Sports

Commentator Gerald Early talks about baseball legend Jackie Robinson and his unintended effects on the Negro leagues.

Former major baseball league scout John Young. He is currently special assistant to the general manager of the Chicago Cubs. In 1988 he began a program in south central Los Angeles to get inner city kids playing baseball. Known as RBI ("Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities"), the program has since expanded to include 51 cities and 40,000 youth.

Lead prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson criminal trial, Marcia Clark. She has since stepped down as Prosecutor in the Office of the Los Angeles District Attorney. She has a new memoir about the trial and her experiences: "Without a Doubt" (Viking).

This month National Geographic "Explorer" will broadcast a behind-the-scenes documentary about NFL films, whose innovative presentation of football has helped make the sport as popular as it is today. The show, which is called "Inside NFL Films: The Idol Makers," will air on August 17th at 7 PM (ET) on TBS Superstations. Marty Moss-Coane talks with Steve Sabol, the president of NFL films, who also directs many of the NFL films.

The sport of boxing has been in the news since boxer Mike Tyson bit the ear of his opponent, Evander Holyfield. Photographer Larry Fink has captured many images of boxing which have been collected in his book, "Boxing" (Powerhouse Books). And sports writer Bert Sugar has written numerous works on sports and has served as senior vice-president of "The Ring" magazine, a magazine on boxing. He wrote the essay included in Fink's book. They'll talk about the often maligned sport. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Former major league baseball scout John Young. He is special assistant to the general manager of the Chicago Cubs. In 1988 he began a program in south central Los Angeles to get inner city kids playing baseball. Known as RBI ("Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities"), the program has since expanded to include 51 cities and 40,000 youth. (For information about RBI contact: Tom Brasuell, Baseball Office of the Commissioner, 350 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10022, phone 212-339-7844) (REBROADCAST from 4/29/97) (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Aquatics director Jim Spiers with Aerobics West, a fitness club in New York City's Upper West Side. Spiers specializes in teaching children and infants how to swim. His students can be as young as six months old. Though the Red Cross maintains that children under five can not be taught to swim, Spiers disagrees, and considers it a safety measure to teach toddlers how to swim. (An article in the New York Times, July 31, 1997, edition profiles Spiers). (Interview by Barbara Bogaev)

Tara VanDerveer coached the Olympic gold medal-winning U.S. Women’s basketball team. The team’s performance drew large crowds and secured the formation of two professional U.S. women’s leagues: the WNBA and the ABL. VanDerveer has written a book about her own experience as a woman in sports. Its called “Shooting from the Outside: How a Coach and her Olympic Team Transformed Women’s Basketball.” (Avon Books) VanDerveer now coaches the Stanford University Women’s basketball team. (Interview by Barbara Bogaev)

Basketball expert and playground legend Pee Wee Kirkland. Professor at Long Island University and basketball coach in Manhattan, Kirkland wrote the introduction to John Huet's photography book, "Soul of the Game" (Melcher Media/Workman pub.). It's about the impact playground basketball has on the sport. Kirkland also acted in and served as the Technical Basketball Advisor for the 1994 movie "Above the Rim."

TV critic David Bianculli on the coverage of the Olympics.

Former Ice Dancing Gold Medal Winner Christopher Dean. In the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo he and his dance partner, Jayne Torvill received nine perfect marks, and a gold medal for their flawless performance. Now Dean works as a choreographer. He'll talk with Barbara Bogaev about the art of ice dancing, and about this year's Olympics.

The sport of snowboarding was admitted into the Olympics for the first time this year. Jake Burton is one of founders of the sport. He began making snowboards 20 years ago in his Vermont garage, experimenting with design and materials until he got the kind of board he envisioned. His company is Burton Snowboards (in Burlington, Vermont).

Charley Rosen is author of the new novel "Barney Polan's Game" (Seven Stories Press) The book is largely based on the real-life college basketball point-shaving scandal in 1950 and 51. Rosen also wrote a non-fiction account of this in "Scandals of 51: How the Gamblers Almost Killed College Basketball".

Fox sports commentator Tim McCarver talks to Marty Moss-Coane about his new book "Baseball for Brain Surgeon and Other Fans". (Villard Books) McCarver is also a commentator during the New York Mets season for WWOR. He played major league baseball from 1959-1980 for the St Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, Montreal Expos and Boston Red Sox. He also wrote "O, Baby, I Love It!".

Film critic John Powers reviews "He Got Game" the new film by Spike Lee starring Denzel Washington.

The boxing writer and former agent talks about his new book "This Bloody Mary is the Last Thing I Own: A Journey to the End of Boxing." (Ecco Press). Kendall boxed in college and later became an successful agent for Colin "Sweet C" McMillan who won the World Featherweight Champion. Rendall now writes from his home in Suffolk, England.

TV critic David BianculliI reviews the new sports satire film, which stars the creators of the television show "South Park."

Mills has written a new memoir, "Let's Get It On: Tough Talk from Boxing's Top Ref and Nevada's Most Outspoken Judge" (Crown Publishers). This fall he will have a syndicated court TV show.

David Remnick is the author of the new book "King of the World" (Random House) about heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali. Remnick was appointed editor of the New Yorker Magazine this year, and is the Pulitzer Prize winning author of "Lenin's Tomb."

Holzman died over the weekend. He's a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and was coach of the New York Knicks when they won the world championship in 1970. (REBROADCAST from 12/8/87)