http://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/03/sports/tv-sports-marathon-mystery-unseen-winne\
r.html

By MICHAEL GOODWIN
Published: Tuesday, November 3, 1987
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LinkedinDiggFacebookMixxMySpaceYahoo! BuzzPermalinkAT least nobody can accuse
ABC of being a front runner.

In years past, the network's telecast of the New York City Marathon focused too
much on the professional runners who inevitably lead and win the race and not
enough on the social and cultural aspects the day represents to most runners and
spectators. The result was that watching on TV was an inferior experience to
being anywhere along the route, where the thousands of also-rans were cheered on
by suddenly friendly New Yorkers.

But on Sunday, ABC changed all that. It didn't show the winner. That's going too
far.

Imagine. Paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for the rights to show an
event, having about 140 people spend untold hours in preparation, airing the
show nationally for nearly three hours - then accidentally missing the winner
cross the finish line.

''It's unfortunate, but it's one of the things that happens on live TV,'' said
Jeff Tolvin, director of information for ABC Sports.

How and why the two ABC cameras at the finish line missed Ibrahim Hussein
crossing the line remains something of a mystery, in part because ABC refused to
make any of the people involved available for interviews. Generally, networks
eagerly solicit interviews for their production and broadcaster crews before and
after major events.

But the task of explaining Sunday's disaster was left to Tolvin.

''We don't want to focus on one person,'' he said repeatedly yesterday. ''It was
an ABC mess up. We acknowledge that.''

WHAT could be gleaned from him and others at ABC not directly involved was this:
The director responsible for finish-line coverage was Larry Kamm, a veteran of
about 20 years of sports telecasts with ABC. He was in a production truck near
the finish line, while Curt Gowdy Jr., the producer and the person ultimately
responsible for the telecast, was in the main studio on West 66th Street.

They were among the main components in an effort that had 25 cameras on the
26.2-mile course, including one in a helicopter, one in a blimp and four on
motorcycles. Seven broadcasters were involved, with different directors
responsible for different portions and locations of the race.

The problem occurred when Gowdy gave control of the telecast to Kamm at the
finish line. A shot from a camera placed on a platform near the line momentarily
captured Hussein and another runner, who because of a handicap, was among those
permitted to start the race early. But as Hussein ran toward the finish line,
the camera holder - whom Tolvin declined to name - focused on the other runner,
thinking he was Hussein.

By the time Kamm realized the mistake, Hussein had crossed the finish line. ABC,
which then focused on a duel for second place, never admitted its goof on the
air, merely saying later that Hussein won. Thus, with 25 cameras, ABC didn't get
a picture of the winner until after he had finished.

What remains unexplained is why the camera holder failed to identify Hussein as
he neared the finish and what the other camera stationed there was shooting.
Tolvin said that ''human error'' was all he could say about the
misidentification and that he didn't know what the second camera was shooting.
Somebody at ABC must know, but.

WHEN the Giants meet the New England Patriots in the Meadowlands next Sunday
night, viewers in New York who subscribe to ESPN will have a choice of watching
the game on either the cable company or WABC-TV, Channel 7.

The game is to be the first of eight regular-season contests to be shown under
ESPN's contract with the National Football League, a contract that requires ESPN
to sell local rights to over-the-air stations in the markets of the teams
involved. WABC was the highest bidder for the game locally, ESPN said.

Because of a union contract, the selection of Channel 7 means New York viewers
will also get a choice of broadcasters. Normally, ESPN will require the local
stations to use ESPN's production and commentators - Mike Patrick, Roy Firestone
and, this week, Larry Csonka.

But a contract that WABC has with its unions requires the station to use union
crews for all production efforts in the area, the station and ESPN said. In
addition to its own camera crews, the station has hired two ABC network
commentators - Frank Gifford and Lynn Swann - to team with Corey McPherrin, its
lead sports anchorman, to call the game.

However, ESPN said both telecasts would carry its advertising and promotions.
That means WABC will promote ESPN events.

Ah, the corporate tie binds tightly. Capital Cities/ABC owns 80 percent of ESPN.
And ABC affiliates comprise nine of the 16 stations that have won local rights
to ESPN's eight games. One each is affiliated with NBC and CBS, while five are
independent. An ESPN spokeswoman said the rights were sold only ''to the highest
bidders'' and that no favoritism was involved.