1983 in television: Late Late Breakfast Show

In the 1980s with just four TV channels to choose from, the Saturday night ratings battle between BBC and ITV was still raging. ITV had scored a hit in 1981 with their practical joke-orientated show 'Game For A Laugh', and the BBC responded with a light entertainment show of their own, 'The Late, Late Breakfast Show' presented by DJ-turned TV host Noel Edmonds. The programme went out live, and after a slow start hit its stride once the producers started to book major names as guests.

The format of 'The Late, Late Breakfast Show' included comedy, music and initially, a monologue spot featuring fellow DJ John Peel. Peel was included presumably to give the show a more credible 'edge'; his image was more Keith Richards to Edmonds' Cliff Richard-type 'safe' image. Comic spots included a practical joke segment (featuring 'The Hit Squad', the BBC's answer to 'Game For A Laugh'), and the 'Golden Egg Awards', including humorous TV out-takes. Music features included interviews and appearances, most notably ABBA made their final TV appearance on this show.

Also included was the 'Give It A Whirl' slot - this would feature a viewer who had called into the show and volunteered to take part in a stunt. The stunt was selected using the 'Whirly Wheel', although it was meant to appear random, the stunt had in fact been pre-arranged with the viewer being trained up to perform the stunt live on TV the next week.  It was with these stunts that the show attracted controversy; a clip from a 1983 edition of the programme (which can be seen below) illustrates just how far they went.



Watching that clip 30 years on, and with the knowledge that such an ill-prepared stunt would never be allowed to air on television today, it is absolutely shocking viewing. Remember, this show aired live on Saturday evenings. Not only were the crowd too close, but after the first jump went wrong (the driver was shaken, but not seriously hurt) they did ANOTHER one! The second jump (with a different stunt driver) was even worse, and the stunt driver involved sustained a fractured pelvis. The track-side commentator was John Peel, who later expressed regret at ever having agreed to be involved with the show when he saw just how dangerous the stunts had become.

Unbelievably, the BBC were allowed to continue to run stunts involving viewers, and, having not heeded the warnings, tragedy struck three years later when another contestant was killed while practising for a bungee jump stunt due to be aired on that week's programme. Only then was the programme pulled, with the producers heavily criticised. Edmonds immediately resigned from the show.

Ultimately, what started out as an entertaining show of comedy, music and chat ended because of a producer's desire to 'push the boundaries'. It would be several years before Edmonds returned to Saturday night live television, with 'Noel's House Party'. This time the focus was more on humour and practical jokes, with no dangerous stunts involved.

Controversial Kratochvilova sets a still-standing world record in 1983

Czech athlete Jarmila Kratochvilova appeared, seemingly from nowhere to become a powerhouse in womens' athletics in 1983. Aged 32 at the time, she had been around the circuit for several years without attracting attention but 1983 was the year when all that changed. Her appearance drew gasps from many commentators at the time; with short curly brown hair, and bursting with muscles, she aroused a great deal of suspicion because of her masculine look.

Those suspicions were not quelled when she turned in a series of blistering performances on the track; a specialist 400 metre runner, she broke the 48-second barrier in Helsinki at the inaugural world championships, running 47.99 to set a world record on the way to winning gold. Another performance which raised several eyebrows was her anchor leg in the 4x400 metres relay at the 1983 European Championships; taking over the baton in a distant third behind the East German and Soviet Union runners, she utterly blitzed the others in the home straight to win easily for her Czechoslovakia team. (See video below)

Kratochvilova anchor leg, 4x400m relay European Championships 1983:


Kratochvilova also ran the 800 metres, which is unusual in athletics since it is considered a 'middle-distance' event while the 400 metres is considered a 'sprint'. Nonetheless, she was just as dominant over two laps as she was over one, and in July 1983 set a world record for the 800 metres which still stands today. (Her 400 metres record was broken by East Germany's Marita Koch in 1985, a time of 47.6 which also still stands today.)

In subsequent years Kratochvilova was not as dominant as in 1983, further fuelling speculation about just how those times were achieved. It should be said that she never failed any tests during her career, and Kratochvilova today, now an athletics coach, continues to maintain that her performances were legitimate. 

With this, and Marita Koch's 400 metres record no nearer being broken, there have been calls for the record books to be wiped clean and started afresh since it is now known that the East German performances of this period were tainted, however these calls have so far been resisted and the records stand. It is likely that these times will stand for several years to come.

1983 in rock: Metallica debut album released

1983 was the year that Metallica burst onto the scene with their debut album, 'Kill 'em All'. Formed by guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield, and drummer Lars Ulrich, Metallica were heavily influenced by the Heavy Metal scene in the UK of just a few years earlier (dubbed by the press as the 'New Wave of British Heavy Metal'). Ulrich, hailing from a wealthy family (his father was a successful tennis professional) was in a privileged position to be able to import almost everything that came out of the scene, and he would cite the UK band Diamond Head as one of his primary influences for Metallica.

The line-up was completed by guitarist Kirk Hammett, and bassist Cliff Burton. Hammett had only recently replaced previous axeman Dave Mustaine, and Mustaine's influence was still apparent on the finished record. He had co-writing credits on four of the songs, and Hammett's guitar solos were based on Mustaine's early contributions. Dave Mustaine had parted company with the band in somewhat acrimonious circumstances, and he subsequently founded Megadeth, achieving success on his own terms, although the press made much of the supposed 'rivalry' between the two camps in later years.

Released on the independent Megaforce label in the US, and on Music For Nations in the UK, the album became something of a template for the emerging 'thrash metal' scene. Countless bands who have come afterwards have cited Metallica as an influence, and although their later albums made them huge it is still 'Kill 'em All' which is most fondly remembered by their early fans.

Metallica went on to be signed up by Elektra records in the US for their second album 'Ride the Lightning', while remaining independent in the UK. It wasn't until their fourth album 'And Justice For All' that the group were picked up by Phonogram in Europe; by that time they'd experienced both major success and tragedy. Bassist Cliff Burton was killed while on tour with the band in September of 1986 following a crash of the band's tour bus. The band were quick to recruit new bassist Jason Newsted in his place who would hold down the position for the next 14 years, however Metallica have acknowledged that they should have allowed themselves more time after Burton's death, since the well-documented 'hazing' of Newsted throughout his time with Metallica had its roots in his not being Cliff Burton.

Metallica have gone on to become megastars and probably the very thing they set out not to become, when they released 'Kill 'em All' as feisty young Metalheads who looked a lot like the New Wave of British Heavy Metal acts they were trying to emulate. For those who think their career began with the Black Album, or even 'Load' - 'Kill 'em All' is an essential listen.

From a show in 1983 here is Metallica's bassist Cliff Burton performing his solo 'Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)' which leads into 'Whiplash':

Tom Watson wins his final major title at The Open

The 1983 Open golf championship (the 112th), held at Royal Birkdale, Southport from the 14th to the 17th July, was won by American superstar Tom Watson. In winning this, his fifth Open, he successfully defended the Claret Jug, having claimed it at Royal Troon the year before.

Aged 33 at the time of this win, Watson had already achieved a great deal in the game having won the Masters at Augusta twice (1977, 1981), and the US Open (1982) to go with the four previous Open Championships he had already won (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982). He vied with the "Golden Bear", Jack Nicklaus, for the title of world number one for much of this period and the two were often seen at the top of leaderboards tussling for titles.

Although Watson remained a force in the game for many years after 1983, this win was to be his final Major championship to date. He came close to adding to the tally on a number of occasions, most notably at the Open Championship in 2009 (held at Turnberry, Scotland) when, at the age of 59 he was narrowly defeated in a four-hole play-off, losing out to compatriot Stewart Cink.

Watson continues to play on the main PGA Tour (and indeed appeared once again at the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield), and is now also seen on the Champions Tour for professionals aged 50 and over. He has since won numerous titles on that tour, including three (British) Senior Open championships.

Still a popular figure on the circuit today, it is to be hoped Watson will continue to delight golf fans for a few more years yet.

Below is a brief clip from the 1983 Open Championship won by Tom Watson:

1983 in music: Paul Young becomes a star with debut album

1983 was a breakout year for UK singer Paul Young. He'd had some success previously, firstly as part of Streetband who had a novelty chart hit with 'Toast' in 1978, then as lead singer with soul revivalists Q-Tips. After the latter band broke up at the end of 1982, Young was signed to Columbia Records (CBS in the UK).

Retaining only the organ player from the Q-Tips, Young's new backing band 'The Royal Family' included two female backing singers going under the jocular name 'The Fabulous Wealthy Tarts', and fretless bass player Pino Palladino. It was this latter acquisition which gave Young's music a distinctive sound. His debut solo album, 'No Parlez', was released in July 1983, but it wasn't until his third single (a cover of 'Wherever I Lay My Hat, That's My Home', originally by Marvin Gaye) charted that his solo career took off. Reaching number one on the UK charts, from then on Young enjoyed a string of hits, including a re-release of his cover of 'Love Of The Common People' (previously a hit for The Four Preps in 1967) which charted for Young second time around.

The album included numerous covers, including a re-interpretation of 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' (originally a hit for Manchester post-punk band Joy Division) but also featured some songs penned by Young and keyboard player Ian Kewley. 

Paul Young went on to enjoy several years of success off the back of this album, although in later years he scaled back his touring and formed a band with the intention of going 'back to basics' and playing smaller venues. Los Pacaminos was formed in 1995 and has toured frequently ever since.

From the Channel 4 music programme 'The Tube', here is Paul Young performing 'Love Of The Common People' live:

1983 in rock: Quiet Riot hit big with a decade-old song

1983 was a breakthrough year for hard rock/metal in the US, with first Motley Crue then Quiet Riot hitting it big. Quiet Riot, a four-piece fronted by the ever-controversial vocalist Kevin DuBrow, released their third album 'Metal Health' in March of this year. The band had been notable for once featuring guitarist Randy Rhoads, who appeared on their first two albums (released only in Japan) before he and bassist Rudy Sarzo departed for a stint touring with Ozzy Osbourne. That ended abruptly on 19th March 1982 when Rhoads was killed in an aeroplane crash, leaving fans of his innovative playing wondering what might have been. A devastated Sarzo eventually rejoined Quiet Riot alongside new guitar player Carlos Cavazo, as the band (with producer Spencer Proffer) signed to Columbia Records.

The album reached the top spot on the Billboard chart in November 1983, becoming the first 'metal' album to achieve the feat. This was aided by the album's second single, a cover of Slade's 'Cum On Feel The Noize'. Slade's original version had topped the British chart a full ten years earlier, in an era when bands actually had to sell a huge amount of records to do so. However the song was almost unknown in the United States, a territory where Slade had tried and failed to crack several years earlier (although their efforts did not go unnoticed, one band in particular - KISS - cited Slade as a major influence on their look and sound.)

Quiet Riot's cover changed all of that, as the song (belatedly) became a Stateside smash. The story goes that the band, not being particularly fond of the original song, were reluctant to do the cover and only agreed at the instigation of the producer. Their version is a fairly straight rendition of the song, albeit with a cleaner 1980s sound than that of the original, and DuBrow's vocal styling approached that of the dynamic Noddy Holder. Perhaps nobody was more surprised than Quiet Riot themselves when the song rocketed up the US charts, with music video channel MTV (then still a relatively new phenomenon) picking up the promo video for extensive airplay. The band exploded in popularity as a result, and rode the wave of the LA 'hair metal' boom of the period. Meanwhile, the original artists were enjoying a revival themselves in their home country, as the Stateside cover of their ten year old hit helped rekindle interest in Slade and they enjoyed an Indian summer to their own career. They even scored a US hit of their own at last the following year, with the song 'Run Runaway'.

Quiet Riot's popularity was not to last however, as the follow-up album 'Condition Critical' attempted to repeat the winning formula but failed to match its predecessors' sales figures. They tried the same trick again with another Slade cover ('Mama Weer All Crazee Now') which charted briefly, but the band were soon overtaken by newer LA 'hair metal' acts, most notably Ratt. The group stumbled on for a few more years before fizzling out towards the end of the decade, with vocalist Paul Shortino briefly taking over the microphone from DuBrow.

Kevin DuBrow attempted several comebacks in the decades since then, with partial success, but died on 19th November 2007 aged just 52. His old band have toured off and on since, with various line-ups featuring original drummer Frankie Banali. Despite the fact that the group were not keen on the song that made them huge, it launched their career and to this day in the US, many fans
still find it hard to believe that 'Cum On Feel The Noize' was not one of their compositions.

1983 in rock: Robert Plant scores solo hit single

1983 saw former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant score a UK hit single, something he never did with his old band as they were famed for eschewing the single format throughout their career, at least in their home country. He'd reappeared the year before with his first solo album 'Pictures At Eleven', which featured drums from both Phil Collins and Cozy Powell, and when that charted on both sides of the Atlantic he was soon back in the studio to craft 'The Principle of Moments', released in July 1983. Collins appeared on several tracks once again, although the musical direction of both this and his previous offering aimed to move away from out and out hard rock as exemplified by Led Zeppelin.

The gentler, laidback track 'Big Log' would prove to be Plant's breakthrough hit in the UK, even earning him an appearance on BBC chart rundown show 'Top Of The Pops', albeit only in video form. That video was a popular clip on MTV, a road-movie style clip shot in numerous locations including Death Valley Junction in California, as well as Crystal Road, Nevada (the location for the gas station shots).

Plant toured the album with Collins on drums for the US leg of the tour, the Genesis man remained a background figure even though he was a star in his own right by this point. Another single, 'In The Mood', followed in November 1983 and was also a hit, charting as high as 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 while reaching 39 on the UK singles charts. This established Plant as a successful solo artist, enabling him to move on from his Led Zeppelin days and during this period, he declined to play any Zeppelin material live. He reasoned at the time that he could not do it without his old bandmates, although he would later relent and introduce classic Zeppelin songs into the live set in later years.

Led Zeppelin never reformed (and could never do so fully, following the death of drummer John Bonham) although there were sporadic reunions over the years of the surviving members. The two which stand out were 1985's Live Aid performance (poorly received critically, but significant as it was their first major reunion since their split) and 2007's show at London's o2 Arena, ostensibly to celebrate the life of Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun and with other notable acts on the bill, but the interest in the show centred exclusively on Zeppelin who were to perform their first full set since Bonham's death (drums were performed by Jason Bonham). They have resisted every call to reform fully since then. Plant has worked with guitarist Jimmy Page in the interim however, the pair collaborated on tracks on Plant's 1988 album 'Now and Zen' and toured together in the 1990s, not under the Zeppelin name as their former bassist John Paul Jones was not involved in that project.

From 1983's 'The Principle Of Moments', here is 'Big Log':

1983 Wimbledon Tennis championships

The media have made much of the fact that in 2013 a British man has won the Wimbledon singles title for the first time since Fred Perry won it back in 1936. However, a British man did win a Wimbledon title in 1983 also, albeit in the Mixed Doubles and in partnership with Australian Wendy Turnbull. John Lloyd was the British player, and the victory was the first one Britain could claim since Virginia Wade won the Women's Singles title six years earlier.

The Lloyd/Turnbull partnership won their final in three sets, coming from behind to overcome the American pair of Billie Jean King and Steve Denton in a close contest; the first two sets were decided on tiebreaks and the final set was 7-5 to the UK/Australian pair. John Lloyd was for several years the main British hope for tennis success; having been runner-up in the Men's Singles at the 1977 Australian Open. However he never got further than the third round in the singles tournament at his home championships, and it was to be his partnership with Turnbull which brought success.

1983 was also significant in that the singles champions in both men's and women's tournaments also won their respective doubles titles. Men's champion John McEnroe had a straightforward win (his second Wimbledon singles title) in his final against surprise finalist, Kiwi Chris Lewis, winning in straight sets (6-2, 6-2, 6-2) while Martina Navratilova enjoyed a similar result in her final against US teenager Andrea Jaeger, winning 6-0, 6-3.

McEnroe paired up with fellow American Peter Fleming for the men's doubles, the pair winning the title in straight sets against US twin brothers Tim and Tom Gullikson. McEnroe and Fleming were a dominant force in doubles at the time, even though John McEnroe was also winning multiple Grand Slam titles in singles competitions.

Navratilova, by this time a naturalised US citizen herself, paired up with Pam Shriver to defend their Women's doubles title, winning their final against American Rosie Casals and the aforementioned Wendy Turnbull of Australia  6-2, 6-2. Navratilova had thus defended both her singles and doubles titles successfully, as she became the undisputed women's number one.

As for John Lloyd, he would partner Turnbull again the year later to defend their Mixed Doubles title; for both it was to be their final Grand Slam title. Britain would have another Mixed Doubles title to savour in 1987 with UK pairing Jo Durie and Jeremy Bates triumphant, but that would be it at Wimbledon for 20 years, until Jamie Murray (Andy's brother) won the same title in 2007, partnered by Serbian Jelena Janković.

With the media hoopla over Andy Murray's victory, 1983 serves as a reminder that Britain has produced some champions in a sport where lack of success is often decried.

11-year old Samantha Smith writes to Soviet leader and is invited to Soviet Union

American schoolgirl Samantha Smith came to prominence in 1983 for her letter written to newly-appointed Soviet leader Yuri Andropov, and his personal reply, inviting her to visit the Soviet Union. Samantha Smith had written the letter in November the year previously, when Andropov had just succeeded Leonid Brezhnev, and in that letter she asked Andropov directly whether there would be a war and if not, how he would help to prevent it. This was the era of the Cold War, and the Western world viewed the new appointment warily, partly because Andropov was unknown to them whereas at least they knew Brezhnev, and also because he was perceived as a greater threat to the West than his predecessor.

The letter was published by Pravda, the Soviet newspaper, but it was not until April 1983 that Andropov's reply arrived. In it, he attempted to reassure the schoolgirl that the last thing anybody in his country wanted was a nuclear war, and that she would be welcome to visit in the summer time. In July of that year, she and her parents flew to Moscow to take up Andropov's invitation. While there, they met many people including children the same age as Miss Smith. However, she was unable to meet the Soviet leader himself during her time there, as he had taken ill and in fact would only live until February 1984.

Upon her return, Miss Smith was feted by the US media and used that fame to continue to campaign for better relations between the superpowers. Eventually, she was selected to appear in a television series called 'Lime Street' alongside veteran actor Robert Wagner, she would complete three episodes.

It was while returning from filming the TV series that Samantha Smith was killed, aged just 13, in a plane crash at an airport near her home in Maine.  Her death (and that of her father, who was accompanying her) was mourned by people in both countries and a personal message of condolence was sent by new Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

The text of her letter, plus the reply from Yuri Andropov, is reproduced below (source: Wikipedia)

Dear Mr. Andropov,

My name is Samantha Smith. I am ten years old. Congratulations on your new job. I have been worrying about Russia and the United States getting into a nuclear war. Are you going to vote to have a war or not? If you aren't please tell me how you are going to help to not have a war. This question you do not have to answer, but I would like to know why you want to conquer the world or at least our country. God made the world for us to live together in peace and not to fight.

Sincerely,

Samantha Smith

Dear Samantha,

I received your letter, which is like many others that have reached me recently from your country and from other countries around the world.

It seems to me – I can tell by your letter – that you are a courageous and honest girl, resembling Becky, the friend of Tom Sawyer in the famous book of your compatriot Mark Twain. This book is well known and loved in our country by all boys and girls.

You write that you are anxious about whether there will be a nuclear war between our two countries. And you ask are we doing anything so that war will not break out.

Your question is the most important of those that every thinking man can pose. I will reply to you seriously and honestly.

Yes, Samantha, we in the Soviet Union are trying to do everything so that there will not be war on Earth. This is what every Soviet man wants. This is what the great founder of our state, Vladimir Lenin, taught us.

Soviet people well know what a terrible thing war is. Forty-two years ago, Nazi Germany, which strove for supremacy over the whole world, attacked our country, burned and destroyed many thousands of our towns and villages, killed millions of Soviet men, women and children.

In that war, which ended with our victory, we were in alliance with the United States: together we fought for the liberation of many people from the Nazi invaders. I hope that you know about this from your history lessons in school. And today we want very much to live in peace, to trade and cooperate with all our neighbors on this earth—with those far away and those near by. And certainly with such a great country as the United States of America.

In America and in our country there are nuclear weapons—terrible weapons that can kill millions of people in an instant. But we do not want them to be ever used. That's precisely why the Soviet Union solemnly declared throughout the entire world that never—never—will it use nuclear weapons first against any country. In general we propose to discontinue further production of them and to proceed to the abolition of all the stockpiles on Earth.

It seems to me that this is a sufficient answer to your second question: 'Why do you want to wage war against the whole world or at least the United States?' We want nothing of the kind. No one in our country–neither workers, peasants, writers nor doctors, neither grown-ups nor children, nor members of the government–want either a big or 'little' war.

We want peace—there is something that we are occupied with: growing wheat, building and inventing, writing books and flying into space. We want peace for ourselves and for all peoples of the planet. For our children and for you, Samantha.

I invite you, if your parents will let you, to come to our country, the best time being this summer. You will find out about our country, meet with your contemporaries, visit an international children's camp – Artek – on the sea. And see for yourself: in the Soviet Union, everyone is for peace and friendship among peoples.

Thank you for your letter. I wish you all the best in your young life.

Y. Andropov

1983 in music: Prince hits big with '1999'

It was in 1983 that Minneapolis singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Prince (born Prince Rogers Nelson) broke through with his fifth album, '1999'. Although the album was actually released towards the end of 1982, it wasn't until the second single release 'Little Red Corvette' became an international hit that the album took off.  Like Michael Jackson with 'Thriller', '1999' saw Prince adapt his funky sound to cater for more mainstream tastes; heavy use of synthesizers and
guitar solos helped him appeal to a more rock-orientated audience.

The media were quick to build up a rivalry between the two stars; both had broken through with help from MTV who played the videos of both artists in heavy rotation. However, 1983 was without doubt Jackson's year while Prince would go on to greater success the year later with the album and film 'Purple Rain'.

The title track became one of Prince's best-loved songs, however it failed to chart on first release in both the US and UK. It did however, chart in Australia but it wasn't until 'Little Red Corvette' had become a hit that '1999' the song was reissued, this time to success. It is still a much-played song on radio stations today.

2023 Update: Sadly Prince passed away in June 2016 from an overdose of prescription medicine, leaving behind a monumental legacy.

Prince was infamous for his control over videos posted to Youtube, often having the sound muted. Here is the album version of '1999'.

Calvin Smith breaks 15-year old 100 metre world record

Sub-10 second races are commonplace now in the 100 metre sprint for men, but were not so commonly seen throughout the 1970s and even the early 80s. The world record for the distance had been held since 1968 by American sprinter Jim Hines, who won the gold medal at the Mexico City Olympics in a time of 9.95 seconds. That meet saw several world records and the explanation for that was because of the high altitude of Mexico City. That record was finally broken in 1983 by fellow US sprinter Calvin Smith.

Smith had actually produced a faster time of 9.91 seconds a year earlier at a meet in East Germany, but this was chalked off because the following wind of 2.1m/s was above the legal limit. However he returned in 1983 to break the world record legitimately, at a meet in Colorado, shaving two-hundreths of a second off the Jim Hines mark. This run was also at high altitude, and it was commonplace to see athletes attempt world records in the sprints at meets held in the more rarefied air of a high altitude venue in those days.

Unfortunately for Smith, his career coincided with that of Carl Lewis, whose more outgoing personality sat better with the media. Lewis also had the ability to turn on the speed when it really mattered, as he swept up the 100 metres and the long jump at the inaugural World Championships of Athletics, in Helsinki later that year. Smith would win the 200 metres, in a time of 20.14 seconds, while both men helped the USA team win the 4x100 metres relay, setting a world record time of 37.14 seconds in the process.

Calvin Smith sealed a great year in Zurich after the World Championships, where he ran a 9.97 in the 100 metres and then a 19.99 in the 200 metres, making him the first man to run sub-10 and sub-20 at the same meet, at the respective distances. While Lewis went on to become the darling of the media, Smith continued to turn in impressive performances over a period of several years. He retained his 200 metres World title in Rome in 1987, before lining up in Seoul a year later for what many consider to be the greatest race ever - the Olympic 100 metres final 'won' by Canadian Ben Johnson. Of course the result was subsequently overturned, after the most infamous positive dope test in athletics. Smith originally finished fourth in that final and was upgraded to bronze retrospectively, while second-placed Lewis was awarded gold.

The achievements of Calvin Smith remain overshadowed by those of Lewis, despite allegations of positive tests by the latter being overturned by the US governing body, thus allowing Lewis to compete. No such allegations have ever been aimed at Smith, and it is fitting that 30 years after he broke that world record, he is remembered today.

Here is footage of Calvin Smith breaking Jim Hines's 1968 world record: