NBC Begins Courting Wimbledon

NBC Sports’ coverage of the Wimbledon tennis tournament begins today at 9 a.m. on Channel 4 with third-round action. First-week highlights will be featured Sunday at noon. NBC’s presentation will continue for nine consecutive days, concluding next weekend with exclusive live coverage of “Breakfast at Wimbledon,” the women’s and men’s singles finals.

KCET-TV’s pledge drive features two specials this evening. Itzhak Perlman, Fyvush Finkel and Red Buttons headline the “Great Performances” offering “In the Fiddler’s House,” airing tonight at 8 and repeating Sunday at 5:30 p.m. on Channel 28. The 90-minute special, set in synagogues of Poland and Sammy’s Roumanian Restaurant in New York, features music and a re-creation of a Yiddish radio broadcast of the 1930s.

“Bruce Hornsby and Friends,” airing Sunday morning at 12:15, is an “In the Spotlight” concert celebrating the 10th anniversary of Hornsby’s pop music career. Taped last year at New York’s Manhattan Center, the special features Hornsby’s friends Don Henley, Gregory Hines and Pat Metheny.

With Olympic fever building, TBS premieres Bud Greenspan’s latest documentary, “America’s Greatest Olympians,” Sunday at 6 p.m. The two-hour special looks at such modern-day champions as Mary Lou Retton and Greg Louganis, as well as lesser-known Olympic medalists like high jumper Dick Fosbury and Wyomia Tyus, the first person to win back-to-back gold medals in the 100-meter sprint.

The bombing in Saudi Arabia and the FBI files controversy are among the topics of discussion on the public affairs shows.

Public Affairs: TODAY: On “Today,” guests and subjects are the Grateful Dead’s Mickey Hart and Bob Weir, chef Bobby Flay, King Tut’s death and difficult children, 5 a.m. (4). . . .

The FBI files, the new Democratic agenda and Campaign ’96 are the topics, with Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) on “Evans & Novak,” 2:30 p.m. CNN. . . .

“The Capital Gang Saturday looks at the FBI files, Families First, Bob Woodward’s book “The Choice,” with guest Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.), 4 and 10:30 p.m. CNN. . . .

“Inside Politics Weekend” reports on the FBI files, Campaign ’96 and political books, with Mike Murphy, Bob Dole’s senior strategist, and Ann Lewis of President Clinton’s campaign, 4:30 p.m. CNN. . . .

“Larry King Weekend” defines beauty, with Nancy Friday, Lynda Carter, Isaac Mizrahi and hairstylist Christophe, 6 and 11 p.m. CNN.

SUNDAY: “Sunday Today” talks with political humorist Mark Katz, a Clinton speech writer, and Scott Simon discusses church burnings in the South, 6 a.m. (4)(36). . . .

“Pacesetters” looks at L.A.’s best science students, 6 a.m. (5). . .

“Meet the Press” airs at 7 a.m. (4)(36). . . .

“CBS News Sunday Morning,” features the 100th anniversary of the New York Times, a sailing camp for older adults and classical Brazilian guitarists Sergio and Odair Assad, 7:30 a.m. (2). . . .

“Fox News Sunday,” guests are Adm. James Woolsey, former CIA director, who discusses the bombing in Saudi Arabia that killed American servicemen, 8 a.m. (11). . .

The Saudi Arabia bombing and the FBI files are discussed on “Face the Nation,” with guests Anthony Lake, assistant to President Clinton for National Security Affairs, Rep. William F. Clinger (R-Pa.) and Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), 9 a.m. (2).

“The McLaughlin Group” analyzes the bombing in Saudi Arabia, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and the FBI files, 9 a.m. (4). . . .

“Late Edition” brings live coverage of Saudi Arabia bombing memorial service, 9 a.m. CNN. . . .

“This Week With David Brinkley” looks at the terrorist explosion in Saudi Arabia and the FBI files controversy, with Secretary of Defense William Perry and former FBI agent Gary Aldrich, 10 a.m. (7), 11:30 a.m. (3)(42). . . .

“Both Sides With Jesse Jackson” explores racial polarization in America, 2:30 p.m. CNN. . . .

“60 Minutes” investigates whether the police would manipulate a mentally handicapped man into confessing to rape and murder, and does crime pay for some criminals, 7 p.m. (2).

Specials and Movies: On the movie front, Edward James Olmos headlines Showtime’s drama ‘The Limbic Region,” Sunday at 8 p.m., and Lifetime’s “Intimate Portrait” looks at Doris Duke, Sunday at 10 p.m.

Sports: Baseball: Dodgers at Colorado Rockies, Sunday, noon (5).

For a complete list of sports events on TV, see Section C.