- USA Thursday Game of the Week
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The USA Thursday Game of the Week is a former television program that broadcast Major League Baseball games on the USA Network.
Contents
Background
In 1979, 22 teams (all but the Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, New York Mets, and St. Louis Cardinals) took part in a one-year cable deal with UA-Columbia[1] (then owners of the USA Network). The deal involved the airing of a Thursday night Game of the Week[2] in markets at least 50 miles (80 km) from a major league park.[3] The deal earned Major League Baseball less than $500,000, but led to a new two-year contract for 40–45 games[4] per season[5]. The program ran through the 1983 season[6][7].
Coverage history
The series began April 26, 1979[8] with a doubleheader: Cleveland at Kansas City[9] (Jim Woods and Bud Harrelson announcing) followed by Baltimore at California[10] (Monte Moore and Maury Wills announcing[11]). The second game of the night was typically, based out of the West Coast. The games were usually blacked out[12][13] in the competing teams' cities[14]. Once in a while, when USA did a repeat[15] of the telecast late at night, local cities were allowed to show the rerun.
From 1980–1981, Jim Woods[16] and Nelson Briles (replacing Bud Harrelson) did the early games (except for a game at Montreal on October 2, 1980, which reunited Jim Woods and Ned Martin, with whom Woods had paired on Boston Red Sox radio broadcasts in the 1970s), while Monte Moore and Wes Parker (replacing Maury Wills) called the late game[17].
With USA's coverage of the 1981 Stanley Cup Playoffs, it marked the first time that there was "blanket" American television coverage of the NHL playoffs. In other words, more often than not that, whenever a game was played it was televised on a national outlet (whether it was broadcast or cable). USA however, didn't televise Game 1 of the playoff series between Philadelphia Flyers and Calgary Flames (April 16) because of they were instead, broadcasting a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies. Meanwhile, they also skipped Games 2–6 (on April 17, 22 and 24) of the Philadelphia–Calgary series because of their coverage of the NBA playoffs. USA also didn't televise Games 2 and 5 of the playoff series between the Calgary Flames and Minnesota North Stars (April 30 and May 7 respectively) because of baseball games involving the Minnesota Twins vs. the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. the Philadelphia Phillies respectively.
In 1982, doubleheaders[18] did not start until June 17. Prior to the doubleheaders starting, Monte Moore and Wes Parker did the individual game until then. When the doubleheaders finally began[19], Moore and Parker moved over to the late game for the rest of the year. Meanwhile, Eddie Doucette (replacing Jim Woods) and Nelson Briles[20] were assigned to call the early game.
USA continued with the plan of not starting doubleheaders until June in the final year of the package in 1983. Steve Zabriskie and Al Albert filled in for Eddie Doucette in September 1982 (Steve Grad also occasionally substituted) while Albert replaced Doucette for a game or more in 1983.
Memorable moments
One particular game of note was a Los Angeles Dodgers/St. Louis Cardinals game in 1981 (the last game before the strike[21]).[22] The game in question featured Fernando Valenzuela picking up his eighth consecutive win to start the season. Valenzuela gave up a home run in the ninth to tie the game 1-1, but Pedro Guerrero hit one himself in the bottom of the ninth for the win.
One year later, during a September 16 game between the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants,[23] Darrell Evans went 3-for-5 with four RBI in Giants' 9-3 victory.
Announcers
- Al Albert (1982–1983)
- Nelson Briles (1980–1983)
- Eddie Doucette[24] (1982–1983)
- Steve Grad
- Bud Harrelson (1979)
- Ned Martin (1980)
- Monte Moore (1979–1983)
- Wes Parker (1980–1983)
- Maury Wills (1979)
- Jim Woods (1979–1981)
- Steve Zabriskie[25] (1982–1983)
References
- ^ "Big-League Baseball To Hit Hinterlands On Cable Television". Wall Street Journal. April 13, 1979. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/109518979.html?dids=109518979:109518979&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Apr+13%2C+1979&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=Big-League+Baseball+To+Hit+Hinterlands+On+Cable+Television&pqatl=google.
- ^ "Majors give cable rights". Lawrence Journal-World. April 13, 1979. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eZUyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NOcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2608,2894962&dq=major+league+baseball+on+ua+columbia&hl=en.
- ^ Jane Gross (July 12, 1981). "Sports on cable". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1981/07/12/arts/sports-on-cable.html. "USA agreed to the baseball limitations rejected by ESPN and shows a Thursday-night game in cities that do not have a major-league team. In New York City, Manhattan Cable broadcasts USA's programs, but cannot televise the weekly baseball game because the Yankees and Mets declined to grant the waivers necessary under major-league statutes."
- ^ Jicha, Jim (April 3, 1982). "Is The Chance To .Ao To The Park .". Miami News. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CYMmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UgEGAAAAIBAJ&pg=5326,891835&dq=major+league+baseball+on+usa+network&hl=en.
- ^ "Giants Announce Signings of Stennett, May, Wohlford". Los Angeles Times. December 13, 1979. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/648711842.html?dids=648711842:648711842&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+13%2C+1979&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=The+Newswire&pqatl=google.
- ^ "Philadelphia Daily News : BASEBALL SWINGS AN UNREAL DEAL". Philadelphia Daily News. March 1, 1983. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DN&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI.
- ^ "USA NETWORK MAKING SOME MAJOR-LEAGUE CUTS". Miami Herald. February 10, 1984. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB35EC45A6E7E96&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM.
- ^ Holliman, Ray (April 14, 1979). "Cable package likely coming to coming to Channel 7". St. Petersburg Times. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EvwNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=P3wDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3736,4446663&dq=major+league+baseball+on+ua+columbia&hl=en.
- ^ Apr 26, 1979, Indians at Royals Play by Play and Box Score
- ^ Apr 26, 1979, Orioles at Angels Play by Play and Box Score
- ^ "Jock leaves bigs again". Daily News. June 6, 1979. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bwgfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9UYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5128,1450436&dq=major+league+baseball+on+ua+columbia&hl=en.
- ^ Craig, Jack (August 30, 1981). "CABLE WILL SATURATE SPORTS; COULD BRING OVER 600 BASEBALL TELECASTS FROM OUTSIDE CITY". Boston Globe. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/684373461.html?dids=684373461:684373461&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+30%2C+1981&author=JACK+CRAIG&pub=Boston+Globe+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=SPORTVIEW+%2F+JACK+CRAIG%3B+BOSTON+CABLE+WILL+SATURATE+SPORTS%3B+COULD+BRING+OVER+600+BASEBALL+TELECASTS+FROM+OUTSIDE+CITY&pqatl=google.
- ^ Henniger, Paul (August 31, 1983). "Write To New York To Get Message To A Star In California". St. Petersburg Times. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vDEMAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Al4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6833,7335085&dq=major+league+baseball+on+usa+network&hl=en.
- ^ Stewart, Larry (September 10, 1982). "A Win for Rams on the Air, Too". Los Angeles Times. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/669884252.html?dids=669884252:669884252&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+10%2C+1982&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=A+Win+for+Rams+on+the+Air%2C+Too&pqatl=google.
- ^ Wehrle, Bruce (November 29, 1982). "Cable Networks Join The Fun". The Dispatch. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mlwpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6b4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7024,6340753&dq=major+league+baseball+on+usa+network&hl=en.
- ^ Craig, Jack (May 4, 1980). "SPORTVIEW / BY JACK CRAIG; ; WHAT PRICE EXCLUSIVITY". Boston Globe. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/685612181.html?dids=685612181:685612181&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+04%2C+1980&author=JACK+CRAIG&pub=Boston+Globe+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=SPORTVIEW+%2F+BY+JACK+CRAIG%3B+%3B+WHAT+PRICE+EXCLUSIVITY&pqatl=google.
- ^ 8/18/1983 Montreal Expos at San Francisco Giants on USA on YouTube
- ^ "Now On .The Air If .". Tri City Herald. August 10, 1982. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=r-4tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RIgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3999,2953623&dq=major+league+baseball+on+usa+network&hl=en.
- ^ "The Sports Scene.". The Dispatch. July 15, 1982. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VWMqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=s1IEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2625,1304120&dq=major+league+baseball+on+usa+network&hl=en.
- ^ "The Sports Scene .". The Dispatch. September 2, 1982. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=emMqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=s1IEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2984,6239784&dq=major+league+baseball+on+usa+network&hl=en.
- ^ Peck, Dick (August 6, 1981). "Sunday's All-Star Game Puts Baseball Back". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nk80AAAAIBAJ&sjid=AGgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5330,2611946&dq=major+league+baseball+on+usa+network&hl=en.
- ^ Jun 11, 1981, Dodgers at Cardinals Play by Play and Box Score
- ^ Sep 16, 1982, Padres at Giants Box Score and Play by Play
- ^ ""Where Are They Now:" Eddie Doucette". http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wuwm/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=835861.
- ^ "Steve Zabriskie". Ultimate Mets Database. http://www.ultimatemets.com/profile.php?PlayerCode=6592.
See also
External links
- USA Network - Thursday Night Baseball
- Major League Baseball on USA Network - Google Search (timeline)
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Landmark events Children's programming Miscellaneous USA Thursday Game of the Week Related programs Related articles Commentators Key figures Al Albert · Nelson Briles · Eddie Doucette · Steve Grad · Bud Harrelson · Ned Martin · Monte Moore · Wes Parker · Maury Wills · Jim Woods · Steve ZabriskieUSA Network programming 1981–1990 Airwolf · Bumper Stumpers · The Dick Cavett Show · Jackpot · Love Me, Love Me Not · NBA on USA · The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents · NHL on USA · Night Flight · Radio 1990 · Southwest Championship Wrestling · USA Thursday Game of the Week · WWF All American Wrestling · WWF Prime Time Wrestling · WWF Tuesday Night Titans1991–2000 Beyond Reality · Chain Reaction · Cover Me · Crush · Dance Party USA · Duckman · Eco-Challenge · Farmclub.com · Free 4 All · G vs E · Lost on Earth · Manhattan, AZ · Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm · The Net · Night Flight · Pacific Blue · Quicksilver · Silk Stalkings · Strip Poker · Swamp Thing · Tuesday Night Fights · USA Action Extreme Team · USA Cartoon Express · USA High · USA Up All Night · USA Saturday Nightmares · The War Next Door · Weird Science · World League of American Football · WWF Action Zone · WWF Heat · WWF LiveWire · WWF Mania · WWF Monday Night Raw · WWF Superstars2001–2010 The 4400 · Cannonball Run 2001 · Combat Missions · Cool Money · D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear · The Dead Zone · Dr. Steve-O · Frankenstein · Helen of Troy · House Wars · The Huntress · Kojak · La Femme Nikita · The Last Ride · Made in the USA · Monk · Nashville Star · Peacemakers · Spartacus · The Starter Wife (miniseries, TV series) · Stealing Christmas · Smush · Three Wise Guys · To Love and Die · Touching Evil · Traffic · Underfunded · U.S. Open Tennis Championship · USA Live2011–2020 Law & Order: Criminal IntentCurrent Burn Notice (since 2007) · Covert Affairs (since 2010) · Fairly Legal (since 2011) · In Plain Sight (since 2008) · Necessary Roughness (since 2011) · Psych (since 2006) · Royal Pains (since 2009) · Suits (since 2011) · Westminster Dog Show · White Collar (since 2009) · WWE Raw (since 1993) · WWE Tough Enough (since 2011)Upcoming Common Law (2012)- ABC (current)
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