The younger generation only knows Dick Clark as the guy who hosted New Year’s Rockin’ Eve which after he suffered a stroke several years ago was turned over to Ryan Seacrest with Clark appearing in a somewhat limited role. However I and I’m sure many of you will always associate him with American Bandstand, the music variety show that ran on ABC from 1957-87.

Dick Clark remembered on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame
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That was the show where you often heard songs and artists for the first time and for years it was a must-see on Saturday mornings for teenagers and yes even their parents…at least the cool ones.

Jerry Lee Lewis, Tina Turner, Smokey Robinson and Simon & Garfunkel were among the many who first gained national exposure on Bandstand which would feature kids dancing to the music. That show was groundbreaking in that Clark not only gave black artists at national forum but he had blacks and whites share the stage and sit together in the audience…something pretty much unheard of at that time.

Eventually he would build an entertainment empire, creating game shows like Pyramid, the long-running American Music Awards and much more. Nicknamed “the world’s oldest teenager” Clark never seemed to age and until suffering a stroke in 2004 he could have easily passed for someone 20 years younger.

Dick Clark died Wednesday of a heart attack at age 82 and frankly at little bit of many of us died with him.

Time Inc Sports Group editor Terry McDonell with 2011 Sports Illustrated Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year, College Basketball coaches Pat Summit and Mike Krzyzewski attend the 2011 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year award presentation
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Pat Summit began working at the University of Tennessee as a graduate assistant in 1974 but quickly became the head women’s basketball coach when the previous coach suddenly quit.

She was 22 years old, helped wash the team’s uniforms and drove the van to away games…all for $250 a month. 38 years later she announced Wednesday she was stepping down, less than a year after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Summit won a record 1098 games and led the Volunteers to 8 National Championship. More than that she is the single person most responsible for the growth of women’s basketball and every girl who has ever earned a scholarship has Summit to thank.

What do Tim Tebow and Jeremy Lin have in common with Barrack Obama, Mitt Romney, Matt Lauer and Hillary Clinton? They were all named to Time Magazine’s list of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the World. Once again I did not make the list…oh well there is always next year.

 

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