Remembering Channel 7's World of Sport - What are your memories?

[childeric]

Loved the show. Watched it religiously from the mid 60's onwards. Club corner; the kicking competitions they had (run by Bruce Andrew?); Ron Casey trying to keep them all under control; Uncle Doug (I only found out he was a State Labour Party politician when he made front page of the Sun when he lost pre-selection); Gentlemen Jim Cleary (who played for South in the 45 'blood bath' GF); tug of war....about the only stuff that bored me was the horse races (never been into punting) and the lawn bowls segment.

Story about the handball (not sure if true). 'Polly' Farmer was on the handball competition during his VFL playing days in the 60's. In those days it was 3 hand balls with each hand. He supposedly got a bull's eye with every handball. Unfortunately the WOS footage was lost.

I think WOS got the axe when Warwick Fairfax bought Ch7 and promptly stuffed every thing up on it...amongst which they got rid of the doing the football (echos of what Murdoch and Packer are doing to Ch10).

Remember Soccer Scene with Fred Villiers?

On the final WOS Fred was asked why he rushed through his segment and he explained that he read his report off cue cards and often someone would set fire to the cards and he had to quickly read the words before the cards were consumed by flames

Remember - you buy better at Veall's, Aladdin Vacuum flasks (world's best)

 

[skilts]

Remember Soccer Scene with Fred Villiers?

On the final WOS Fred was asked why he rushed through his segment and he explained that he read his report off cue cards and often someone would set fire to the cards and he had to quickly read the words before the cards were consumed by flames

Remember - you buy better at Veall's, Aladdin Vacuum flasks (world's best)

Oh dear. If you ever doubted the effectiveness of advertising, the first (B&W) TV my family owned was a Vealls home brand one. A sign of the times: we sold our piano in order to buy the TV.

That story about Villiers just about sums up the chaos that occured every week. Hilarious.

BTW, the legend that Farmer fired all bulls eyes is true.

How many of the seeming dozens of footy shows currently being shown will attract such fond memories 40-50 years later? In fact, the same could be asked about TV shows in general, especially live-to-air Australian ones.

Edit: That this thread has been moved to the Fourth Estate Board shows a complete lack of understanding of the place in our culture that WOS enjoyed. The show was not merely a media event, it went to the fabric of the game and said more about what it meant to be a Victorian than anything else I can think of. This was not just TV, it was footy and Melbourne.

 

[JoondalupJ]

Oh dear. If you ever doubted the effectiveness of advertising, the first (B&W) TV my family owned was a Vealls home brand one. A sign of the times: we sold our piano in order to buy the TV.

That story about Villiers just about sums up the chaos that occured every week. Hilarious.

BTW, the legend that Farmer fired all bulls eyes is true.

How many of the seeming dozens of footy shows currently being shown will attract such fond memories 40-50 years later? In fact, the same could be asked about TV shows in general, especially live-to-air Australian ones.

Edit: That this thread has been moved to the Fourth Estate Board shows a complete lack of understanding of the place in our culture that WOS enjoyed. The show was not merely a media event, it went to the fabric of the game and said more about what it meant to be a Victorian than anything else I can think of. This was not just TV, it was footy and Melbourne.

Just love the comments mate. My home is Melbourne . I will never forget WOS it was a cultural thing as well as footy and other sports and characters I will never forget. Live in the West now , Perth a beautiful city but I lived 40 years in Melbourne my heart is there , and I do love this big WA state, of course there are two things here that annoy me greatly .
I think you know them. But this is great thread about part of my life. Thanks WOS !!!

 

[skilts]

Just love the comments mate. My home is Melbourne . I will never forget WOS it was a cultural thing as well as footy and other sports and characters I will never forget. Live in the West now , Perth a beautiful city but I lived 40 years in Melbourne my heart is there , and I do love this big WA state, of course there are two things here that annoy me greatly .
I think you know them. But this is great thread about part of my life. Thanks WOS !!!

Now I'm blushing. Lovely to share.

 

[lenny&carl]

I liked this show.

 

[childeric]

I recall some of the segment presenters

Racing - Jack Elliott (Uncle Doug's brother)

Bowls- John Dobie

Tennis & golf - Colin Long

Soccer -Fred Villiers

Boxing -Gus Mercurio

Ads included Marini hair stylists, Trusty (woof woof)

When WOS finished you could switch over to Ch 10 to watch VFA

Great Sundays entertainment

 

[yaco55]

I recall some of the segment presenters

Racing - Jack Elliott (Uncle Doug's brother)

Bowls- John Dobie

Tennis & golf - Colin Long

Soccer -Fred Villiers

Boxing -Gus Mercurio

Ads included Marini hair stylists, Trusty (woof woof)

When WOS finished you could switch over to Ch 10 to watch VFA

Great Sundays entertainment

The VFA on Channel 10 with Phil Gibbs, Don Hyde - And Rex Hunt called VFA one year in the 1980's.

And don't forget the Sunday roast.

 

[Bazzar]

Best memory was the old man getting me to watch the woodchop and telling me i could be an O`tool one day. He would end up with 2 or 3 days of wood chopped for the fire.

 

[Bazzar]

And the stab pass.

 

[JoondalupJ]

Jack Elliot's Turf Comment. One of the few serious bits of the program.

I remember when Peter Macnamee was in for an interview and they had him demonstrating his tw-handed backhand (which he had just switched to). He was nearly punching holes in the studio walls.

Club Corner was good - the coaches had to front up and answer (relatively) soft questions about the weekend game. Then there were 3-2-1 votes given for each side. I remember the winning side them's song was played at the start, and the loser's at the end. So there were 6 of them scattered through the show. And your club's game always seemed to be the last so you had to keep watching for ever!

And occasionally, this happened

Bloody great clip. Memories!Memories! and I even listened to Uncle Doug do his ad, after Tommy and Jeansy's interview, and Jack giving them their promo gifts , ha ha. What ever happened to the fun.

 

[JoondalupJ]

Oh dear. If you ever doubted the effectiveness of advertising, the first (B&W) TV my family owned was a Vealls home brand one. A sign of the times: we sold our piano in order to buy the TV.

That story about Villiers just about sums up the chaos that occured every week. Hilarious.

BTW, the legend that Farmer fired all bulls eyes is true.

How many of the seeming dozens of footy shows currently being shown will attract such fond memories 40-50 years later? In fact, the same could be asked about TV shows in general, especially live-to-air Australian ones.

Edit: That this thread has been moved to the Fourth Estate Board shows a complete lack of understanding of the place in our culture that WOS enjoyed. The show was not merely a media event, it went to the fabric of the game and said more about what it meant to be a Victorian than anything else I can think of. This was not just TV, it was footy and Melbourne.

Just going through this all over again this morning. Vic footy and Melbourne culture. Love it. Its in you forever where ever you are. Speaking of TV's I actually won our first TV (I was about a 12 yo) off the local radio by ringing up and answering the question about a Fitzroy and Hawthorn match. The question was who won and by how much. It was Fitzroy by 7 points. I think . Any way I won 25 pounds off the price of the TV.
My old man went ballistic . I had just sucked him into a time payment for the TV set which cost somewhere between 150 quid and 175 quid.Very expensive for those times and probably why I was the only one to call in. He wasn't real happy with innocent little me.
But we got it , he loved it , but never forgot how we'd "won??" it. Ha ha. Watched many a WOS on that old thing.

 

[HBF]

Don't have any real specific memories of WOS, but do remember watching it every week growing up in the '80's.
Seeing some of the old youtube clips brings back a heap of memories. They just don't make them like this anymore.

 

[pazza]

Simply BRING IT BACK!!!

 

[childeric]

That clip of Peter McKenna interviewing Jeans over the Bruns incident was one of the most tense moments ever seen on Australian TV

Brilliant stuff in the midst of a normally light-hearted show

 

[worbod]

Some people have mentioned Ballantynes' chocolates. Didn't they also produce cheese? I can still hear Uncle Doug saying, "Ballantynes. The biggest choice in cheese."
They also gave away a fair few Hot Dot golf balls. Or was it Hot Spot?

 

[worbod]

I remember one day probably in the early 1980s, Ted Whitten was invited in to make a speech of some sort, for what I cannot recall. He was talking with Sandy Roberts and for another reason I do not recall, was holding a rolled up newspaper/magazine. Sandy and Ted were standing behind the seated football panel. After Ted made his speech of appreciation, he finished by stating, "And there's just one more thing I'd like to do before I go."
Upon which he took a step forward and belted Lou over the head a couple of times with the magazine. He then walked away, with the panel, including Lou, laughing appreciably.

 

[childeric]

Sterling jeans and Sax Altman slacks were also advertised on WOS

And Brian's Speed Shop

 

[worbod]

One day in the early 1980s a young footballer was being interviewed by Lou Richards who was up in Sydney to broadcast a Sydney football match. The young footballer was in the World of Sport studios in Melbourne.
At the end of the interview Lou said the regular, "Well thanks for talking with us and here are some goodies."
The regular array of WOS goodies were positioned just to one side of Lou, and as the camera panned out slightly to show us, Lou pushed the goodies aside. The next thing we saw was the footballer receiving the goodies in the studio.
"Thanks Lou," says the young man. "You've got a long arm."

 

[Boot Studder]

Some people have mentioned Ballantynes' chocolates. Didn't they also produce cheese? I can still hear Uncle Doug saying, "Ballantynes. The biggest choice in cheese."
They also gave away a fair few Hot Dot golf balls. Or was it Hot Spot?

Hot Dot, I think. Don't forget the Patra orange juice.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Think there was a store called High & Mighty. Otherwise it might've been Solway, "the big man's store". Perhaps both over time.

There was also the Tosca luggage and the Bertocchi hams...

Pelaco shirts, Acquilla shoes.

Was the best footy / sports show that there's ever been and like Roy Hobbs, ever will be. Nothing has come remotely close since.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Maybe sires, it's other catch call was " Where the big guys buy" !!! Pearler !

'Buying's believing, at Sires' (and the piano to finish it off)

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Those that watched WOS in the 60's may recall it finished at 1.55 so that B A Santamaria could have his 5 minute "Point of View", a right wing/Catholic diatribe against the commies, quite surreal after the 3 hours of sporting mayhem I had just watched. Despite being weighed down by lamb roast and apple pie n cream, I always managed to switch to Phil Gibbs and the VFA on Channel 10 before B A had said too much BS.

Channel 10 or Channel 0?

When the Hardie Ferodo 500 / 1000 was on it was on Channel 0 and I remember having to take in turns with my brother to run out the back and spray the hose on the antenna to clear the picture up.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Channel Ten didnt exist back then. It was Channel 0. Remember the Dandy Dollar Dash at half time?

Back on topic I recall WOS had a segment for the Ammos....very brief, just results of A and B Grade. A lot of different teams in A Grade back then...Uni Blues Uni Blacks Ormond St Bernards NOBs were a few teams I recall, as well as the usuals, Old Xavs Collegians etc

Later on they used to have a segment on the Staminade / Big M Little League, I'm pretty sure that Sandy Roberts used to host it. I played out at Waverley in '77 against the Magpies and they showed highlights of our match. We were u/10s and it was the days when there was one game and we played the whole ground.

I was a first year u/10 player and started on the bench, I came on in the second half on the wing wearing the number 3, Kenny Newland, and got one touch, it was a kick that went straight up and straight down again. Sure enough it was shown in the highlights.

We did win the game, 1.0 6 to 0.0 0

 

[windyhill]

'Buying's believing, at Sires' (and the piano to finish it off)

Yep, nice one Hammer, loved the piano bit !

 

[Hodgepodge]

This. Particularly the awkward gift handouts after a tense interview.