30 for 30 — Specials

May 2012

An interview with Pete Rose, Major League Baseball's all-time hits leader, at The Forum Shops at Las Vegas' Caesars Palace, where he signs autographs and memorabilia while store employees act as barkers to lure shoppers into the store.

Sept 2012

A look at how a young Arnold Schwarzenegger's compulsory service in the Austrian Army played a critical role in his path to international bodybuilding fame.

Oct 2012

The career of Alfred Slote, an author of sports-oriented children's books (Jake being his personal favorite) whose interest was not so much the games played but the drama that the characters encountered.

Nov 2012

An exploration into the history, mystery, and industry surrounding "The Arnold Palmer", the lemonade-and-iced tea beverage created by the same-named golfing legend that has become a fixture of nineteenth hole lore and American leisure.

Jan 2013

The efforts of Muhammad Ali to negotiate with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein for the release of U.S. civilians taken hostage after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

Feb 2013

The style evolution of New York Knicks player and broadcaster Walt Frazier, from his cool-as-ice look in the 1970s to his use of vibrant colors and patterns today.

Feb 2013

The story of the rare and valuable T206 Honus Wagner baseball card—over a century old and valued in the millions of dollars—and the myths and realities that surround it.

Mar 2013

During the summer of 2012, a secret meeting took place among the 12 members of the 1972 U.S. men's Olympic basketball team. Reuniting more than four decades after the controversial gold-medal game in which they lost to the Soviet Union and then declined to accept the silver medal, the team members met in Lexington, Kentucky, to make a final decision: to accept, or forever refuse, the medals for a game many of them believe they never lost. And, like with the jury in 12 Angry Men, the verdict needed to be unanimous.

Apr 2013

John Tuggle, the 1983 NFL draft's Mr. Irrelevant, was anything but irrelevant to legendary coach Bill Parcells. The normally tough and gruff coach will guide us on an emotional journey as he recounts his own rookie season as the head coach of the New York Giants and the year he came to know this very special athlete who made his team against all odds. But only one year later, a rare and unbeatable form of cancer would change both John's and Coach Parcells' destinies leaving behind a lasting impact on teammates and the life of the coach who understands just how fragile life can be.

May 2013

Clint Malarchuk was the "Cowboy Goalie." He grew up riding horses with a severe childhood OCD problem. He would ultimately go down in hockey history for suffering one of the most gruesome injuries in sports when he severed his carotid artery by an opposing player's skate blade. "Cutthroat," will cover the injury, his remarkable physical recovery in under two weeks and his grueling emotional and mental one.

Jul 2013

An intimate, funny and compelling take on the unique relationship and shared legacy of Tommy John, the chatty Indiana lefty who won nearly 300 Major League games, and Dr. Frank Jobe, the unassuming L.A. orthopedist who conceived and performed a revolutionary elbow operation on John in 1974.

Aug 2013

Rarely seen archival footage and interviews with people who lived and worked with Wilt Chamberlain give a fascinating glimpse into the basketball star's experiences in the Borscht Belt during its heyday.

Aug 2013

Johnnie Ashe tells of a personal sacrifice: After finishing a tour of service in the Vietnam War, Johnnie, a U.S. Marine, volunteers to serve another tour in place of his older brother, Army 2nd Lieutenant Arthur Ashe. Johnnie's selfless move allows Arthur to continue his budding tennis career.

Sept 2013

The intriguing life and tragic death of businessman Donald Aronow, a prominent name in the world of powerboat racing.

Nov 2013

Using only a computer, a pencil and paper, and cooperation, the husband-and-wife duo of Henry and Holly Stephenson spent almost a quarter-century creating Major League Baseball's season schedule.

Nov 2013

Beginning with stealing a player's warm-up outfit and posing as a player at the 1979 NBA All-Star Game, Barry Bremen begins a playful run fulfilling the average sports fan's ultimate fantasy, sneaking into the fields of play to pose as players, golfers, game officials, and even a cheerleader.

Jan 2014

Security guard Richard Jewell received praise in the aftermath of a bombing during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta when he helped clear the area and found the bag that contained the pipe bomb. Praise turned into loss of honor when Jewell was wrongfully accused of planting the bomb in the ensuing investigation.

Feb 2014

The battle between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees to trade for Alex Rodriguez during the 2003–2004 baseball offseason.

Mar 2014

Player Bo Ellis designs a rebellious, nonconformist jersey that would exemplify the Al McGuire-era Marquette men's basketball team.

Apr 2014

How the Harlem Globetrotters became unlikely ambassadors during the Cold War when they played a series of games in Moscow in 1959.

May 2014

A profile of Shawn Bradley, a 7-foot-6 center who spent the majority of his NBA career on the wrong end of epic dunks (the kind usually found on posters), and how he went from a bust on the basketball court to a superstar off of it.

Jun 2014

The story behind the iconic, multicolored basketball court Robert Indiana designed for the MECCA Arena, home to the Milwaukee Bucks and Marquette Warriors until 1988, and how one Bucks fan used his family's credit card to rescue the floor from the scrap heap.

Jul 2014

When L.A. Dodger Dusty Baker hit his 30th home run of the 1977 season, the first man to greet him at home plate was his friend and teammate, rookie Glenn Burke. Overcome with happiness, Burke did the first thing that came to mind—he put his hand straight in the air and had Baker slap it, thus in fact creating the high five gesture.

Aug 2014

A team from The Bronx makes it to the 2001 Little League World Series, only to be disqualified when pitcher Danny Almonte is revealed to be two years too old to play in Little League.

Sept 2014

A profile of the mental side of sports focuses on Mackey Sasser, a talented catcher who suddenly couldn't perform the routine task of throwing the ball back to the pitcher, and how confronting boyhood traumas helped in his mental recovery.

Oct 2014

Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson recalls the team's October 1989 trade of Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings, as well as the roster maneuvers involving the players the Cowboys received in return that laid the foundations for the team's success in the 1990s.

Nov 2014

A look inside the mindset of legendary Boston Bruins enforcer John Wensink, who endeared himself to fans when he infamously challenged the entire Minnesota North Stars bench to a fight, and the journey his life took following his playing career.

Dec 2014

A look at the 1976 Muhammad Ali/Ken Norton fight at Yankee Stadium. The fight's controversial decision is only part of the story, as gang activity and theft in the wake of a NYPD strike was happening right outside the stadium's gates.

Jan 2015

Growing up in Hawaii, Reggie Ho always thought he would follow his father's footsteps into medicine, yet he becomes a crucial contributor to Notre Dame's undefeated 1988 season as a walk-on player.

Jan 2015

Dr. Robert Cade, a renowned kidney specialist at the University of Florida, leads a research team that develops a drink designed to help replenish body fluids lost by the school's football team – a "magic elixir" that would later be called Gatorade.

Feb 2015

A look at the issue of the cryogenic preservation of Ted Williams' body.

Feb 2015

Kevin Von Erich was part of a legendary wrestling family (he and fellow brothers David, Mike, Chris, and Kerry). The only surviving brother (the other four were lost to drug addiction or suicide), Kevin now finds peace living off the grid in a remote part of Hawaii.

Mar 2015

A recollection of how the Princeton Tigers, a heavy underdog, nearly defeated top-seeded Georgetown in the first round of the 1989 NCAA Tournament, a game that would forever change March Madness.

Apr 2015

For Sports Illustrated's April 1, 1985, issue, George Plimpton profiled Sidd Finch, a highly eccentric New York Mets prospect who could throw a fastball at an unheard-of 168 mph... and who was a product of Plimpton's imagination. On the 30th anniversary of the April Fools hoax, the surviving people responsible are profiled, including the Illinois middle-school teacher who posed as Finch for SI.

May 2015

Aiming to satirize the loveable team mascot craze of the late 1970s and early 1980s, the 1984 San Francisco Giants introduce an "anti-mascot" named "Crazy Crab". With fans encouraged to take the "anti-" literally, Crazy Crab and the actor playing him, Wayne Doba, endure verbal and physical abuse over the course of the Giants' last-place season.

Jun 2015

Already a proven broadcasting and sports executive, as well as an America's Cup-winning yachtsman, Ted Turner enters and skippers Tenacious in the 1979 Fastnet yachting race. Here, Turner and Tenacious's crew recall the harrowing race, an event marred by a deadly storm in the Celtic Sea.

Jul 2015

The story of Moe Berg, a 15-year veteran of Major League Baseball who went on to become a World War II spy for the United States.

Jul 2015

How seeing the treatment of her intellectually disabled sister propelled Eunice Kennedy Shriver to create the Special Olympics.

Aug 2015

A profile of Kansas City Chiefs star Joe Delaney, whose reputation for helping others lasted until his drowning death in 1983, when he attempted to save the lives of three boys in a Louisiana pond (though he himself could not swim).

Sept 2015

A look at President George W. Bush's ceremonial first pitch at New York's Yankee Stadium prior to Game 3 of the 2001 World Series, just seven weeks after the September 11 attacks in the city.

Sept 2015

Though the 1979 Pirates thrilled Pittsburgh with a World Series win, many of their stars succumbed to the lure of cocaine, leading to baseball's first major drug scandal.

Oct 2015

A mid-season visit to Kansas City by South Korean native and avid Royals fan Lee Sung-woo is followed by a Royals' surge to the 2014 playoffs. With the team in the World Series, an attempt is made by two Royals fans to bring their "good-luck charm" from Seoul back to KC.

Oct 2015

The story of Joy Johnson, who took up running at age 59 after raising four children and went on to run 25 New York City Marathons.

Nov 2015

The story behind the Chattanooga Heroes Fund, started by University of Tennessee alum Peyton Manning to benefit the families of the service members and police officers who were killed or wounded in a July 2015 shooting incident in Chattanooga.

Nov 2015

A look at the life and legacy of late Philadelphia Eagles owner Leonard Tose.

Dec 2015

How diver Greg Louganis dealt with two different pressures surrounding him at the 1988 Olympics—his attempt to defend his double gold medal performance from 1984 and the discovery of his HIV-positive status prior to the Games.

Feb 2016

The story of Friedman's, an Atlanta shoe store that specialized in really big (think size 22), really expensive shoes for the six-foot-something athlete.

Feb 2016

The story of how the Indiana Pacers avoided financial ruin by holding a telethon in the summer of 1977.

Feb 2016

A look at the life of Pete Weber, the self-declared "bad boy of bowling" and the sport's first rock star.

Mar 2016

A 16-year-old Yup'ik Eskimo leaves his tiny village and travels across the frozen tundra to compete in an all-Yup'ik basketball tournament and bring pride to his village.

Mar 2016

The last consolation game in the NCAA Tournament, held in 1981 between LSU and Virginia, was overshadowed by the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan earlier that day, and also by a postgame comment about Reagan by LSU star Rudy Macklin that haunted him for years.

Apr 2016

When Patrick Q. F. Barr found a discarded golf club in the trash, he decided to save it and play street golf in New York City using paper milk cartons stuffed with newspaper, earning him the nickname, "Tiger Hood".

Apr 2016

How Elvis Presley became a racquetball enthusiast in the final years of his life, going so far as to build a court at his mansion and proposing a chain of racquetball centers.

May 2016

The lasting legacy of the 1970 Kentucky Derby has nothing to do with the winner, Dust Commander. Its true impact came from the assignment that Scanlan's Monthly gave to a 32-year-old writer from Louisville named Hunter S. Thompson.

May 2016

While A. C. Green is well-known for his basketball talents (winning 3 NBA titles with the "Showtime"-era Lakers and playing in a league-record 1,192 consecutive games), he is also known for abiding by his Christian beliefs and remaining celibate throughout his entire NBA career.

May 2016

How Japanese thoroughbred Haru Urara, who never won a race in her career, became a symbol of hope to her country and saved the racetrack where she was based.

May 2016

A look back at the aftermath of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal, focusing specifically on the removal of Joe Paterno's statue from the campus and the design of its replacement.

May 2016

It's a long way from Bucharest, Romania to Norman, Oklahoma, and it's been a long time since the 1976 Olympics, where Nadia Comăneci scored seven perfect 10s on her way to three gold medals.

Jul 2016

The story of Alexis Argüello, legendary in Nicaragua as both one of the greatest boxers of the 20th century and a political figure.

Aug 2016

How jai alai went from drawing crowds of thousands in Miami in the 1970s and 1980s to being fortunate to draw 100 a match today.

Dec 2016

A look back at the college career of Gordie Lockbaum, who became a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist in the 1980s at Division I-AA Holy Cross as a figurative throwback to an earlier era of football, sometimes participating in more than 80% of his team's plays (offense and defense) in a given game.

May 2017

The story of Greg Marino, master forger and target of a 1990s FBI investigation known as Operation Bullpen.

Sept 2017

How a team of U.S. Marshals lured more than 100 fugitives to arrest through an offer of free Washington Redskins game tickets.

Sept 2017

Examining the heroics of high school football player Zaevion Dobson that lead to his death.

Dec 2017

Wally Blasé is assigned to oversee Chicago Bull Dennis Rodman's knee rehab. What followed was 10 days of jet-setting, brushes with celebrity, a lifelong friendship between Blasé and Rodman — and the Bulls' 5th NBA title.

Aug 2018

Victoria Arlen had it all as a young girl—athletic talent and a loving family—until falling into a coma at age 11. When she awakened three years later, she was literally trapped in her body, unable to communicate that she was still there. With the help of family and therapy, she came out of her prison unable to walk... but could still swim, all the way to one gold and three silver medals at the 2012 Paralympics. But she wasn't done yet, enrolling in a program called Project Walk—and ending up as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars.

Sept 2018

Chronicles the anxiety experienced by Felix Baumgartner during the lead-up to his ultimately successful attempt to become the first human to break the sound barrier without the benefit of engine power.

Sept 2019

The story of Mack Beggs and his desire to compete in boys' wrestling in Texas, even though state interscholastic officials, who recognized him as female (Beggs is a trans male), forced him to compete in girls' competitions.

Sept 20221h 30m

The story of Native American baseball player Louis Sockalexis and his impact on the sport.

Sept 20221h

Oct 20151h 17m

The fight of Sacramento and its mayor Kevin Johnson to keep the Kings from moving to Seattle. Episode pulled before airing, intended to be Season 03 Episode 03.