un CSN. programming service. We don't squeezed out of the New York ,Jlle Spilwlli, former state in. see anything significant about its market, he responded: spector general and FBI agent impact. It's a novelty," told me: ' My cable·industry sources say "You write that Time Warner "I watched the . Time Warner is just acth.... like a should not only give Classic Archie Moore fight with my normal arrogant monopoly. Sports a channel, they should ex· daughter. My grandfather had A new sports channel. owned by pand it to 24 hours. I can't believe taken me to see that fight in Sports Illustrated and CNN, is there isn't a huge audience for 1955, when I was 6 years old. it schl'duled to start in December, this. I know at It:ast 20 or 30 peo­ sa v!' m~ a chill to "elive that ex· Cable insiders think Time ple who watch it religiously." perience with my daughter. It Warner will give this venture a Our sports·butT mayor stopped J' linked four generations." . dedicated channel because Time just short of mentioning that the Warner . owns city licenses and regulatt's th~ Sports Illustrated Time Warnt>r cable monopoly. JACK and is merging NEWFIELD with Turner Broadcasting, ..,hi,.h I\UJn" ('IIJ'IIJ' DAILY NEWS Sunday, September ZZ, 1996

Hey UP. Do sports fans a favor. Tell all your read­ ers to write their cable companies and ask them to make the Classic Sports Network a permanent station. Joe DeNapolI, Brooklyn

Done. I love Classic Sports. but then who doesn't?

-. ! I 1

, n_ :Ill'5 If " • i'" ~HP ,;. '.ill. ~ s: ~ .~br.. (I) 8 .p.. flflt· ..~ , ..- ~ aq 0 it i', ...~ . .. l;:I In .... U JJ"~ iij~' ~ -- It~. tf l"lt', . i0 grn e-t- ~r l· I , ". ..,~ e-t-::r -- ri I '. . ·')-f i, llr') . i .;....j 4A Sitting on the same furniture they bought from IKEA when they moved into Good Old Sports their first offices on East 21st Street in 1993,. Gl ..cnberg and Bedol maintain an CLASSIC from Page A86 entreprenemial enthusiasm.· . Bedol, who grew up in Ohio, confesses to dishes. WBIS +, formerly WNYG-TV, is a "once knowing every player on the Indians joint venture of Dow Jones & Co. and I'M' and Browns, every stat. When I hit 30, I Corp., the principal owner of Madison didn't know who was on the Indians and SquareGarden, hotelsandcasinos. OnLong Browns; my memories are of the '60s and Island, WBIS is carried by. TCI I Brookha­ '70s. Suddenly, as an adult, here it is again. ven, systems in.Great Neck., Maybe this business is a way of regress- . " .. Lynbrook and Huntington, and can be seen mg. in all the boroughs and Westchester and. Or progressing. Rockland Countiesandin muchofnorthem "The independent fUm analogy is prob­ and central New Jersey. Although CSN of­ ably as close as you get," Bedol said. "We fers 24 hoursofprogramming, WBIS carries opened in a couple of art houses and we CSN from 9 a.mAl p.m. weekdays and knew that ifwe could get the audiences or noon-ll p.m. weekends. . the critics to see us, the acclaim would Although Classic still ham't turned a come. You can open in 2,000 theaters and profit,itgota majorboostwitha $20-million have a $SO-million ad campaign, oryou.can investmentfrom WarburgPincusVentureS, go to a fUm festival and get the buzz start­ a private equity fund managed by venture ed. This has been an experience more like bankinggiant E.M. Warburg, Pincus & Co, that." . which manages about $6 biJlion in invest-· "We D~erset out to compete with ESPN mentcapital. EarlierinvestorswereAllen & or live sports/' Greenberg said. "What it Co., AT&T Ventures and Wayne Hui­ taps into is the feeling that people have, zenga, who owns the Dolphins, Marlinsand you know, 'I'm 80 disgusted with sports, I Panthers. .. would love to watch channels.that have a In New York, the WBIS aperiment was game where, at least in my mind it was an opportunity for people to sample CSN in pure, it was better. I'm not gonna see any the country's No.1 TV market. "When lopsided scores. I'm going to see my child­ WNYC wassold., theyknewtherewouldbea hood idols or people I never saw.' " transition period to when they would be up Greenberg further explained CSN's ap­ and running with business and sports and peal by recalling that when his children entertainment programming," Greenberg ~ere younger, he would bring home classic said. ." movies from the video store along with the Bedol said., "When they approached us, I PG-13s they wanted. "'To Kill a Mocking­ think it took us close to a second to say, bird.,' 'North by Northwest,' 'Some Like It 'Absolutely.' " .. Hot,' 'Casablanca.' They were riveted," he As oflastmonth, 35 percentofsports fans said. "It comes back to telling stories. You intheNewYorkmarketwereawareofCSN, know Bogart'snot goingto get the girl, he's "which is great, because we basically had a going to be left on the tarmac and walk off Stealth rollout," Bedol said. He said that with Claude Rains. But· you watch it 10 advertising agencies and WBIS tell them times,. anyway." CSN is performing beyond expectations, In keeping with its aim to be "the story­ beating We1l-established cable networks. tellers ofsports," CSN tapped AI Trautwig CSN's trial run onWBIS+, which was to as a studio host to offer context and anec­ end Oct. 10, is expected to be extended dotes about the event being replayed. through January. But Greenberg said: CSN also plana to mix a few twists into ''WBIS is the tactic, not the end game. its storytelling. On Sunday, for eumple, We're talkingwith thefive orsix area cable CSN has scheduled a "Home Run Derby" operators to conVince them that we can at. marathon to commemorate the major­ tract new subscribers. Ideally, there'll be a league season-homer record being broken. smooth transition from WBIS to them." All 28 half-hour episodes will air back to That will take some persuading. On its back. The host: media-averse Albert Belle. web site, CSN asked on-line browsers not Greenberg said: "I knew that Albert stud­ onlyto write toWBIS, butalso todownload ief4, films of hitters like Frank Robinson a petition to fill out and send cable opera­ and HenryAaron, and his agent saidAlbert tors around the metropolitan area to give was delighted to do it - as long as we CSN some channel space. - . weren't talking'about him. GREENWICH TIME Monday, September 16, 1996

Cable classics channel a place for quality sports My Sons were talking about ,A few friends ofmy 16-year-old­ Manila". I don't watch boxing but some great tennis match they hild" ~o~ ~roppcd by, arid we got to talk­ it's fun to see the handsome Cas­ just watched on television where a Ing about the new sports channel. sius Clay do his Ihing before a fiflhset tie-breaker went on forev­ Josh and Charles·lalked about malch. .. . eT. It oc.curred to me that the maich watching the fint ever Super: Bowl Many watches tne classic sports sounded nn awful lot like the with the Packers against the channel when there is nothing Jimmy Connors-Bjorn Borg w~ich Kansas City Chiefs, a game that worthwhile on the tube. He says he match. included the longest occurred long before these kids hit is always entertained by whatever tie-breakt:T in history. but that Joanne the planet. They told me that ·they· sportin4 event oc reb,l cd pro~ram mlltch took place in the 19705. Zatzkln enjoyed getting the c~ance to sec is plaYlng. My cousin Marjorie And thaI's precisely the match the great coaches ·al.work, 1wasn ~t watches the station for the goofy they were talking about. The kids familiar. willi the name Tom hairstyles from the old dnys. She's were wat<;hing a relatively new because they enjoy the way a tearn .Landry, bu~ I do know about Vin~ like me. The only :;p~rt we like to cable channel that offered only movc.s the ball around.thc cpurt. Lombardi .-. 'tiley named a wat.eh is tennis. and I don't even classic sports events from the past There'are some ofUJ who prefer reslroom&:fterbimontbeNe~Jcr­ watch much of that anymore . I'll watch any sport for lhe last watcbiDg·thegreats lilcc Julius 1Iv- se~ Turnpike. (We ~ed to hve in bee.we (know so fCiW ofthe play­ five m.inutes ifit'sexciting, bul1'm . ing; Wl1t Chamberlain Bill Rus- PbIU~ and traveled. on the Jersey ers.. They're all so good they're not enough ofafan to shand watch sell Jerry West and B' b Co rump~frequently. ViDceandlare iDlorchangeal>lc. .' ,. a USY old friencb ) the whole tbing unless my husband play WIthout all of loday's ·razzle- ..' (Did you hear Iballhe National or kids are playing. The ex.ception dazzle. . ..' . Jake's friend Geoff. also enjoys Tennis Assqciition'is going 10 ban to Ihe rule used to be pro tennis May.be it's the ag~nu. or.lhe watching bockcy highlights ~n the tl1e use oflhetennis racqucll whose mntches, because tennis vias a technology allows a serve to trav­ pl8~ed adverusers, but there is so much channe1.HetoldmethatBobb)'Orr game I understood and rea. money involvedin all sports today was the bestdefensive pla),er ~n the el at 135 mph? Weren't you won­ sonably well. I was ani)' akid when thai kjds know as much about the .Iejlgue, and that Gordie Howe ~cring why no.one can return II. I watched ayoung BUlle Jean Mof- big contracts as they do about lbe played for thc Detroit Red Wings .serve anymore? Thai'S whyl) . fet'{Kin~) beat Margaret Court at We watched our sports heroes sports themselves. . and had 801 gol1s 1Jthink thai 'Yas Forest Hills. That was pro&ably J11)' The clauic ch,ooel runs an old. his lifetime tot.al, not what be when' we were young and fanta­ inspiration to takl: tennis more sen~ sb~,w ·cal~ed sized thai one day we could make "HoO\(: Run Derby" scored In one ga.me. Evcryone Jea~cs. N~w ously. I look forward~ seeing that . wJ:ilch my husband loved in the . knowshowIf~laboutfoplballand it to. tlle big we are again one day on'the classic sports .'50s and still does, The show'wu hockey (grrrrr), butmy lon's·foot­ old lind.fat and slower on the ten­ channel. set up much ·1ike "Bowling For ball teammates were so excited tb nb and basketball courts Iban we The sports channel gives kids the Dollars." 1'w~ ball players would .. ex",eri,eqce the:se great players that ever clrcained was possible Jor II h8.~e the~.· living, breathing person. But when opportunity to see sQme Spol1S compete agamst each. other to sec. I didn t the.beart to lell competi~ played in a more pure form. who could bit the most bemers and' Anyhow, none of Ibese kids s«m we scc·lhose replays of Today 's b~sketbalJ stars h,avc w~er ~ash. bav~ ad~ersely tion frotn the ola days, It reminds the got ttie This.pro- to. been affected by us of atime when we stillhad shol become bigger than the game gram 81V.es m~ sons the chance to the ,!Jo'ence ofmy two least a itself. Fans tucn out 10 .see what see Mic~ey Mantle,. RO$~r ~aris .favonte sports; quite the co~trary. at iL You coUJdD't have abetter trip on J;SPJ color Dennis Rodman's hair will and Wl1Ue.Ma)'s. all In therr prune, Cousin Marty .told me that he be, or how man)' times Shaqu.ille all sm~c~g the ball out of lhe recently wal~hed Ali an~ Frazier ~un~lhe JOGian, 7Alzlin, who IIvII in Grt.,,­ will hFllI, nol necess;arilv . p'F"k. battle It out ID· th~ "Tbl1l1. :from' .wlt:h. LJ a ("i-Iance writer. 1 r! ' THE NEW YORK OBSERVER August 26, 1996

AN INSTANT Cl.AS­ SIC I've never known so many people to be· come addicted to a TV channel as quickly as my friends have to the Oassic SpellS Network. This is a whole dif· ferent ball I!ame: We don't listen to old­ rimers tell us how great rhe /mr Rocky Marciano-Jersey Joe Wolcott fighr was. we can see it; we don 'r have to relldabout whm an innovaror Bill Tuden was. we on see him. .I did a quick poll among my friends as to the spons events they'd most like to see 'CSN replay. We came up with: .• the 1974 challenge march between Jim­ mv Connors and John Newcombe. • the [966 Notre Dame-Michigan State "Game ofme Century" tie. o the first SUDer Bowl. in 1967, be~'ee:l the Green Bav Packers and the K.wsas Cirv Chiefs. • the 1973 Bobby Riggs-Billie Jean King tennis match. • 's IOO-point game. (Does the footage even exist?) I'll toSS in one more: I recall from mv youth an :unazing football documentm· cailed The \loienr World ofSam Huff. . Mor: en the C..1Ssic SportS Ncrworklater DAILY~

NEW YORK'S HOMETOW~ NEWSPAPER

Tuesday, February 4, 1997

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Bring back the best Bronx: My worst fear has come true - no more Classic Sports Network in New York. I don't blame WBIS. [ think its effort to bring the local sports teams back to free TV is great It is actually long overdue. I do blame the ca­ ble systems in general. Cablevi­ sion in particular. New Yorkers. let's not just accept this. as we do so many other things. Voice your concerns to your newspaper. your local television station and. more importantly. to your cable provid· er. Let them know that you want Classic Sports Network back. ChristDpheT lieU m1JtNt\tt ork mimtll Arts & 'Leisure Sunday, February 9, 1997

TELEVISION VIEW/Richard Sandomir TheGames· (And Ghosts) 'Of Yesterday NA JOB THAT REQUIRES WATCHING MORE TELE­ wtth Iequaand otherarchlves about ueenslng lhelr lape vision spons lhua nervous bookie; I'vedlsc:ovend lhe and film and provldln& a continuous sueam of program­ Ideal ~UOII ro walCh even mo~: rhe Classic Sports ming; yeslerday's grear game maybe raday's c1855lc. But as Nerwork, a 21-monlh~1d cable wonderland of sports an Independent, lacking any lies 10 malar cable, broadcast· I oldies, where everybodyexists In the past rense,the 111& or studio giants, ClassiC hashad to besatisfied with slow sideburns are Jona. lheoutcomesare foregone conclusions If'lIWlh In a crowded newcable-channel universe. ud myyoulh - and lheyoulh of others - replarlypasses CasslcSports Is a guilty comfon. a boUomless box of before me. M"M·s. It hasn't been on long enough for many subscribers Flip on Nick al Nile, and you can see lhe actor Bruno to Instlncllvely know lhe lime slot ollIS showsso you surf Kirby playa teen-age con man in a 1972 episode of "Room over to It, not knowina what may beon. An Even·Navralilo­ 222" or Mr. Ed sreallng basesagainst the Dodgen. Bur va match lrom Wimbledon In the early 1980's? Mickey Man­ where. oh. where, were Ihe old tlghr fIIms.,1he 1000g-eonciuded de swattingdlnaen against Willie Mays In "Home Run Der­ baseball games,lhe ancient college baskerbaU games? Who by"? A 1987 canada·U.S.S.R. hockeygame in lhe Canada cand If the players were dead, ~Indorsent down to Ihe Cup,lIlarrina Mark Messier, MarIO lemieuX and Wayne mlnon? Once upon a lime, they weresran, bur you couldDOt Gretzky? More allen Ihan not, thec:holc:e ropes you In. call them back up as you could Ralph Kramden. Somehow, everybody seemelf to play better bacllthen. For 10 million cableand satellite homes.. Classic Sports TIle passing was crisper,thecombln8l1011 of punches fasler, has solved the problem. Willis Reed, Billie Jean King, Arnold lhe pllchlnglougher. One night I Dipped 10 "The Main Palmer are badt. And performing qUlle well. No lame knees Event," a lalk show stamng Rocky Marclano,lhe former un­ orprostate surgeries. Sure, you probably IuJow who won, but defeated heavyweighl champion, 8Dd wrillen by Jimmy It doesn'l mailer: performances maUer. Breslin. Marci8llO, mired five years. was talking pugilism Ellher you discover something you may nor haveseen and show business with Jerry lewis. before,or something you thought you forgoL Sonny Llsron "You'reslilluox," said Mr. lewis, chain-smoking, slill SUU won't gel olt his stool In his loss toCasslus Clay In 1984. IhIn enough 10 slarIn "1be Bellboy:' But II remains compelling. OYer ud over. :'I'm 220," said Mr. Marcl8llO, reciting his lines as il Classic Is grandma's Jam-packed attic: .alchlnglt Is reading from a children's readingprimer. like redlscover1ng Ihe shoe box full of baseball cards you "You could take careof Russia aIone," Mr. LewIs said. thought your mCIlher had tossed In the trash. Like singing old­ 1bey arm·wreslled,then watched Mr. Marciano', finale, Ies lyrics. I recite old play calls: ,.Havlicek stole Ihe ball!" apInsl Archie Moore. "BoY," Mr. Marciano said woodenly. blends Into 'tClantillylacel And a p~ty face." "AlII I glad lhls fight lIoverl" Nerworksand local slatlons have been terrible archl­ C1uIkSports hassmartly repKbaed__01 III trove vtsls. FOOlagelrom muygames from Ihe 1950's and 60's and created orillllal pl'Olrammllll- Joe Namadl, the former wasdestroyed ordecompllled. Noone has unearthed a com­ Jetquanerback.isholt ofthevtnupfoodlall shows, with plete venlonof YUlkee pitcherDon Lanett',perfect game Tom BrookIbIer, the former PIllladelplUa EqIe. Mr. Na· In lhe 1956 World StrieIorWilt OIamberlain's l~int . math got toemploy hiscreakyaetIaIlkJ1ls asa professor of ,ameIn 1912. TeIeYIsIon's focuson llveevenll kept theold p6pkIn knoWledge during a series 01 Super Bowl specials. AI pmesdormantIn warehouses. Whenever an old gem Traunrlg, a jack-of-all-tndes8lIlIlUIcer forlhe MSG Ner· emerpcl,II1le Sponschannel'stelecuts01 the 1952 Yankees­ wort. Is the holt of "DIstant Replay,"wllereapons figures Dodgers World sertes, calledby Red hrberand Mel Allen, I reminisce. AI Mlchaels.lhe ABC $pOIUcommentator, re­ -.dered. How much more Is there? caUed how his gambllll& mother-.Idtake him out of school TIle samethouglItoccurred to Classic's topexecutives, towatch horse rae:toI at HoIJywond PIu1L Brian Bedol, a fOflller senior vtce president of Time Warner "LepDdto LepDd"1sa series01 __talks be- Enterp~andSteftGr-.bera.the former deputycom­ e-oldaDd fIllIIIIatan,1Ike Jerry Welt,probuketball's missionerof majorIe..- baIeball Whole father was HUlk putestpure~uaLoI AnpIII Laker, and Reale G~ra.1JIe HaJJ 01 F&lIIe baIJpIayer. 11Ieybegan taIb MUler, the IndiaJIa Pacerpanh,lloarewup admlrln, Mr. West:11Iey COCIIpare shoot1nI atyIes.u Mr. MUIer's awe I10wty peels away. In aaat1ler...... Ted Williamsdis­ ~hlttinlwllh Tony Gwynn01 diesan DIeIO Padres. Lut lIIOIItb. about flYe mUllon New York Clty-areaytew. enk.r Clusk when IIIsix_tiltrlaI nm OIl Chanael31 ended,repIacect bya full alate01 apons aDd buIIness pro­ aramlllJn&. On __nigIIts,tIlouIb. C1UIIc beat aportI pro­ lranamln& on ESPN aDd TNT. One --.,Itpeaked with a 4.3 rauac for a maradloa01 MuhamJIIad A11111hrs. ClusIc: Is ,Ull availableInYariaaIableIJIleIIIS around die metropolitan areaand the COlIIIUY. and a TIme Warner offlclal calls lla'tl'ORlCllIItender for _ of 12 new slots openingupon Irs New York CityIyIteIDlh1s year. But right _,It'sgone from mybouse. It's badt CO Uve. re»Ume events. I Want my dead IIIId reUred.....bKILlbatold ~whitemap:. ADd I want10_ Rocky Marciano swap tales with Zsa Zsa Gabor. 0 My Greatest Sports Memory

It doesn't happen often. Hardly ever, I should say. He's just not an emotional man. But on that day - January 11, 1987 - something happened that would forever change the landscape of our relationship. It was on that day that we celebrated together, not just as father and son, but more so as two men (since I was only 8 years old that reference might be a little stretch) sharing something so rare and precious that it hadn't occurred for over three de--..ades. To use anymore words to describe the events of that day would only serve to cheapen the meaning of the memory. However, I will conclude with this; as the scoreboard read 17-0, Giants over Redskins, I saw my father attempt to fight off the tears of a lifetime of fru..<":J"ation.

Jason Schaechter, Age 18 5 Manchester Way Pine Brook, NJ 07058 t\[11 1 /

9 - Classic Sports Murray Hill Station P.O.Box 1830 New York, NY 10156

Friends:

First of all, congratulations. You· have put together a great concept, combining entertainment, sport, and nostalgia.

You have also changed some of the rules in our household which were taken as norm - i.e., limited television time for the children. The quality of the programming has forced us to reconsider, and we now allow them more. ~ Now for my suggestion for the Classic Boxing shows that you do: Billy Conn vs Joe Louis, one of the best matches ever, with a light heavy against a heavy. This fight was testimony to a fighter stepping up in class, and more than holding his own against the world's best.

Second choice: Muhammed Ali vs Bob Foster, a light heavy who though the best in his class, was unable to step up.

There - my choices. Now I'll be proud to wear the Sports Classic T-shirt for that great suggestion. Size XL please (unless of course, you have an !XL).

Cordially,

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71 Ridge Drive Livingston, NJ 07039 July 13, 1996

To Who It May Concern:

Thank you for showing Classic Sports Network on Channel 31. These past weeks I have watched Channel 31 for over 15 hours each week because of CSN.

As you can probably tell, I am an avid sports fan and have been anxiously hoping that someday, some station (not on satellite) would air CSN. You delivered it to me, and I hope that you continue to do so.

My only recommendation is to please have the programming listed in TV Guide or more detailed programming noted in local newspapers. Currently, the Newark Star Ledger does not disclose any information concerning the events to be featured on, for example, TONIGHT AT THE FIGHTS.

Thanks again.

Eric Barr cc: Classic Sports Network August 6,1996

MaJio~ 13 Coles Sl 3rd Fl. Jer.sey City NJ 07302 201-433-2133

C&=ic Spcm Network Fight Memories PO BOX 1830 MurrayHiUStation New York NY 10156

Dear Gentlemen,

I would like to congrBluJIle the genius behind the best networX on cable TV. I am a Boxing fan who thrives on your programming. Id like to tell you that I'm a newty.ved and , may be divorced before the year is up because Iget home and WIdch Tonight at the rights and Main Event religiously. Jm so ecstatic to ~ that someone fmally fl8hns boxing, .spedaIty old fights that myseff and other ~ may nat have seen if nat for your ctmIanei. I hBve many fond boxing memories but one of the most vivid is ofthe Champioc lShip bout from CalIII'S PeJace in Las Vegas between salvador 5anc:Mz andWiIhdo Gomez. Atthe time Sala.,who wouJd later die in I car crash, was regarded.one oIlhe bISl pound for pound • .-slnthe wortd. WIm'8dO GomRwas knOWn as devestIdIng puncher with an undef88led record and high KO percentage. In boxing, the rivBby ...... , Mac:ansand Puerto Ricans is••., met hils off-.dsome of the best fights boxing has ....seen. M you aN probebfy awn. Hlspdllcs maD upa Iarve portion or the boxing fans. so I as r11InY WW8 highIf anticipItiJag this match. Would S.ncMz be able to withstand the devastating puncher? Would Gomez be able to out box the tinl••• baxw thatwas Sanchez? Wen. Iremember Iist-.ing to the MWS ..night In bed with my smaI portable AM radio I had gotten for my birthday and 8WIitIng the dedsion on the news. Iwas too yaung to go to the Felt Forum In New Ycrtto see the Closed Circuit trBnsmission so IpicUnd the action that night. while I made my pnnts blfl8¥8' was sleeping, in tCUI darkness wondering who would bevictorious. LuckilY, my favorite fighter of that time Sanchez was the victor 8th Rd TKO. Thefe was so much patentiIJ for him as he was waridng on moving up in weight tobike on the greet Alexis Arguello. Unfortunlllety for the boxing fan he perished befcn his time. Iwould love to see this fight on your ~ in the neer future as it would bring. back many memoriee. The ironic pert is thBt it was ,....tr8nsmitled on "TV and to this dIIy 16 yns later I nave never S8M It onty one round 1M eIh. I hOpe you ccndnue your 8XCOIkInt programming and continue festuring latin fighters as they have contributed so much to the sport of boxing.

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