Athletes entered the opening ceremonies grouped by sport under individual federation banners rather than by country.

The organizing efforts were seriously set back when the Games' promotions agency, Global Sports Management of New York, pulled out in the final months.

It's a miracle it is taking place at all," said World Games I promotions and sales coordinator Kent Hertenrath.

But that summer, when Mediterranean fruit flies were discovered in the Santa Clara Valley, Brown withdrew to focus on emergency eradication efforts.

[2] The Soviet Union had been invited to send athletes but, in the aftermath of the boycotted 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, instead worked to prevent the competition from ever occurring.

Porter said that the national Olympic committees of these countries, as well as the IOC, had intensely pressured the World Games.

[9] In the morning after the close of these Games, U.S. air traffic controllers went on a nationwide strike, leaving some athletes temporarily stranded.

[10] The executive director of World Games I, John Bragg, envisioned more than 50 sports participating in future events.

[16] Two athletes each won four individual gold medals in these games: Steve Rajeff of the U.S. in casting and Juergen Kolenda of West Germany in finswimming.

[17] Tom Peterson of the U.S., in roller speed skating, and Anne-Marie Rouchon of France, in finswimming, won three each.

An agreement was reached with FINA in the lead-up to the games not to allow women's water polo athletes to march in the opening ceremony, to assuage the displeasure of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for its being included in the program.