Old School Design: 1975 MLB television graphics

In our modern sports world of high definition broadcasts and all sorts of computer graphics software, we are accustomed to seeing really spectacular graphics during the sports broadcasts we watch. The image above shows some graphics from the Reds vs. Astros game on MLBTV. We see this type of graphics all the time and don't really give them a second thought.

A few nights ago, I was watching a rebroadcast of the 1975 World Series and was struck by the graphics that were available to television broadcasters at the time. To say the least, on screen graphics have come a long way in the 34 years that have passed since then. Without the modern graphics software everyone has today, the graphics were amazingly simple.

Until we had channels like ESPN Classic and now all of the league channels, original broadcasts of games like these had not been seen in any real detail since they ran live. Taking a look at them with today's eyes gives a great perspective of the design resources that were available back then. Compare the score screen from the 1975 World Series to the screen grab of the 2009 MLBTV graphics.

This image of Luis Tiant is a great example of the graphics style of the 1970's baseball broadcast. The lettering is simple and there are no graphics to go along with it, just simple bright type.

I really don't know why this impacted me the way it did, but it was really cool to look back in time and see how it was done in those days. We are so spoiled by today's slick, colorful sports productions that it is hard to remember that this was the type of stuff we were seeing just a short time ago. (click on the images to see larger versions)

Comments

[johnny griswold]

It would be cool to see them re-do the graphics for the classic games.

[Jim Ransdell]

That would be a great idea.

[marc]

good topic today, Jim. i miss the old graphics. today, there's just too dang much happening on-screen. it's like seinfeld once lamented, "do you want me to watch or do you want me to read?"

sure the gfx are great looking, but they can get distracting no matter how good the design. i have a hard time watching fox sports channel's version of sportscenter (can't think of the name) because of the gigantic right-hand side graphic they employ along with the ticker along the bottom. it's like that snl skit where they filled the screen with news, weather, sports, etc. graphics to the point of having the anchors duck and weave in order to be seen onscreen.

the old gfx were clean and simple and got the job done just as well. i like how they're from the '75 series simply because that's the first series i remember watching (i was 8)... back when they still had WS day games. i can't believe i was rooting for the sox!

[marc]

a good side topic of today's might be old school scoreboard graphics. we used to joke down at old cleveland stadium about how the one-color player images all looked the same... it'd be either "mustache" or "no mustache" who was up to bat.

here's a shot of the scoreboard (just the box score on the 'board, but you'll get the gist:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6c/ClevelandMunicipalStadium1993Outfield.jpg

[johnny griswold]

I think baseball is a slow enough sport where you can have these modern graphics with a ton of info. There's a lot of time in between plays or pitches, so I enjoy all the info.

[marc]

@ johnny

i'd have to agree re: baseball being slow-paced enough. it is nice to be able to scan the box score and get caught up in about 10 seconds if you come in late. i guess my rant is more aimed at the overuse/misuse these days of onscreen graphics overall. maybe i'm just gettin' old and can't handle too much info all at once. it never used to bug me, but lately, i feel like it's info overload.

[johnny griswold]

@ marc

Oh, I am on the same page with you as far as the overuse of on-screen graphics. It's especially disturbing while watching a newscast or some sort of talking-heads show. How can you listen to what they are saying when graphics are flying in, scrolling over and flashing on and off? It's out of control.

[marc]

back @ johnny

...and don't even get me started on those little animations going on in the lower third DURING a show advertising another show. AAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!!

[Cheap Computers Canada]

i miss the old graphics. today, there's just too dang much happening on-screen. it's like seinfeld once lamented, "do you want me to watch or do you want me to read?"