I remember the good old days when I had to listen to the stare out matches on radio. You used your imagination in those days. Now it's all HD TV coverage and fancy graphics. A bit flashy for my taste.
I know what you mean. I remember playing Andrew Dudley's World Stare Out Champion '91 on the Commodore 64. Granted it was a bit basic on the graphics but I still say it was way more playable than the modern X-box games, which are all showboating to me.
The radio is where Raymond Sledge cut his teeth of course. His father Ian Sledge used to commentate on the PA at the stadiums. Apparently there is a long lost audio of the two Sledges commentating together but sadly it slid away into the mists of time. Hopefully one day it will see the light of day again.
This was the golden age of staring, Spatsky in his prime! Much better than the crap that passes for staring nowadays. The sport has really gone downhill in recent years...
When they introduced the Video Assistant Referees it totally ruined the drama and excitement of the blink. At that point it was no longer a sport to me.
I think its too easy to pass off modern day staring as inferior to the staring of the past. Given the lottery investment I think we can look forward to a new golden age of staring.
Thanks so much for uploading! I remember watching the 43Rd with my Dad, who recently passed. Like a lot of men of his generation, for him the staring came before anything else. He stared for the local club every Thursday and Sunday, never missed a match! That is, until the eye strain got him. He'd already lost my mum and once he couldn't stare anymore I think he just lost the will to live. I don't often get emotional but watching this made me cry because it's probably the last happy memory I have of him. I don't know why I decided to shared this with bunch of strangers in the internet instead of my wife but reading the other comments it just seemed like there is a lot of people here who take the game seriously like he did, which is rare these days.. So yeah, thanks!
Thanks for sharing dude, my brother was an amateur back in the day and went up against the great Uzliam who was just starting out. Lost him last year 😔 and these classic clips help me remember him.
Thanks for the stare, sorry, share, bro'... I know exactly what you mean...There's nothing like bonding watching a 6 hour epic with the old fella.. My Dad'd be shouting at the TV screen, very much an armchair fan, but knew the game inside-out.. Used to regale me with tales of the greats that he'd seen on the old black and white... We had colour TV by the 70s, but Dad said it was never the same....He used to go and isten to it on the radio in the kitchen... But Dad was a MASSIVE Solowka fan, (even when he lost 4 finals in a row) which meant that Dad couldn''t watch or even listen to his matches...He used to go up to his shed and Mum would have to tell him the result afterwards.... I'm sure that our Dads are up there somewhere, staring down at us...
This is the problem with millennials. Unlike us and our fathers generation they simply don’t have the attention span these days. They will never realise what it’s like to watch the drama unfold in front of your eyes over the hours in a bloody good staring match. Ironically you couldn’t blink in case you missed the big moment. RIP to your father. Thanks for sharing your story.
RIP Benny Kiang (23 January 1967 - 12 December 2022). Just heard the devastating news that Kiang has passed away, and I'd like to be the first to register my mawkish and cliché-ridden condolences. I know he divided opinions, and I'm certainly not here to condone his violent misdemeanours, the politically incorrect statements he uttered, or THOSE allegations. Today I'd like to pay tribute to, IMHO, the greatest stare-outer of all-time. For me above even Spatsky and Giggles; he was the best counter-attacker I've ever had the pleasure to watch, a crowd-pleaser, and an innovator who could turn a match with one stare. Yes, he was a flawed genius, yes he had his demons, but his foibles were what attracted the supporters, they gave him a human quality. If there is a heaven, I think Kiang is staring down on us. RIP big man and thanks for all the memories.
Anan Nanak's loss to Kampagnola was heartbreaking in the semi finals, but I'm glad he was a good sport about it. He fought hard to make to the semi-finals, and even through the wind delay, he didn't break his stare. I met him in 2002 a few months before he passed, the sweetest old man I ever met. My sister still has his signature on her prosthetic!
Funny to look back now and see how revolutionary Duran's technique really was, so many players now favour that style - it really does put those with the classical setup on the defensive.
Problem with Duran's technique was that the Chelyabinsk Defence worked against it...Once the very top players got his number, he wasn't able to push on a level... It's what separates the very, very good from the truly excellent; the ability to adapt, especially mid-game...Not taking anything away from Duran, though; he was a tremendous talent, and a true original...
@@johnnybrum940 That's the thing, if Duran had had a better range of techniques he really could have been a true great. Such a wonderful advocate for the game though, very sad to hear about his recent health issues after that unfortunate incident with the ostrich...
John Duran. What a legend. I remember when he broke Lee Hurst's nose on They Think It's All Over in 1999 after a particularly frosty round of feel the sportsman.
I was there for the finals that year. Incredible stuff. I was only 9 but I still remember my Dad talking a little how he bumped into Kampagnola in the toilets just before the warm up. He was washing his hands next to him and caught a quick glimpse of his eyes in the mirror glass. It was just second or two but I could tell that my Dad was visibly shaken by the experience. The TV coverage can’t do justice to just how hard that stare is in real life to deal with. That year was the last of the great “unlimited” matches era. Now they are time limited to 2 hours in order to avoid major injuries , which I understand , because there were too many deaths back then, but I still yearn for the old days of the black and white TV coverage and ambulances.
I honestly don't understand why anybody would prefer to watch American Eyeballing when classic staring is so much more skilful and entertaining. My dad was a Navy staring champion in the 70s and I used to do a bit of staring myself - even made it as far as county championships one year! But this level is something else. It makes my retinas dry up just thinking about it!!
When I was I boy, I remember my Dad and I watching the staring on World of Sport, so surprised to see others remember it on the BBC. Different era, perhaps. Dickie Davies was certainly a great fan of the sport and competed himself well into his 20s, but following his very visible injury was forced to retire. My Dad reckoned it was all fixed anyway, and Giggles Clifton would always win. But you didn’t question it in those days.
I remember attending a charity pro am tournament and had the pleasure of seeing Ted 'The Head' Stead go up against Terry Wogan. Old Tel kept talking and tried to use his soothing tones to put the great man off, he didn't stand a chance. Speaking of soothing tones I got to meet the legendary Raymond Sledge there too. Top commentator and a real gentleman.
My claim to fame is that I was mates with the son of a taxi driver who once drove Mr Jobby to Blue Peter in '71. The taxi driver, who has to remain anonymous because of GDPR, said that Mr Jobby was always alert even in the car. He drove past one hedge, and Mr Jobby gave out a large, piercing yelp. Frank O'Shea, Mr Jobby's agent, told the taxi driver to stop. Mr Jobby and O'Shea jumped out of the car, Mr Jobby had a good sniff, and found an old bag of fish and chips in the hedge. Mr Jobby sadly died a year later whilst on a world tour, getting run over outside the Libreville Auditorium in Gabon just before an "Audience With Mr Jobby" show. There were so many people in the auditorium, and there was a fear of rioting, that O'Shea replaced Mr Jobby with a stand-in, and the audience didn't suspect a thing.
Takes me back to the time when I got stuck in a lift with John Duran and Andrew Dudley. Think it was the 1991 British Championships in Peterborough. Both lovely fellas - knew Dudley would go far when he didn’t bat an eyelid as we plummeted three floors!
The introduction of VAR into the stare out championships has been an absolute disaster. The technology simply isn't good enough to properly assess whether the eye has fully closed.
Couldn't agree more. Slows down and destroys the rhythm of the matches. VAR fine in less intensive/hight tempo sports such as Cricket, Tennis and Water Polo. But in Staring? No thanks!
yet we remember that good traditional staring culture starts in a family. Preserving our family traditions we will in turn save True Spirit of Staring. p.s. International HI from Russian Starer.
I envy you that staring culture is alive and well in Russia. When I was a young you'd see children staring in the street but now they're all inside playing their X-Boxs. No wonder there is so much obesity here!
Depressing, bro, depressing. Spatsky had the talent, he didn't need thise drugs until the last couple of years. I guess it's just what you'll do to keep in the limelight. Best just to remember him at the top of his game here.
Spatsky was never convicted of substance abuse. Yes it was suspicious but until there is definitive proof he stands as the greatest starer of all time.
The recent introduction of the 48 hour limit for the duration of the match really put a lot of strain on the players, as they have to deal with time pressure and have to adjust their game accordingly.
The 48 hour limit had to come. Back in the 1950’s the old endurance starers would be at it for days without a break. Matches were often decided when the opposing player died (and therefore blinked). The top players formed SOAP (Stare Out Association of Players) to pressurise the governing body to reduce match length but to no avail. It took the blinding of a young newcomer, Jimmy Wang, in a 4 day marathon in the Casablanca Open, to finally alert the authorities to change.
Showing my age now, but can anyone remember the first Andrew Dudley's World Stare Out Champion game? I had it on the Acorn Electron. I got the board game the same year. What a Christmas that was!!
You get highlights on channel five on Sunday mornings at 3AM, but it's pretty shit coverage because they cram the whole tournament's into a half hour slot. It's OK if you are just interested in the results but it ruins the more technical aspects of the game and I can't really enjoy it like I used to. Also I've never heard of half the new young players, most have no personality's and it's mostly south east Asians dominating the game these days, it's lost all character unlike the golden era of the 80's and 90's up to 2005-ish.
I met Raymond Sledge once. He'd retired by then, but kept a group of us fans entertained for hours at a local convention. Signed loads of books without blinking an eye lid. Top man!
At the end of the day it's a community. But the kids these days just don't get it, with their so-called video games and all that. I know this is controversial, but if player numbers keep falling they're going to have to start allowing women in.
@@davewellslives Yes, I agree. A mix of femininity, showmanship and ruthlessness. Not sure about her winning celebration though, running around in her sports bra.
Watching this, you just know that Spatsky could have any of the modern starers for breakfast; even under 20-20 rules, where they're allowed a break every 20 mins (probably to update their TikTok accounts), Spatsky would be wiping the floor with them; he probably wouldn't even actually take the break, lest it upset his concentration...
Benny Kiang is just a wonderful human being, I met him once back in 1986. He was already a local legend at the time, just a natural stare-out champion that climbed straight to the top, without even breaking a sweat.
My Dad met him at a pro/celebrity tournament (partnering Bruce Forsyth) in Dumfriesshire back in the 90s. Whilst Brucie acted the big star, Kiang, apparently, had no airs and graces whatsoever, and would happily chat to everybody from the club chairman to the tea-ladies. A true legend of the sport, and I still can't quite believe he's not with us anymore. RIP Benny.
Benny was at a charity event in my local workingmen's club, all went well until someone mentioned his 'dodgy' haircut. Suffice to say three people ended up in hospital with multiple Injuries.
Big Train is a largely forgotten masterpiece of British TV comedy. The Staring Competition is just so funny. Also beautiful animation. The technical term for the technique is ‘boiling’. You can see why.
This 43rd tournament certainly was historic,but does anyone else remember how exciting the regional qualifiers were? My grandad took me to any and all we could attend,all the way through the mid 70's,when I was just a lad,raised on spam and a drip feed of brown ale. Many a breathlessly tense stare battle was witnessed through those thin strata of stale cigarette smoke. Truly a golden era.
Agreed. I think the cigarette smoke actually assisted the great English club starers of this era. Forgetting about the eye cancer for a second, it trained the optic nerve into a solid dependable weapon. This is why the modern game, certainly since the smoking ban of the 90’s, lacks the intensity of the classics. And don’t get me started on these new fangled Optrex sponsored games. Eye drops? At the WSOC!! Pathetic.
@@MaximusMeridius-tg1kz It's gone too corporate now. I refuse to watch it anymore , money has ruined the game and it's become so Americanised. Still can watch the classics online but it's not the same.
I work in law and learned a lot of tips and techniques from watching these for when I attend hearings at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. I could out stare any Judge...so much so , one year, I made it to the semi finals only to be knocked out by Paddington Bear. Pure... ruvian genius.
Annan Nanak's fan club was frequently confused with the Anorak Group, and matters were made more complicated by the fact that the membership of both organizations substantially overlapped. ua-cam.com/video/6-n6j-dlgWw/v-deo.html
I wish they hadn't banned the "Stare At Girls" who would escort the competitors into the arena. They bought a little glamour to the game, which it sorely needs right now.
"Girls"? I hardly think it's appropriate to refer to three women in their mid to late 40s as girls. And we were all volunteers. None of the huge sums of money swilling around in that corrupt, drug-fuelled sport ever found its way into *our* pockets. We were lucky to get our travelling expenses to the matches met, never mind the dry-cleaning bills to get all the Optrex stains out of those famous gold sequinned hot-pants.
@@Rhubba I vividly recall that incident. Benny was a complex, brilliant and troubled man. He was, as everyone knows, irresistible to women, and that - not the drink- was ultimately his undoing. If only he had outlived JFK, the sport might not have lost one of its most talented performers. But the president wouldn't tolerate his wife playing by the same rules he did. Hence the grotesque "accident"which ended his career.
Oh as a stareout enthusiast I remember that final like it was yesterday. Kampagnola had had a great tournament, including the classic semifinal against Nanak. But he was no match for Spatsky. It was a quick match as most of Spatsky's are. He's a very aggressive starer and tends go all in on his ruthless attacks. It's a risky tactic, sure, but with his talent there's not much anyone could do. Not quite on the same level anymore, but still always a tough one to beat.
Yes it was a great final I also remember it well. I sat in row G seat 26 . Such a great atmosphere . Just a shame stare out is not what it used to be. Every couple of months you can find genuine "didi the pandas" for sale on Ebay .. they make about £350-£800 for a good one ... But my one is not for sale..
My gosh i'm sweating! These Finals were the golden era of my stare career. I was one of the few who didn't stop staring even when i became a boarding director of my dad's agricultural company here in Russia...i still think that staring made me who i am. I'm proud of it and sometimes we stare with my elder son a few hours when women are away for a high-heeling marathon.
Ahh yes I remember going to the staring matches with my Dad as a child. Just as he did with his father before him. Dad had a few pints with the chaps before the match. Me sat in the corner with an orange juice and packet of crisps. Singing along with the crowd to stareway to heaven. Ahh great memories, Great! Great memories!
I met the Russian in 1976 when he came to the UK for a series of exhibition matches. They were open to all-comers and he was relentless, one poor chap had a stroke after 35 mins of action. Another had fainted, unforgettable.
They always used to say that Campagnola was such a charming man. I crossed paths with him one sunny day in 1991 in Stratford On Avon. He passed me in the street, walking with his then wife, Esperanza Del Mar (this was before his well publicised fling with the young Kelly Brook) I said to him, smiling "have you blinked today, Alessandro?" To which he stopped, turned, and spat on the floor at my feet. I was so taken aback that I just carried on walking, in a daze. I never did go and see him compete again. A legend died for me, that day.
You can’t judge a genius by the standards of ordinary men. People used to understand that back in those days. Now you step out of line just once and you’re “cancelled” or “remanded” just like that, it doesn’t matter how many kiddies hospitals you’ve visited.
@@pezn2077 I have to disagree, I understand the immense pressure these sports stars are under, but like it or not they are in the public domain and their actions can influence impressionable youngsters. Nobody is forcing them into this well-paid profession. Just because you could get away with it in those days doesn't mean he SHOULD have. Campagnola also said some unforgivable things about gay, women, and disabled competitors. You can call me 'woke' all you want, but it was wrong then, just as much then as now. It came as little surprise when Campagnola refused to take the knee.
Thanks for bringing back so many happy memories. I could never aspire to these dizzy heights but l was an avid enthusiast back when it was on Grandstand. My dad took me down to his local when l was fifteen and introduced me to the amateur game. I think l lasted about six minutes which l suppose wasn't bad for a starter. But kids these days just can't stare for toffee. Too many staring sims on the PlayStation, l suppose...
Barry Davies. The "Voice" once visited my School to give assembly the mans voice was a total pleasure and made many of my pals and i take up the Mic and have a go ... none of us turned pro but what a memory
I used to record this on cassette tape from the radio but having to pause it whenever the blinking rest began in the beginners contest. That little white card would come down and I’d hit that pause button. Those were the days 😊 Salovka posters were all over my bedroom until i heard Ted ‘the head’ Stead’s staring. That was it. I’ll alway be a Salovka fan, but Stead is the man for me…him and his huge knockers.
Richard Gere was a massive fan of staring. In fact he set up a 'Staring Academy' in Los Angeles. But all the years staring has made him go blind. Damn shame,great actor.
Who else remembers where they were during the final? I was listening to it in a stench packing factory in Saigon. Commentary by Timmy Mallet and the late, great Brian Johnston.
I met John Duran in a Camden bar once, absolute legend, me and mate we pushing each other to go and say something to him, he noticed and came over and offered to buy us a drink, sat with us for about an hour chatting, so down to earth, really happy he got through the other side of his alcohol problems in later life. Will never forget that day.
I think his surprise win in the 45th world championship really got to his head. He's not a natural talent but always great to watch and knocked out some big names that year after being given a wildcard entry. Right to the final everyone was giving him no chance and everyone thought finally Solowka was going to get his win after all these years but Duran just wouldn't blink. A little fact that hardly anyone realised is that Duran didn't blink until the moment he lifted the trophy.
@@garethmills4383 I remember there being a lot of speculation at the time and actually still to this day that he used performance enhancing substances, we will never know for sure, thankfully the testing regime is much better today than it was back then.
@@TheJohnRowley Well, before a big tournament, he'd train in town, stare straight ahead as he walked down the street, so as to overcome distractions. Regrettably, he fell down a manhole - not only did he break both his legs, he caught his head nastily, and when retrieved, never regained consciousness. He was on life support for two years before the family decided to switch it off. What a shame that Uncle John should have spent those last two years with his eyes shut. It was a fitting service, though - around 150 people crammed into a small church, all of us staring at the vicar without a word as we crouched behind the pews.
To think they only got 10k for exhibition games back then. The amount professional starers get now is ludicrous but when you consider how much the TV rights go for it's not surprising. I just wish the BBC still had the rights to show the full tournament and not just the qualifiers.
Back when staring was a real man's game. Of course, after the relentless aggression demonstrated by Spatsky's during the final, the rules where changed and the referees given better guidance on when to stop matches. I guess it's much safer now but it really took some of the excitement out of the later tournaments.
Wow, the great tournament of 1998! Really takes me back to my misspent youth on the young amateur circuit - really eating, sleeping and breathing staring. Of course Giggles Clifton used to hang around all the time in his retirement, especially in the changing rooms. Obviously it was before everyone knew, but I can tell you they didn't call him 'the tall man' for nothing.
I admire your commitment to the amateur game. I never really got beyond club level. I learned early on that it was a very technique orientated game and my school rarely organised a match. Apparently they 'didn't have the resources'. I think to be really competent at staring you need to have it instilled in you from a young age. Enthusiasm just isn't enough. I've always felt somewhat bitter towards my school ever since. Bloody comprehensives.
"Well, you're going to need some very big knockers in order to do that." I chuckled, but the laughter that ensued over the following minutes had me rolling.
Back in the days when even the commentators ridiculed Popstopolous for his 'boring game'. After ventilation standards were taken seriously, circa WSOC-68, he went on to dominate, even in the European trials.
Haven't seen this in years. I loved staring, spent thousands of hours of my youth practicing trying to make it competitively, but I eventually realized it came at such a cost to my life and mood I had to hang up the staring belt and leave the sport. I do miss it though.
Try and organise some local events or give classes to boys (and girls) looking to get into the game. Pass on some of that knowledge to a new generation. I tried to offer some free classes at a local school but the kids just looked at me strangely. (Not staring at me mind as they didnt have a clue how! lol.)
Popstopolous, of course, is a self-taught staring master, and people often forget that this man never received any kind of professional training. That's probably why he has such a distinct style that can disrupt the game for even the most experienced stare-out champions. There is no substitute for pure natural talent, and Popostopulous has been staring since kindergarten, discovering his talent already at the age of five.
Giggles Clifton ? How ironic is that ? I bumped in to him after an Exhibition Stare event in Berwick upon Tweed. A more miserable bloke you are unlikely to meet.
His dad ran a pub in Worpleadon. Every Thursday evening was Stary Stary Night. As a young lad, he’d sneak downstairs, stand on a chair and secretly stare out the older customers, often leaving them in tears. When his dad found out he enrolled him in Saturday morning Kids’ Staring Club at the tender age of 6. The rest is history.
I find it sad that the younger generation are so clueless about the staring greats like Solowka, Ted 'The Head Stead' Stead and of course the great Spatsky. I think it's the instant gratification culture we now live in, epitomised by the introduction of 20-20 staring.
The youth of today stares for hours at their ipods and ipads and whatnot .... they just don't appreciate how great the sport of staring was back in the day
I watch a lot of snooker and this is exactly what the commentary is like. "Perhaps not the most naturally talented player, but you never know what can happen when he's at the table"...
We must never forget staring at grass roots level, professional staring and the premier league has diverted much needed support to the up and coming youngsters...
Erg Noor Spatzky was my hero growing up. Once I even shaved my head and tried to staple my eyelids open so I could emulate his iconic look. Of course I only managed one staple and was taken to A&E to have it removed 😂 We always have a giggle about it whenever the WC comes on telly. Happy days.
I remember as far back as the 15th world champs. Going to the pictures with my old mum , god bless ‘er. Obviously I only went for the Pathe news reel to see if Scottish hero, Finn McKerron at the ripe old age of 32, could ever be beaten. Of course that was in the black & white days (which is still my preferred way of viewing there was none of this new fangled ultra slow motion 3d,4k nonsense then). Anyway old stager, McKerron (“the Starey Highlander”) won again in that famous & controversial“dry eye” final against Steve “deadeyes’ Anderson, a final which is still mulled over today by fans - some of whom weren’t even born back then - amazing. But what’s sometimes overlooked in all the excitement is that that was the year we saw the beginnings of what would become the Yoshi Nakamoto era that changed the face of the sport forever. The unheralded Nakamoto won the juniors that year…….imagine that! . Heady days indeed.
Staring was very popular, back in the day. Lost it's way when they found out that the Lithuanian guy (can't remember his name), was stripped of the world title having found out he had two glass eyes. How it was never picked up on, I'll never know.
I've just discovered that this sketch is based on a comic strip which was called 'The World Stare-out Championship Final' created and published by Paul Hatcher. Apparently Graham Linehan came across it in a newsagent. I believe the TV sketch was made with Hatcher's approval and participation, which is always good to hear (or see, ha ha).
Kind of amusing seeing the first match post 2022... I like listening to cricket commentary on BBC sport and whenever Phil Tuffnel joins the team he always introduces himself like Phil Cornwell's character does here. Always makes me chuckle
Classic from Barry Davies. Clifton was a legend, I remember being introduced to him just before the UK Championships in 1961 in Kettering. He said he had a migraine and I said stay in your dressing room in the dark for a couple of hours. It seemed to work as he went on to win against a young up and coming Kiang.
i miss the halcyon days of staring before money (and drugs) flooded in and ruined the sport. If I remember correctly it was the 1976 olympics in Montreal when the unseeded Pantyboom Joonathanagarn from Thailand sensationally beat the favourite Pavel Zrwtcthcky in the quarter finals before being mercilessly dispatched in the semis by the Brazilian master Herculinho. Great memories
I think you got that wrong. The Moscow 1980 games didn't have any Brazilian representatives due to the boycott. It's my understanding that some friendly staring took place away from the main arena. If reports are to be believed that's the tournament where Spasky played in contact lenses. Very controversial at the time, standard now.
I’ll take stare breaks and goggles for the amateur players over suffering another loss like that poor lad from Sheffield in the 2008 SWC. Could have been the next Ted Stead, now he just presents Eye on Staring for Channel 5 at one o’clock in the morning. Shameful scheduling btw.
Of course, these days we also have the first transgender disabled muslim lesbian person of color in the competition, Rhonda Aziz, who some claim has been brought into the finals because of her politically correct background, rather than her skill.
@@zmajodnocaja5088 She’s there on merit and I think she’s been a breath of fresh air. I consider myself very socially liberal, however I do believe the ISC was right to ban the full face veil from competitive play. I’m glad to see it hasn’t held her back and I wish her well at the Budapest Invitational.
I went to an underground starout competition, I couldn't resist it, covid has ruined the sport for us at the moment, but the police and government will never stop me staring !
It's not the same now. Back in the 70s and 80s I could name every single starer in the competition. I hardly know any of them now. All the characters have gone.
Maybe it's your brain cells that have gone Grandma? I bet you were one of these mad old biddys who would sit ringside and batter the assigned *Wicked Starer* with her handbag?
So true Scot. I once had the honour to to meet "Giggles" at a service station near Newport Pagnall. I was a bit nervous to approch him, what with his circle of minders. Eventually I plucked up enough courage to approach him. I walked over and said, "Giggles, you are the greatest and always will be." He paused his conversation with Anan, turned to me and said a few words that remain with me today. "Fuck of you little shit". Wow! what a hero and a role model for the new wave starers of today. BTW John Duran gave me a terrible kicking in the carpark. What guys!
Recent rule changes make this complicated game even more difficult to comprehend for the average man. Also, you cannot compare todays players with those of yesteryear. Modern training techniques, fitness levels and sheer strength is on a completely different level
But there was a certain freshness and flair that those from yester-year brought to the table that's sorely missing from the robotic staring of today's superstars, Kim. In the quest for perfection, I feel today's starers have lost something far greater - the sheer poetry of staring as a sport
@@vishalsagar3672 Say what you want, but some of the youngsters from low income housing areas who are alleged to be involved in illicit activities really know how to drill into their opponent's defences.
Interesting fact. The referee on the John Duran quarter final (Jacob Microberg) is the uncle of the head masseuse of Workington Town FC of the Northern Premier League.
Some classic 90s match ups. The sport never recovered from the match fixing scandals of the late 2000s. The modern pro-mercenary starers lack the charisma and flair of the 70s-90s golden age legends.
I remember the good old days when I had to listen to the stare out matches on radio. You used your imagination in those days. Now it's all HD TV coverage and fancy graphics. A bit flashy for my taste.
I know what you mean. I remember playing Andrew Dudley's World Stare Out Champion '91 on the Commodore 64. Granted it was a bit basic on the graphics but I still say it was way more playable than the modern X-box games, which are all showboating to me.
The radio is where Raymond Sledge cut his teeth of course. His father Ian Sledge used to commentate on the PA at the stadiums. Apparently there is a long lost audio of the two Sledges commentating together but sadly it slid away into the mists of time. Hopefully one day it will see the light of day again.
This was the golden age of staring, Spatsky in his prime! Much better than the crap that passes for staring nowadays. The sport has really gone downhill in recent years...
Ha
Totally agree. The introduction of colour didn't help.
makes me want dust off my staring table,happy days.
When they introduced the Video Assistant Referees it totally ruined the drama and excitement of the blink. At that point it was no longer a sport to me.
I think its too easy to pass off modern day staring as inferior to the staring of the past. Given the lottery investment I think we can look forward to a new golden age of staring.
Thanks so much for uploading! I remember watching the 43Rd with my Dad, who recently passed. Like a lot of men of his generation, for him the staring came before anything else. He stared for the local club every Thursday and Sunday, never missed a match! That is, until the eye strain got him. He'd already lost my mum and once he couldn't stare anymore I think he just lost the will to live. I don't often get emotional but watching this made me cry because it's probably the last happy memory I have of him.
I don't know why I decided to shared this with bunch of strangers in the internet instead of my wife but reading the other comments it just seemed like there is a lot of people here who take the game seriously like he did, which is rare these days.. So yeah, thanks!
Thanks for sharing dude, my brother was an amateur back in the day and went up against the great Uzliam who was just starting out. Lost him last year 😔 and these classic clips help me remember him.
Thanks for the stare, sorry, share, bro'... I know exactly what you mean...There's nothing like bonding watching a 6 hour epic with the old fella..
My Dad'd be shouting at the TV screen, very much an armchair fan, but knew the game inside-out.. Used to regale me with tales of the greats that he'd seen on the old black and white... We had colour TV by the 70s, but Dad said it was never the same....He used to go and isten to it on the radio in the kitchen...
But Dad was a MASSIVE Solowka fan, (even when he lost 4 finals in a row) which meant that Dad couldn''t watch or even listen to his matches...He used to go up to his shed and Mum would have to tell him the result afterwards....
I'm sure that our Dads are up there somewhere, staring down at us...
This is the problem with millennials. Unlike us and our fathers generation they simply don’t have the attention span these days. They will never realise what it’s like to watch the drama unfold in front of your eyes over the hours in a bloody good staring match. Ironically you couldn’t blink in case you missed the big moment. RIP to your father. Thanks for sharing your story.
@@neilmartin3220 You can blame the Labour government for that! David Blunkett in particular did his best to kill the sport.
Your Dad sounds like he was a really great bloke. Sorry that things went "down-stares" for him in his final years.
Brilliant commentary by Barry Davies. The "Voice" of Staring.
@John Davies Barry Davies
I mentioned Giggles Clifton to a colleague and he hadn't even heard of him. He's 32... Made me feel really old.
Unbelievable. I hope you gave your colleague a good stare!
RIP Benny Kiang (23 January 1967 - 12 December 2022). Just heard the devastating news that Kiang has passed away, and I'd like to be the first to register my mawkish and cliché-ridden condolences. I know he divided opinions, and I'm certainly not here to condone his violent misdemeanours, the politically incorrect statements he uttered, or THOSE allegations. Today I'd like to pay tribute to, IMHO, the greatest stare-outer of all-time. For me above even Spatsky and Giggles; he was the best counter-attacker I've ever had the pleasure to watch, a crowd-pleaser, and an innovator who could turn a match with one stare. Yes, he was a flawed genius, yes he had his demons, but his foibles were what attracted the supporters, they gave him a human quality. If there is a heaven, I think Kiang is staring down on us. RIP big man and thanks for all the memories.
And it was never reported. I heard about it in these comments. Damn shame- fantastic starer, but he could just never escape the drama.
@@mimkyodar Exactly, without drama what is sport? As for the lack of reporting in the mainstream media, I suppose he just rustled too many feathers.
Damn shame, But his Optrex addiction got him in the end. And his alcoholism.
Anan Nanak's loss to Kampagnola was heartbreaking in the semi finals, but I'm glad he was a good sport about it. He fought hard to make to the semi-finals, and even through the wind delay, he didn't break his stare. I met him in 2002 a few months before he passed, the sweetest old man I ever met. My sister still has his signature on her prosthetic!
Funny to look back now and see how revolutionary Duran's technique really was, so many players now favour that style - it really does put those with the classical setup on the defensive.
His technique is the equivalent of the Fosbury flop
@@VacantHaven It's probably more then western eye roll
Oh, come on, 37 degrees is just insane!
Problem with Duran's technique was that the Chelyabinsk Defence worked against it...Once the very top players got his number, he wasn't able to push on a level... It's what separates the very, very good from the truly excellent; the ability to adapt, especially mid-game...Not taking anything away from Duran, though; he was a tremendous talent, and a true original...
@@johnnybrum940 That's the thing, if Duran had had a better range of techniques he really could have been a true great. Such a wonderful advocate for the game though, very sad to hear about his recent health issues after that unfortunate incident with the ostrich...
John Duran. What a legend. I remember when he broke Lee Hurst's nose on They Think It's All Over in 1999 after a particularly frosty round of feel the sportsman.
I was there for the finals that year. Incredible stuff. I was only 9 but I still remember my Dad talking a little how he bumped into Kampagnola in the toilets just before the warm up. He was washing his hands next to him and caught a quick glimpse of his eyes in the mirror glass. It was just second or two but I could tell that my Dad was visibly shaken by the experience. The TV coverage can’t do justice to just how hard that stare is in real life to deal with. That year was the last of the great “unlimited” matches era. Now they are time limited to 2 hours in order to avoid major injuries , which I understand , because there were too many deaths back then, but I still yearn for the old days of the black and white TV coverage and ambulances.
I honestly don't understand why anybody would prefer to watch American Eyeballing when classic staring is so much more skilful and entertaining.
My dad was a Navy staring champion in the 70s and I used to do a bit of staring myself - even made it as far as county championships one year! But this level is something else. It makes my retinas dry up just thinking about it!!
I blame Murdoch. The fact that American Eyeballing needs cheerleaders says it all.
Yes they keep wittering on about how Peter "the eyeball" Raul is the greatest ever but he isn't a patch on Spatsky imo.
you are soo right.
When I was I boy, I remember my Dad and I watching the staring on World of Sport, so surprised to see others remember it on the BBC. Different era, perhaps. Dickie Davies was certainly a great fan of the sport and competed himself well into his 20s, but following his very visible injury was forced to retire. My Dad reckoned it was all fixed anyway, and Giggles Clifton would always win. But you didn’t question it in those days.
I remember attending a charity pro am tournament and had the pleasure of seeing Ted 'The Head' Stead go up against Terry Wogan. Old Tel kept talking and tried to use his soothing tones to put the great man off, he didn't stand a chance. Speaking of soothing tones I got to meet the legendary Raymond Sledge there too. Top commentator and a real gentleman.
I was there to. I thought Wogan embarrassed himself with all the talking. Wish I'd have got to meet Raymond Sledge - what an honour!
That tournament was fantastic, who knew Russ Abbott had such natural staring talent?
I hear the BBC have recently reacquired the rights to the Staring highlights. Great to have it back. That's my Saturday nights sorted!
My claim to fame is that I was mates with the son of a taxi driver who once drove Mr Jobby to Blue Peter in '71. The taxi driver, who has to remain anonymous because of GDPR, said that Mr Jobby was always alert even in the car. He drove past one hedge, and Mr Jobby gave out a large, piercing yelp. Frank O'Shea, Mr Jobby's agent, told the taxi driver to stop. Mr Jobby and O'Shea jumped out of the car, Mr Jobby had a good sniff, and found an old bag of fish and chips in the hedge. Mr Jobby sadly died a year later whilst on a world tour, getting run over outside the Libreville Auditorium in Gabon just before an "Audience With Mr Jobby" show. There were so many people in the auditorium, and there was a fear of rioting, that O'Shea replaced Mr Jobby with a stand-in, and the audience didn't suspect a thing.
Takes me back to the time when I got stuck in a lift with John Duran and Andrew Dudley. Think it was the 1991 British Championships in Peterborough. Both lovely fellas - knew Dudley would go far when he didn’t bat an eyelid as we plummeted three floors!
The introduction of VAR into the stare out championships has been an absolute disaster. The technology simply isn't good enough to properly assess whether the eye has fully closed.
Couldn't agree more. Slows down and destroys the rhythm of the matches. VAR fine in less intensive/hight tempo sports such as Cricket, Tennis and Water Polo. But in Staring? No thanks!
Shocking to look back at these now that we know about Spatsky's drug use. Don't think the sport will ever be the same again.
yet we remember that good traditional staring culture starts in a family. Preserving our family traditions we will in turn save True Spirit of Staring. p.s. International HI from Russian Starer.
I envy you that staring culture is alive and well in Russia. When I was a young you'd see children staring in the street but now they're all inside playing their X-Boxs. No wonder there is so much obesity here!
Depressing, bro, depressing. Spatsky had the talent, he didn't need thise drugs until the last couple of years. I guess it's just what you'll do to keep in the limelight. Best just to remember him at the top of his game here.
Spatsky was never convicted of substance abuse. Yes it was suspicious but until there is definitive proof he stands as the greatest starer of all time.
I still don't believe it. Just like I don't believe the rumours of Kiang's plastic surgery on his eyelids.
The recent introduction of the 48 hour limit for the duration of the match really put a lot of strain on the players, as they have to deal with time pressure and have to adjust their game accordingly.
You're right, it's not like cricket, where the match can go on for up to 5 days and end in a tie.
Call me controversial, but I think the limit has improved the sport.
The 48 hour limit had to come. Back in the 1950’s the old endurance starers would be at it for days without a break. Matches were often decided when the opposing player died (and therefore blinked). The top players formed SOAP (Stare Out Association of Players) to pressurise the governing body to reduce match length but to no avail. It took the blinding of a young newcomer, Jimmy Wang, in a 4 day marathon in the Casablanca Open, to finally alert the authorities to change.
Showing my age now, but can anyone remember the first Andrew Dudley's World Stare Out Champion game? I had it on the Acorn Electron.
I got the board game the same year. What a Christmas that was!!
Forgot all about staring! Ever since it disappeared from terrestrial TV it really slipped off the radar. Haven't got SKY myself.
In the states I haven't been able to see it live since
Thank God for these classic clips
You get highlights on channel five on Sunday mornings at 3AM, but it's pretty shit coverage because they cram the whole tournament's into a half hour slot. It's OK if you are just interested in the results but it ruins the more technical aspects of the game and I can't really enjoy it like I used to. Also I've never heard of half the new young players, most have no personality's and it's mostly south east Asians dominating the game these days, it's lost all character unlike the golden era of the 80's and 90's up to 2005-ish.
@@gutz323Chapeau!
I met Raymond Sledge once. He'd retired by then, but kept a group of us fans entertained for hours at a local convention. Signed loads of books without blinking an eye lid. Top man!
At the end of the day it's a community. But the kids these days just don't get it, with their so-called video games and all that. I know this is controversial, but if player numbers keep falling they're going to have to start allowing women in.
@@davewellslives Yes, I agree. A mix of femininity, showmanship and ruthlessness. Not sure about her winning celebration though, running around in her sports bra.
And blind of course.
OMG I have tears running down my face! You guys on these comments need to write comedy shows. Hilarious, truly genius.
They are very good, I agree 😊
Watching this, you just know that Spatsky could have any of the modern starers for breakfast; even under 20-20 rules, where they're allowed a break every 20 mins (probably to update their TikTok accounts), Spatsky would be wiping the floor with them; he probably wouldn't even actually take the break, lest it upset his concentration...
OK boomer. Get with the times. Staring has evolved to be more inclusive, and that should be a good thing in anybody’s book.
One of the funniest things ever!...'Big train classic!' 😂😂😂😂
Benny Kiang is just a wonderful human being, I met him once back in 1986. He was already a local legend at the time, just a natural stare-out champion that climbed straight to the top, without even breaking a sweat.
My Dad met him at a pro/celebrity tournament (partnering Bruce Forsyth) in Dumfriesshire back in the 90s. Whilst Brucie acted the big star, Kiang, apparently, had no airs and graces whatsoever, and would happily chat to everybody from the club chairman to the tea-ladies. A true legend of the sport, and I still can't quite believe he's not with us anymore. RIP Benny.
Benny was at a charity event in my local workingmen's club, all went well until someone mentioned his 'dodgy' haircut. Suffice to say three people ended up in hospital with multiple Injuries.
Big Train is a largely forgotten masterpiece of British TV comedy. The Staring Competition is just so funny. Also beautiful animation. The technical term for the technique is ‘boiling’. You can see why.
Eastern Europe has always produced incredible staring talent
I'm blown away by the standard of comments on this video 😚👌🏻👏👏👏
Eh heh heh heh heh heh heh
They really are first class
Brilliant. Getting the great Barry Davies on board was a genius move.
This 43rd tournament certainly was historic,but does anyone else remember how exciting the regional qualifiers were? My grandad took me to any and all we could attend,all the way through the mid 70's,when I was just a lad,raised on spam and a drip feed of brown ale. Many a breathlessly tense stare battle was witnessed through those thin strata of stale cigarette smoke. Truly a golden era.
Agreed. I think the cigarette smoke actually assisted the great English club starers of this era. Forgetting about the eye cancer for a second, it trained the optic nerve into a solid dependable weapon. This is why the modern game, certainly since the smoking ban of the 90’s, lacks the intensity of the classics. And don’t get me started on these new fangled Optrex sponsored games. Eye drops? At the WSOC!! Pathetic.
@@MaximusMeridius-tg1kz It's gone too corporate now. I refuse to watch it anymore , money has ruined the game and it's become so Americanised. Still can watch the classics online but it's not the same.
I work in law and learned a lot of tips and techniques from watching these for when I attend hearings at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. I could out stare any Judge...so much so , one year, I made it to the semi finals only to be knocked out by Paddington Bear. Pure... ruvian genius.
Did you use Durans controversial technique?
@@skyblazeeterno No, Solowka was always my mentor 😳. (Did 'The Big Train' know something? Ukraine against Russia 🤔.)
I was a member of the Annan Nanak "Maniaks" fan club back in the day. Happy memories..
Annan Nanak's fan club was frequently confused with the Anorak Group, and matters were made more complicated by the fact that the membership of both organizations substantially overlapped. ua-cam.com/video/6-n6j-dlgWw/v-deo.html
I wish they hadn't banned the "Stare At Girls" who would escort the competitors into the arena. They bought a little glamour to the game, which it sorely needs right now.
"Girls"? I hardly think it's appropriate to refer to three women in their mid to late 40s as girls. And we were all volunteers. None of the huge sums of money swilling around in that corrupt, drug-fuelled sport ever found its way into *our* pockets. We were lucky to get our travelling expenses to the matches met, never mind the dry-cleaning bills to get all the Optrex stains out of those famous gold sequinned hot-pants.
@@tomsdottir I have a signed photo of Benny Kiang being escorted out to the arena by someone who might be you.
@@Rhubba I vividly recall that incident. Benny was a complex, brilliant and troubled man. He was, as everyone knows, irresistible to women, and that - not the drink- was ultimately his undoing. If only he had outlived JFK, the sport might not have lost one of its most talented performers. But the president wouldn't tolerate his wife playing by the same rules he did. Hence the grotesque "accident"which ended his career.
Oh as a stareout enthusiast I remember that final like it was yesterday. Kampagnola had had a great tournament, including the classic semifinal against Nanak. But he was no match for Spatsky. It was a quick match as most of Spatsky's are. He's a very aggressive starer and tends go all in on his ruthless attacks. It's a risky tactic, sure, but with his talent there's not much anyone could do. Not quite on the same level anymore, but still always a tough one to beat.
Yes it was a great final I also remember it well. I sat in row G seat 26 . Such a great atmosphere . Just a shame stare out is not what it used to be.
Every couple of months you can find genuine "didi the pandas" for sale on Ebay .. they make about £350-£800 for a good one ... But my one is not for sale..
Spatsky has retired now!
Edit.... Just realised you posted this 3 years ago when he was still in the game, my mistake sorry.
I was at the 1968 amateurs, what a battle that was. The crowd was electric and Raymond Sledge was the real voice of WSO!
The sport is too corporate now. It was pure in the 90s. Now it's all about the sponsorships from companies like Specsavers.
My gosh i'm sweating! These Finals were the golden era of my stare career. I was one of the few who didn't stop staring even when i became a boarding director of my dad's agricultural company here in Russia...i still think that staring made me who i am. I'm proud of it and sometimes we stare with my elder son a few hours when women are away for a high-heeling marathon.
It’s an honour to have the great Khanzarov here, you were always one of my favourites!
I tip my hat also
Sad to see lots of Keyboard Starers in the comments section as usual.
Have a bit of respect for the competitors of this noble art
Ahh yes I remember going to the staring matches with my Dad as a child. Just as he did with his father before him. Dad had a few pints with the chaps before the match. Me sat in the corner with an orange juice and packet of crisps. Singing along with the crowd to stareway to heaven. Ahh great memories, Great! Great memories!
Can't take my eyes off you was my personal singalong favourite.
It was so close at the end there, but I knew he could pull it out. Such a legend. Thanks for preserving this bit of Staring history. 👀
It's a sight for sore eyes, no doubt!
5:21 is such a good parody of Aggers ‘couldn’t quite get his leg over’ commentary 😂🤣😂
"...you'd need very big knockers for that, John..!"
Indeed!
I met the Russian in 1976 when he came to the UK for a series of exhibition matches. They were open to all-comers and he was relentless, one poor chap had a stroke after 35 mins of action. Another had fainted, unforgettable.
They always used to say that Campagnola was such a charming man. I crossed paths with him one sunny day in 1991 in Stratford On Avon. He passed me in the street, walking with his then wife, Esperanza Del Mar (this was before his well publicised fling with the young Kelly Brook) I said to him, smiling "have you blinked today, Alessandro?" To which he stopped, turned, and spat on the floor at my feet. I was so taken aback that I just carried on walking, in a daze. I never did go and see him compete again. A legend died for me, that day.
You can’t judge a genius by the standards of ordinary men. People used to understand that back in those days. Now you step out of line just once and you’re “cancelled” or “remanded” just like that, it doesn’t matter how many kiddies hospitals you’ve visited.
@@pezn2077 I have to disagree, I understand the immense pressure these sports stars are under, but like it or not they are in the public domain and their actions can influence impressionable youngsters. Nobody is forcing them into this well-paid profession. Just because you could get away with it in those days doesn't mean he SHOULD have. Campagnola also said some unforgivable things about gay, women, and disabled competitors. You can call me 'woke' all you want, but it was wrong then, just as much then as now. It came as little surprise when Campagnola refused to take the knee.
He's just become my hero. Thanks @@PNETriffid
I've watched this so many times and it's genuinely enthralling!
Thanks for bringing back so many happy memories.
I could never aspire to these dizzy heights but l was an avid enthusiast back when it was on Grandstand.
My dad took me down to his local when l was fifteen and introduced me to the amateur game. I think l lasted about six minutes which l suppose wasn't bad for a starter.
But kids these days just can't stare for toffee. Too many staring sims on the PlayStation, l suppose...
Barry Davies. The "Voice" once visited my School to give assembly the mans voice was a total pleasure and made many of my pals and i take up the Mic and have a go ... none of us turned pro but what a memory
one of the best British skit comedy shows ever!
I used to record this on cassette tape from the radio but having to pause it whenever the blinking rest began in the beginners contest. That little white card would come down and I’d hit that pause button. Those were the days 😊 Salovka posters were all over my bedroom until i heard Ted ‘the head’ Stead’s staring. That was it. I’ll alway be a Salovka fan, but Stead is the man for me…him and his huge knockers.
Richard Gere was a massive fan of staring. In fact he set up a 'Staring Academy' in Los Angeles. But all the years staring has made him go blind. Damn shame,great actor.
Ohhh look he's done it again!!! This is really staring out of the top drawer.
Who else remembers where they were during the final? I was listening to it in a stench packing factory in Saigon. Commentary by Timmy Mallet and the late, great Brian Johnston.
"stench packing factory"... gold mate, gold...
I met John Duran in a Camden bar once, absolute legend, me and mate we pushing each other to go and say something to him, he noticed and came over and offered to buy us a drink, sat with us for about an hour chatting, so down to earth, really happy he got through the other side of his alcohol problems in later life. Will never forget that day.
I think his surprise win in the 45th world championship really got to his head. He's not a natural talent but always great to watch and knocked out some big names that year after being given a wildcard entry. Right to the final everyone was giving him no chance and everyone thought finally Solowka was going to get his win after all these years but Duran just wouldn't blink. A little fact that hardly anyone realised is that Duran didn't blink until the moment he lifted the trophy.
@@garethmills4383 I remember there being a lot of speculation at the time and actually still to this day that he used performance enhancing substances, we will never know for sure, thankfully the testing regime is much better today than it was back then.
Duran was my uncle. He'd sometimes eat his meals crouching without a chair to remain match fit.
What became of him?
@@TheJohnRowley Well, before a big tournament, he'd train in town, stare straight ahead as he walked down the street, so as to overcome distractions. Regrettably, he fell down a manhole - not only did he break both his legs, he caught his head nastily, and when retrieved, never regained consciousness. He was on life support for two years before the family decided to switch it off. What a shame that Uncle John should have spent those last two years with his eyes shut. It was a fitting service, though - around 150 people crammed into a small church, all of us staring at the vicar without a word as we crouched behind the pews.
@@liccleterror Did the vicar speak, or stare wordlessly into the collective gaze of the congregation?
@@TheAntibozo It was a silent eulogy. Very moving.
@@liccleterror … and yet, at the same time, unmoving.
I normally watch *"The Premier League: Best Stare Outs"* on Sky Sports 2. Memories. Brilliant stares.
The great Bing Sharples, very underrated. The sultan of stare, as my grandad used to call him.
To think they only got 10k for exhibition games back then. The amount professional starers get now is ludicrous but when you consider how much the TV rights go for it's not surprising. I just wish the BBC still had the rights to show the full tournament and not just the qualifiers.
Back when staring was a real man's game. Of course, after the relentless aggression demonstrated by Spatsky's during the final, the rules where changed and the referees given better guidance on when to stop matches. I guess it's much safer now but it really took some of the excitement out of the later tournaments.
Wow, the great tournament of 1998! Really takes me back to my misspent youth on the young amateur circuit - really eating, sleeping and breathing staring. Of course Giggles Clifton used to hang around all the time in his retirement, especially in the changing rooms. Obviously it was before everyone knew, but I can tell you they didn't call him 'the tall man' for nothing.
I admire your commitment to the amateur game. I never really got beyond club level. I learned early on that it was a very technique orientated game and my school rarely organised a match. Apparently they 'didn't have the resources'. I think to be really competent at staring you need to have it instilled in you from a young age. Enthusiasm just isn't enough. I've always felt somewhat bitter towards my school ever since. Bloody comprehensives.
"Well, you're going to need some very big knockers in order to do that."
I chuckled, but the laughter that ensued over the following minutes had me rolling.
9:34 - can't believe the commentators missed this! You'd never get away with it in the age of VAR.
Back in 1980's 2 years of evening classes, taught me all I needed in life, still wake up every day with that I want to stare zeal.
Back in the days when even the commentators ridiculed Popstopolous for his 'boring game'. After ventilation standards were taken seriously, circa WSOC-68, he went on to dominate, even in the European trials.
Haven't seen this in years. I loved staring, spent thousands of hours of my youth practicing trying to make it competitively, but I eventually realized it came at such a cost to my life and mood I had to hang up the staring belt and leave the sport. I do miss it though.
Try and organise some local events or give classes to boys (and girls) looking to get into the game. Pass on some of that knowledge to a new generation.
I tried to offer some free classes at a local school but the kids just looked at me strangely. (Not staring at me mind as they didnt have a clue how! lol.)
Man, Popstopolous is a warrior, truly an inspiration for the whole staring comunity!
Popstopolous, of course, is a self-taught staring master, and people often forget that this man never received any kind of professional training. That's probably why he has such a distinct style that can disrupt the game for even the most experienced stare-out champions. There is no substitute for pure natural talent, and Popostopulous has been staring since kindergarten, discovering his talent already at the age of five.
Giggles Clifton ? How ironic is that ? I bumped in to him after an Exhibition Stare event in Berwick upon Tweed. A more miserable bloke you are unlikely to meet.
Absolutely brilliant. I watch this over and over again and I stll laugh out loud!
Sad to hear of the death of Solowka earlier this week due to symptoms or Covid19. A starring legend. He was 87 and leaves a wife and 3 children.
But let us not forget that the champion that he was, he stared death in the face and never flinched.
Some brilliant staring combats here. Superb.
Met ted the head stead in a garden centre just outside Rochdale. What a gent.
He signed my blue Peter annual in Guildford, Surrey.
His dad ran a pub in Worpleadon. Every Thursday evening was Stary Stary Night. As a young lad, he’d sneak downstairs, stand on a chair and secretly stare out the older customers, often leaving them in tears. When his dad found out he enrolled him in Saturday morning Kids’ Staring Club at the tender age of 6. The rest is history.
absolutely LOVE the little childish giggle after "well you need absolutely big knockers for that" 😂😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I find it sad that the younger generation are so clueless about the staring greats like Solowka, Ted 'The Head Stead' Stead and of course the great Spatsky. I think it's the instant gratification culture we now live in, epitomised by the introduction of 20-20 staring.
Tim Richardson
"Ted The Head Stead"
Now he was a character . Wonder what he's up to nowadays ??
"Ted got swept up in Yewtree, he's in Belmarsh now starin' at a 5 stretch.
How the mighty have fallen ..
Quite sad really
Who'd have believed it. All that charity work he did as well. You can just never tell.
The youth of today stares for hours at their ipods and ipads and whatnot .... they just don't appreciate how great the sport of staring was back in the day
I watch a lot of snooker and this is exactly what the commentary is like. "Perhaps not the most naturally talented player, but you never know what can happen when he's at the table"...
We must never forget staring at grass roots level, professional staring and the premier league has diverted much needed support to the up and coming youngsters...
One of the finest comedy sketches known to humanity!
Do you mind? This is one of the worlds most proud sports
@@SamuelBlack84 I'm very sorry Giggles, I know how seriously you take your staring, please accept my apology!
@@stukavonferno8858 Let's just appreciate our memories of the game that inspired so many legendary starers today
Who’s here for Spatzky in 2020? Oh that beautiful match is literally couple blinks away and yet so many years have passed.
Erg Noor Spatzky was my hero growing up. Once I even shaved my head and tried to staple my eyelids open so I could emulate his iconic look. Of course I only managed one staple and was taken to A&E to have it removed 😂 We always have a giggle about it whenever the WC comes on telly. Happy days.
I remember as far back as the 15th world champs. Going to the pictures with my old mum , god bless ‘er. Obviously I only went for the Pathe news reel to see if Scottish hero, Finn McKerron at the ripe old age of 32, could ever be beaten. Of course that was in the black & white days (which is still my preferred way of viewing there was none of this new fangled ultra slow motion 3d,4k nonsense then).
Anyway old stager, McKerron (“the Starey Highlander”) won again in that famous & controversial“dry eye” final against Steve “deadeyes’ Anderson, a final which is still mulled over today by fans - some of whom weren’t even born back then - amazing.
But what’s sometimes overlooked in all the excitement is that that was the year we saw the beginnings of what would become the Yoshi Nakamoto era that changed the face of the sport forever. The unheralded Nakamoto won the juniors that year…….imagine that! . Heady days indeed.
Tourette syndrome prevented me from progressing far in this sport.
My grandfather got Giggles Clifton's autograph in the 70s when he met him in Buxton high street.
Don’t know why I’m staring at the image?! Very funny.
Never gets old. What a match. Massive heart and no little skill.
Staring was very popular, back in the day. Lost it's way when they found out that the Lithuanian guy (can't remember his name), was stripped of the world title having found out he had two glass eyes. How it was never picked up on, I'll never know.
I've just discovered that this sketch is based on a comic strip which was called 'The World Stare-out Championship Final' created and published by Paul Hatcher. Apparently Graham Linehan came across it in a newsagent. I believe the TV sketch was made with Hatcher's approval and participation, which is always good to hear (or see, ha ha).
Very interesting cheers! Gonna have to find that now ✌️
Indeed you are correct, Paul was a friend back then, and I remember when it happened. Very funny guy with very dry humour.
Kind of amusing seeing the first match post 2022...
I like listening to cricket commentary on BBC sport and whenever Phil Tuffnel joins the team he always introduces himself like Phil Cornwell's character does here. Always makes me chuckle
Classic from Barry Davies. Clifton was a legend, I remember being introduced to him just before the UK Championships in 1961 in Kettering. He said he had a migraine and I said stay in your dressing room in the dark for a couple of hours. It seemed to work as he went on to win against a young up and coming Kiang.
i miss the halcyon days of staring before money (and drugs) flooded in and ruined the sport. If I remember correctly it was the 1976 olympics in Montreal when the unseeded Pantyboom Joonathanagarn from Thailand sensationally beat the favourite Pavel Zrwtcthcky in the quarter finals before being mercilessly dispatched in the semis by the Brazilian master Herculinho. Great memories
No, Google it. Moscow 1980.
I think you got that wrong. The Moscow 1980 games didn't have any Brazilian representatives due to the boycott. It's my understanding that some friendly staring took place away from the main arena. If reports are to be believed that's the tournament where Spasky played in contact lenses. Very controversial at the time, standard now.
Wow. It's easy to forget how much the game has changed. I wonder how the greats would deal with today's flashy, multi-millionare players.
I’m so jealous! I grew up in America. So, no staring for us 😢. We had the quiet game though. So, it wasn’t so bad growing up here, I guess.
Most English players practiced by jumping the queue at the post office and then dealing with multiple stares.
What a pity the quiet game isn't adopted by more of your compatriots. Especially on vacation.
25 years of staring, man and boy. Hardest game in the world.
Proper staring back before health and safety ruined it all!
I’ll take stare breaks and goggles for the amateur players over suffering another loss like that poor lad from Sheffield in the 2008 SWC. Could have been the next Ted Stead, now he just presents Eye on Staring for Channel 5 at one o’clock in the morning. Shameful scheduling btw.
Of course, these days we also have the first transgender disabled muslim lesbian person of color in the competition, Rhonda Aziz, who some claim has been brought into the finals because of her politically correct background, rather than her skill.
@@zmajodnocaja5088 She’s there on merit and I think she’s been a breath of fresh air. I consider myself very socially liberal, however I do believe the ISC was right to ban the full face veil from competitive play. I’m glad to see it hasn’t held her back and I wish her well at the Budapest Invitational.
Contact lenses ruined this once noble sport.
I went to an underground starout competition, I couldn't resist it, covid has ruined the sport for us at the moment, but the police and government will never stop me staring !
I saw a man who looked very like Benny Kiang on an Esso Forecourt a few years ago. I was tempted to approach him but I thought better of it.
Ever since sky bought the rights to the world staring championships, youngsters just haven't had access to staring of this high standard.
Classic, this inspired me to take staring more seriously 😅😅😅
It's not the same now. Back in the 70s and 80s I could name every single starer in the competition. I hardly know any of them now. All the characters have gone.
Maybe it's your brain cells that have gone Grandma? I bet you were one of these mad old biddys who would sit ringside and batter the assigned *Wicked Starer* with her handbag?
EarthIs NotFlat By the way, the Earth is flat 😉
guys like Giggles Clifton
So true Scot. I once had the honour to to meet "Giggles" at a service station near Newport Pagnall. I was a bit nervous to approch him, what with his circle of minders. Eventually I plucked up enough courage to approach him. I walked over and said, "Giggles, you are the greatest and always will be."
He paused his conversation with Anan, turned to me and said a few words that remain with me today. "Fuck of you little shit". Wow! what a hero and a role model for the new wave starers of today.
BTW John Duran gave me a terrible kicking in the carpark. What guys!
Brilliant stuff. Only fly in the ointment is the canned (or maybe not canned) laughter.
First recorded stare was Mrs Lincoln at John Wilkes Booth's tiny weapon.
Who else came here for “Changing Rooms”?
Recent rule changes make this complicated game even more difficult to comprehend for the average man. Also, you cannot compare todays players with those of yesteryear. Modern training techniques, fitness levels and sheer strength is on a completely different level
But there was a certain freshness and flair that those from yester-year brought to the table that's sorely missing from the robotic staring of today's superstars, Kim. In the quest for perfection, I feel today's starers have lost something far greater - the sheer poetry of staring as a sport
@@vishalsagar3672 Say what you want, but some of the youngsters from low income housing areas who are alleged to be involved in illicit activities really know how to drill into their opponent's defences.
Interesting fact. The referee on the John Duran quarter final (Jacob Microberg) is the uncle of the head masseuse of Workington Town FC of the Northern Premier League.
Some classic 90s match ups. The sport never recovered from the match fixing scandals of the late 2000s. The modern pro-mercenary starers lack the charisma and flair of the 70s-90s golden age legends.