I agree Robert,the highlight for me was seeing Bill blow up the water bottle,and all at the age of 50.I just think that the early ones were more "pure",now you have too many pick up and run races and there will be 0.01 difference between 1st and 2nd.
Well if you notice the entertainment value isn't there now that was in the first three.
In the first show 1977 CBS showed a series of 7 shows for 7 weeks.
It's the only one people remember because it had star football players, star Bodybuilders, star shot putters, wrestlers, Powerlifter's, weight lifters, and the Judges were all superstars in there own rite.
Lets start with The True Worlds Strongest Man and Legend Paul Anderson. Or legend bodybuilder Tommy Kono, Powerlifter David Shaw, or John Terpek, or weightlifter Hal Connely. There were more in the back ground that most don't even know we're there.
That one show had more press coverage than all the WSM Shows sense put together. Now it's a one hour show and the public don't care about watching it. Watched once and forgotten the next day.
The 77, 78, and 79 shows are still being talked about today after 36 years. All the rest I couldn't even tell you there names.
We're you one of the lucky ones that saw any of the first three in person?
If so you were one of the lucky ones to see the best of the best.
They are great memories for me.