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#5905C: BROOKLYN DODGERS VS NEW YORK GIANTS BASEBALL GAME (1950)

1950-04-22, MGM, min.

       Brooklyn Dodgers - 7 New York Giants 6  
From Ebbets Field the fourth game of the 1950 season, and the first regularly scheduled Brooklyn Dodger game to be Nationally broadcast.
Highlights include first Black Pitcher in Major League history, Dan Bankhead, starting the game for the Brooklyn Dodgers who hits a double in his first time at bat. Gil Hodges hits a home-run. 

Calling the play by play on this radio broadcast are Red Barber and Connie Desmond.

#10651: TEX AND JINX SHOW: TEX MCCRARY AND JINX FALKENBURG

Order

1950-12-28, WNBC, min.

TEX AND JINX Radio & Television BROADCAST HISTORY:

April 22, 1946- February 27, 1959.

WEAF (WNBC, WRCA), New York weekdays at 8:30 A.M. until 1954; at 1:00pm,1954-1955; then at 6:30 and 10:35pm until July 31, 1958, moving briefly to WOR, broadcasting at 2:15pm.

In addition to the Kollmars (Dorothy Kilgallen and husband Richard Kollmar) and the Fitzgeralds (Pegeen and husband Ed Fitzgerald), another well-recognized New York couple, newlyweds Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenburg, added their own bread-and-bacon banter to the local airwaves between 1946 and 1959. Their gabfest, initially Hi Jinx but later revised to Tex and Jinx, was beamed over WEAF which was subsequently re-lettered WNBC and later WRCA. In limited doses, the flagship outlet of the National Broadcasting Company transmitted Meet Tex and Jinx to the whole country during 1947 and 1948.

Tex and Jinx devoted most of their airtime to lofty and noble concepts, visitors and sidebars. Tex and Jinx [on WEAF-WNBC-WRCA] were interviewing Bernard Baruch, Margaret Truman, or Ethel Waters…. McCrary built the show on the assumption that the early morning audience was not stupid, as programmers generally assumed; that people in general had fresher minds and were more open to serious topics at the beginning of the day.”

Their joint radio venture began in April 1946 just 10 months following their nuptials (June 10, 1945). Launched as a breakfast feature, the series later shifted to afternoons and finally into the evening hours before departing the ether a dozen years afterward. They were branded by one journalist “Mr. Brains and Mrs. Beauty.”

In early 1947 NBC put them on its television network as a portion of a Sunday evening quarter-hour dubbed Bristol-Myers Tele-Varieties. “The McCrarys were naturals for TV,” wrote a reviewer, “with their combination of friendly chatter, interviews, and features.” That summer the web awarded them an exclusive Sunday night half-hour format under the appellation At Home with Tex and Jinx. A decade later, in the 1957-58 season, the duo hosted a daytime NBC-TV showcase, The Tex and Jinx Show.

When hepatitis sidetracked Falkenburg in 1958 from their broadcast commitments, McCrary carried on solo on their radio show for another couple of years. In the 1980s, however, the couple separated, remaining on genial terms. McCrary died in New York on July 29, 2003 and Falkenburg expired just 29 days later in the same city, on August 27, 2003.

NOTE::
The scores of TEX AND JINK SHOWS archived by Archival Television Audio, Inc. were originally obtained as original 16" Electronic Discs from Barry Farber, producer of the show (1957-1959), in 1960 after he had begun his own career in front of the mike at WINS Radio. These discs were subsequently transferred to 1/4" reel to reel tape, and then disposed. These broadcasts are rare and represent the largest known collection of TEX AND JINX extant broadcasts in the world.

Today's Headlines: MacArthur warns that Red China is set for big push, 450,000 Red Chinese in Korea, a 2-1 advantage, MacArthur criticized by Daily Worker and Others. Franco regime recognized by US, review of film "Born Yesterday." Personalities of 1950; Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor (divorced), tells about her reading habits, Margeret O'Brien gives a short reading, Hopalong Cassidy introduced by Jimmy Stewart at Boy Scout jamboree, Ethel Merman talks about her daughters.
Today's Guest: Josephine Hull, film and stage actress.

#10396: GARROWAY AT LARGE

Order

1951-06-17, NBC, 15 min.

June 18th, 1949-June 24th, 1951 (NBC)

This prime-time half-hour musical variety series, broadcast live from Chicago, introduced Dave Garroway to national television audiences. Other regulars Jack Haskell, Cliff Norton, Connie Russell, Betty Chappel, Jimmy Russell, and Aura Vainio. The show's trademarks were its spare sets (necessitated by a low budget), and humorous endings. 
The theme song for this show was "Sentimental Journey" and Garroway's first guest was Louis Armstrong. It was seen on Sunday evenings from 10-10:30PM on NBC. 

Guest: Louis Armstrong sings "Sit Down, You're Rockin The Boat"
Dave Garroway mentions that Louis Armstrong was the first guest on the premiere show (Garroway At Large, June 18th, 1949).
Armstrong plays the trumpet and sings "Basin Street Blues."
Also featured are Jack Haskell, Connie Russell, Cliff Norton, Betty Chappel, Jimmy Russell, and Art Van Damme.

#10671: JIMMY JEMAIL

Order

1951-07-10, , min.

Jimmy Jemail attended Brown University where he played halfback for the football team and played in the 1916 Rose Bowl game in Pasadena. After serving in the US Navy in 1921, he went to the New York Daily News where he was originally hired as a Sunday Watchman. He later was assigned as the newspaper's "Inquiring Photographer" in which he asked strangers on the street questions sent in by readers and would then take their photo. He continued with the column for over 52 years before retiring from the Daily News in 1973.     

Today's headlines: Korea peace talks begin at Kaesong, success doubted by General Ridgeway, Dashiell Hammett sent to jail for refusing to answer questions on Red Ties.

#10672: JIMMY JEMAIL

Order

1951-07-18, , min.

Jimmy Jemail attended Brown University where he played halfback for the football team and played in the 1916 Rose Bowl game in Pasadena. After serving in the US Navy in 1921, he went to the New York Daily News where he was originally hired as a Sunday Watchman. He later was assigned as the newspaper's "Inquiring Photographer" in which he asked strangers on the street questions sent in by readers and would then take their photo. He continued with the column for over 52 years before retiring from the Daily News in 1973.     

Today's headlines: Is US willing to pull troops out of Korea? Truce talks hit snag, oil controversy in Iran, US to make deal with Franco for air bases, 
Guest: Filmstar Joan Blondell.

#5898B: NEW YORK GIANTS VS BROOKLYN DODGERS: GAME 3 PLAYOFFS (1951)

Order

1951-10-03, WMCA, 34 min.

Recorded coverage beginning in the last of the ninth inning, with the New York Giants Whitey Lockman at bat; the score 4 to 2 Brooklyn. Announcer Russ Hodges calls the play by play, as Bobby Thomson hits a homerun ("The Shot heard Round the World"), winning the best two out of three playoff series (the FIRST nationally televised baseball series ever broadcast, coast to coast).

Wrap up of the game is heard by Bob Prince (baseball announcer for the Pittsburgh Pirates 1948-1975), who attended the game and sat along side best friend Russ Hodges in the booth.

Post game clubhouse (New York Giants) interviews begin with Steve Ellis, Ernie Harwell and Russ Hodges behind the mike. Those interviewed, in a emotional celeritous Giant clubhouse, are Herman Franks, Alvin Dark, Larry Jansen, Eddie Stanky, Charlie Dressen, Ford Frick, Horace Stoneham, Bill Rigney, Hank Sims, Walter O'Malley, Bobby Thomson, Charley Finney, Jim Hearn, Eddie Bracket, Art Flynn, Leo Durocher, Chris Durocher (son), Willie Mays, Whitey Lockman, Sal Maglie, Monte Irvin Paul Richards, Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, Sheldon Jones and Willard Marshall.

NOTE:
In addition to NBC's TV crew, six radio networks set up shop in the press box attached to the underside of the upper deck.

• Russ Hodges did the Giants' broadcast solo because NBC hired his partner, Ernie Harwell, to handle their telecast. Hodges's friend Bob Prince, the Pirates' announcer, sat next to him as a guest, and filled in for Hodges and Harwell in the celebratory New York Giant’s locker room after the game ended with a wrap up summary prior to the beginning of the many interviews that would follow and captured on audio.

• Red Barber and Connie Desmond would, as usual, call the game for the Dodgers (WMGM).

• The Liberty Broadcasting Network, which recreated most of its baseball and football broadcasts from its studio in Dallas, sent "The Old Scotsman" Gordon McLendon to call the game live. His broadcast is the only one that survives as complete, on audio tape.

• Al Helfer reported the action on the Mutual Broadcasting System, largest in the nation.

• Harry Caray of the Cardinals broadcast the game for a group of Midwest stations.

• Buck Canel and Felo Ramirez did the Spanish broadcast for Latin America.

Russ Hodges: “The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! Bobby Thomson hits into the lower deck of the left-field The Giants win the pennant! And they’re going crazy! They are going crazy! Oh-oh!”

“Everybody remembers it now,” said Bobby Thomson. “But you have to understand the feeling between those teams. I didn’t think of the pennant — only that we beat the Dodgers.”

Hodges: “I don’t believe it! I do not believe it! Bobby Thomson hit a line drive into the lower deck of the leftfield stands, and the whole place is going crazy! The Giants Horace Stoneham is now a winner. The Giants won it by a score of 5 to 4, and they’re picking Bobby Thomson up and carrying him off the field!”

NOTE:
Before videotape recording and playback available beginning November 30, 1956 the only way to reproduce a television broadcasts, as it aired live, was via a film camera using film (usually on black & white 16mm Kodak reversal film stock)to record a TV screen monitor recording a copy of a broadcast.The process was called kinescoping. “Kinescopes were fuzzy and extremely bulky, and costly to accomplish, so the networks of the 1950s saved almost nothing.

Few professionals and lay persons even had an audio tape reel-to-reel tape recorder to record even the sound of a broadcast (sold commercially only a few years before) which were hard to carry around, expensive to purchase as well as the cost incurred to purchase audio tape 1/4" reels, so not only the average person didn’t have one, it was rare for anyone to audio record a TV program at that time (almost non-existent).

However, In Brooklyn, a restaurant waiter Laurence Goldberg did own one. Goldberg was a New York Giant fan from the time he was 8 years old. Having to leave for work in Manhattan, he instructed his mother, Sylvia, who knew little about baseball, to hit the “record” button in the bottom of the ninth which she did, with one out and Whitey Lockman at bat, the score now 4 to 2 Brooklyn.
Lockman doubles. The Giants now have men on second and third base. Bobby Thomson comes to the plate, and the rest is history!

The next day, Larry Goldberg wrote a letter to Russ Hodges about his tape recording, which was not recorded my WMCA radio, or it turns out to be by anyone else (similar to the scenario of Phil Gries' solo home audio tape recording of Don Pardo announcing, over NBC TV, the first bulletins of the JFK assassination, eight years later). Russ Hodges sent Goldberg $10 to use his borrowed copy to record a 1951 Christmas gift for friends. During the fall of 1952 sponsor Chesterfield cigarettes released a record of “the most exciting moment in baseball history, including that famous Bobby Thomson homerun.”

NOTE:
The National Recording Registry chose announcer Russ Hodges’ call of the 1951 National League tiebreaker between the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers for inclusion in their archive of iconic American sounds.
Courtesy National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Why so memorable:
Russ Hodges’ “The Shot Heard ’Round the World?”

At the time, Dodgers-Giants forged sport’s greatest rivalry, yearly playing 22 games against each other on radio and TV, broadcasting through The City. America in the world’s post-war colossus, perhaps baseball never meaning more. What made the moment of this historic homerun memorable for all time was the Giants announcer’s call.

On August 13, Brooklyn led the National League by 13 and 1/2 games. By September 20 the Giants trailed by 6 with 7 left. Then with both teams in a tie at the end of their 154 game season a best of three playoff National League contest was played.

Russ Hodges stated, “all baseball fans focused on our rivalry.” Even the Voice of the American League Yankees was transfixed. “Think of it,” said Voice Mel Allen. “Three New York teams out of the big leagues’ of 16 remain alive. One’s already in the Series, the other two tied.” For years a red-blooded American could recite the script by rote. It is easy to see why so much excitement was brewing during that October of 1951.

The NL playoff became the then most widely aired event in radio and TV history. Seven networks, five of them radio, did at least one game: the Mutual and Liberty Broadcasting system with announcer Gordon McClendon, Dodgers’ radio WMGM and Brooklyn Dodgers’ Re-created Network(s); Giants’ WMCA Radio; and CBS TV—the latter airing the first coast-to-coast network sports telecast for game one of the playoffs (October 1st), with Red Barber doing the play by play.

With the playoff series moving the following day to the Giants’ home park, the Polo Grounds, NBC TV moved in to pick up the rights, negotiating directly with WPIX, New York, which had carried the Giant’s home schedule all year.

CBS TV held on to westbound relay until 3 pm and NBC broadcast the game from 3:00pm to conclusion. It was necessary for the two networks to swap time each day to permit their carrying the full game which started at 1:30pm.

On October 3, 1951 Ernie Harwell did play by play on NBC TV which to this day has never been archived in any manner.

Only four years earlier Americans had owned only 17,000 TV sets v. 58 million radios. By 1951 video had become an irresistible object. Radio was the immovable object, some feeling TV cursory. Such a schism towered as Russ and Ernie “tossed a coin [about a possible Game Three],” Harwell laughed. When Ernie got TV, he joked, “I felt sympathy for ‘Ole’ Russ. All these radio networks and I was gonna’ be on TV, and I thought that I had the plum assignment.”

New York won the opener, 3-1. Next day changed place (Polo Grounds) and outcome (Dodgers win 10-0). His plum then spoiled.
The night before the final, Hodges stayed awake gargling. Worse, to test his voice, he kept talking into a microphone at home, hurting his throat. Next day, at 3:48 P.M., Ralph Branca threw a two-on one-out ninth-inning 0 & 1 pitch with Brooklyn up, 4-2.

“There’s a long drive!” WMCA’s Russ began. “It’s going to be, I believe! … The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! Bobby Thomson hits into the lower deck of the leftfield stands! The Giants win the pennant! And they’re going crazy! They are going crazy! Oh-oh! The Giants . . . have won it by a score of 5 to 4, and they’re picking Bobby Thomson up and carrying him off the field. I don’t believe it! I don’t believe it! I do not believe it. Bobby Thomson hit a line drive into the lower deck of the leftfield stands, and the whole place is going crazy!”

NOTE: This broadcast moment is one of the greatest broadcasts ever aired on radio or television. And That's the Way it Was, October 3rd, 1951.

This remastered 34-minute retrospective was remastered by Phil Gries. It is the most complete audio extant and available representing this radio broadcast with best possible sound created.

#6000: OMNIBUS:135TH STREET

Order

1953-03-29, WCBS, 30 min.

Presented on "OMNIBUS." The third part of this Omnibus presentation is complete. An un-staged George Gershwin one-act opera with an all-Negro cast. Composed by Gershwin in 1922 when he was 23. It's primitive in construction and content, although "The Blue Monday Blues" and some other early Gershwin excursions into the Jazz idiom stand out.  
  
Host for Ominbus series, Alistair Cooke

Directed by Seymour Robbie.  
De Sylva, B.G. -  Librettist
Starring Jimmy Rushing

#11038: KOREAN WAR PEACE SIGNING

Order

1953-07-26, CBS, 90 min.

From the CBS radio network: (July 26th, 1953) 10:00-11:30PM EST (90 minutes). The end of the Korean War. 

After 37 months of fighting, the Korean War is over. 

Comments from President Dwight Eisenhower, UN report, Secretary of Defense Charles Erwin Wilson comments from Washington DC, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles speaks, George Herman reports from Korea, wrapup by Charles Collingwood.

#6961: STEVE ALLEN SHOW, THE: PRESENTED BY KNICKERBOCKER BEER

Order

1953-09-01, WNBT, 40 min.

July 27, 1953- September 24, 1954

Prior to Steve Allen hosting The Tonight Show (Sept. 27, 1954-Jan. 25,1957) on network T.V. he hosted a similar late night show locally in New York City called the The Steve Allen Show Presented by Knickerbocker Beer (11:20pm-midnight). These Monday through Friday 40 minute telecasts included regulars, Steve Lawrence, Helene Dixon and Bobby Bryne and his orchestra. Sponsor was Knickerbocker beer on Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday, only.

This is the 27th broadcast in the series. Broadcast theme song, "Stay Just A Little While With Me," opens the show. Steve Allen, at the piano, sings "Cecilia." Jim Moran, who appears every Tuesday on the broadcast discusses with Allen "Oysters," as the Oyster season begins. Author James Michener joins in and also discusses his latest movie adaptation screenplay for the film "Return To Paradise," about to open in theaters nation wide. This was the first theatrical contribution for Michener in his literary career.

Incredible relaxed late night television from a bygone era as Steve offers a beer to Mitchener in-between anecdotes. Steve Lawrence, who just turned 18 years of age, sings "C'est si bon." Bobby Byrne & his orchestra plays "Lover." Sign off, as Steve reminds viewers that this new late night series is on the air every weekday night for 40 minutes, 11:20pm to Midnight. Cast sings theme song "Stay Just A Little While With Me."

Sponsored by Knickerbocker Beer (on Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday only) on NBC Local, it was seen in only three states: New York, New Jersey, & Connecticut from 11:20pm to Midnight, Monday to Friday, 40 minutes long, broadcast from July 27, 1953 to September 24, 1954. "The Steve Allen Show presented by Knickerbocker Beer" on NBC Local was the forerunner of the NBC National broadcast of "Tonight Starring Steve Allen" which began its official debut on September 27, 1954.

Broadcast theme song, "Stay Just A Little While With Me," opens the show.

NOTE:

Five Steve Allen Knickerbocker COMPLETE TV broadcasts (August 31, September 1, 2, 3, 4, 1953) were originally discovered (NBC 16" ORTHACOUSSIC NBC RADIO-RECORDING DIVISION discs) in 2008. They were for sale in a Burlington County New Jersey store that sold old Gramophones, Victrola's and Edison Cylinder machines.

A rare discovery for only two kinescopes are known, by this author, Phil Gries, to survive, archived at the NBC Archives (December 30, 1953, and August 31. 1954).

#10604: STAGE SHOW: STARRING TOMMY AND JIMMY DORSEY

Order

1954-07-17, CBS, min.

July 3rd, 1954-September 18th, 1954 (CBS)
October 1st, 1955-September 22nd, 1956 (CBS)      

Musical variety series hosted by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. 
Introduced as a one-hour show in 1954, it was a summer replacement for the Jackie Gleason Show. Gleason resurrected the show in the fall of 1955, trimming it to a half-hour, preceding his own show.  In 1956, comedian Jack Carter became the permanent emcee of the show, which saw both Elvis Presley and Bobby Darin make their national TV debuts.   

Guests: Tony Bennett, DeMarco Sisters.

#10599: STAGE SHOW: STARRING TOMMY AND JIMMY DORSEY

Order

1954-07-17, CBS, min.

July 3rd, 1954-September 18th, 1954 (CBS)
October 1st, 1955-September 22nd, 1956 (CBS)      

Musical variety series hosted by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. 
Introduced as a one-hour show in 1954, it was a summer replacement for the Jackie Gleason Show. Gleason resurrected the show in the fall of 1955, trimming it to a half-hour, preceding his own show.  In 1956, comedian Jack Carter became the permanent emcee of the show, which saw both Elvis Presley and Bobby Darin make their national TV debuts.   

Guests: Jack E. Leonard, DeMarco Sisters.

#10600: STAGE SHOW: STARRING TOMMY AND JIMMY DORSEY

Order

1954-07-24, CBS, min.

July 3rd, 1954-September 18th, 1954 (CBS)
October 1st, 1955-September 22nd, 1956 (CBS)      

Musical variety series hosted by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. 
Introduced as a one-hour show in 1954, it was a summer replacement for the Jackie Gleason Show. Gleason resurrected the show in the fall of 1955, trimming it to a half-hour, preceding his own show.  In 1956, comedian Jack Carter became the permanent emcee of the show, which saw both Elvis Presley and Bobby Darin make their national TV debuts.   

Guests: Henny Youngman, Jimmy Nelson, Betty Riley, Clark Brothers, The DeMathazzis.

#10601: STAGE SHOW: STARRING TOMMY AND JIMMY DORSEY

Order

1954-07-31, CBS, min.

July 3rd, 1954-September 18th, 1954 (CBS)
October 1st, 1955-September 22nd, 1956 (CBS)      

Musical variety series hosted by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. 
Introduced as a one-hour show in 1954, it was a summer replacement for the Jackie Gleason Show. Gleason resurrected the show in the fall of 1955, trimming it to a half-hour, preceding his own show.  In 1956, comedian Jack Carter became the permanent emcee of the show, which saw both Elvis Presley and Bobby Darin make their national TV debuts.   

Guest: Jean Carroll.

#9483: COLGATE COMEDY HOUR: "LET'S FACE IT"

Order

1954-11-24, WNBC, 49 min.

September 10, 1950-December 25, 1955. 
Most shows were comedy-variety hours with guest hosts Martin & Lewis, Abbott & Costello, Eddie Cantor, Donald O'Connor, Bob Hope, Jimmy Durante, & Gordon MacRae. Starting in the Fall of 1952, occasional revues and musicals were broadcast. In the summer of 1955, the name of the series was changed to "Colgate Variety Hour," and when Colgate dropped its sponsorship, the show continued in January 1956 for one half season as the "NBC Comedy Hour." Woody Allen was one of the writers. 

Presented on "COLGATE COMEDY SHOW." A group of married women invite soldiers from a nearby Army camp to their homes. Based on the 1941 Cole Porter musical. 
Among the original songs of the original show are: "Everything I Love," "Farming," "Let's Not Talk About Love," "You Irritate Me So," "Lay Needs a Rest," "A Little Rumba Numba," "Ace in the Hole," "I Hate You Darling," and "Rub Your Lamp." 
No close otherwise complete.

#5910: COLGATE COMEDY HOUR: "LET'S FACE IT"

Order

1954-11-24, WNBC, 54 min.

September 10, 1950-December 25, 1955. 
Most shows were comedy-variety hours with guest hosts Martin & Lewis, Abbott & Costello, Eddie Cantor, Donald O'Connor, Bob Hope, Jimmy Durante, & Gordon MacRae. Starting in the Fall of 1952, occasional revues and musicals were broadcast. In the summer of 1955, the name of the series was changed to "Colgate Variety Hour," and when Colgate dropped its sponsorship, the show continued in January 1956 for one half season as the "NBC Comedy Hour." Woody Allen was one of the writers. 

Presented on "COLGATE COMEDY SHOW." A group of married women invite soldiers from a nearby Army camp to their homes. Based on the 1941 Cole Porter musical. No close otherwise complete.

#6976: EMMY AWARDS: 7TH ANNUAL(FIRST NATIONALLY TELEVISED)

Order

1955-03-07, WRCA, 96 min.

Broadcast from 11:30 pm to 1:05am, pre-empling Tonight Show starring Steve Allen, The seventh annual Emmy Awards , and for the first time televised Nationally. From Hollywood Steve Allen. From New York Emcee Dave Garroway. Commercials included.

#5905A: WORLD SERIES 1955 (GAME ONE)

Order

1955-09-28, WNBC, 11 min.

The World Series, GAME ONE, September 28, 1955, at Yankee Stadium.

The Brooklyn Dodgers vs New York Yankees.
This is the NBC TV broadcast with Vin Scully calling the play by play.

Jackie Robinson’s most famous time stealing home plate came against the New York Yankees in the eighth inning of Game 1 of the 1955 World Series. He was called safe, much to the dismay of Hall-of-Fame catcher Yogi Berra, who even in retirement insisted Robinson was out.

The Dodgers icon racked up 197 stolen bases in 1,382 career games. Robinson led the National League with 29 stolen bases when he was named Rookie of the Year in 1947, and he paced the Majors with 37 two years later en route to earning the MVP Award.

*This successful single straight steal of home in a World Series has been, to date, the last time this feat was accomplished, over 68 years ago (Hear Jackie Robinson state to Mel Allen why he stole home when the Dodgers were trailing the Yankees, in the 8th inning, during this game on ATA#107, July 29, 1961).

Top of the eighth inning, Carl Furillo singles to center field.
Gil Hodges flies out to left field.
Jackie Robinson gets on base when his ground ball goes through the legs of New York Yankee third baseman, Gil McDougald...Furillo advancing to third base and Jackie winding up at second base. Don Zimmer flies out to center field allowing Furillo to tag up from third base making the score now 6 to 4, in favor of the New York Yankees. Robinson tags up from second base and advances to third base. Frank Kellert pinch hits for Brooklyn Dodger pitcher reliever, Don Bessent. On the second pitch by Whitey Ford, Jackie Robinson steals home, only the fifth player to accomplish this feat in World Series history, and the last to do so.

NOTE: Not included in this air check is Kellert's single, after Robinson steals home. We pick up Vin Scully's play by play with Casey Stengel leaving in Whitey Ford to continue pitching and Don Hoak pinch running for Kellert, whose single is missing from this recording. Jim "Junior" Gilliam pops out to third base ending the inning. Mel Allen is heard doing a Gillette commercial with Casey Stengel.

Brooklyn Dodger Line-Up as described in
www.baseball-reference.com

Jim Gilliam LF
Pee Wee Reese SS
Duke Snider CF
Roy Campanella C
Carl Furillo RF
Gil Hodges 1B
Jackie Robinson 3B
Don Zimmer 2B
Don Newcombe P
Don Bessent P
Clem Labine P
Frank Kellert PH
Don Hoak PR

NOTE: In a phone conversation with Vin Scully (October 19, 2021), Phil Gries plays the steal of home by Jackie Robinson audio track to which Scully states that his "trademark was to call a play and then shut up."

This conversation between Vin Scully and Phil Gries can be heard on the ATA website Home Page (Scrawl down right column to locate).

When Jackie Robinson stole home Scully stated, "Robinson is dancing off third, shaking up the crowd. Robbie is coming to the plate. The throw to Berra. He steals it!"

Only the roar of the crowd can be heard for over a minute afterwards, with no additional commentary from the greatest baseball announcer of all time, Vin Scully, as agreed upon by most baseball journalist historians.

NOTE:
Angeles City Council on Friday officially renamed Elysian Park Avenue after the revered announcer, Vin Scully, who's been the voice of the Dodgers for 67 years. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

By: Ed Sherman
September 14, 2016

There are many ways to measure the incredible longevity of Dodgers announcer Vin Scully. Given my background, I will go with the sportswriter perspective.

When Scully made his debut in 1950, Grantland Rice, the most influential sportswriter of all time, was writing columns about Jackie Robinson for a Dodgers teams located in Brooklyn.

Now that is some longevity.

Well, it turns out old Vin couldn’t go on forever. After 67 years in the booth, he finally is hanging up the microphone at the end of the Dodgers season.

It truly has been an epic run for Scully, and the fanfare will be unprecedented for his final game broadcasts. In the vast pantheon of great announcers in baseball history, there is no debate about No. 1.

“He’s so much greater than anyone who has ever done this,” Cubs radio announcer Pat Hughes told me for a Chicago Tribune column on Scully. “It’s not even close. It’s an embarrassment of riches. He’s the best, he’s done it the longest and he’s been with one franchise. It’s amazing all of this can be said about one man.”

Scully will leave behind numerous lessons for current and prospective members of the media. First and foremost is his emphasis on preparation. Hughes and Cubs TV announcer Len Kasper each made a point of marveling at how much research Scully does for a broadcast.

Yet something Kasper said really gets to the essence of what makes Scully so great.

“It’s so striking that what he says, and the words he uses, plays as well on paper as it does on a broadcast,” Kasper said. “He’s like a great author. His pen is his voice.”

#5994: BETTY HUTTON SHOW, THE

Order

1955-10-25, WNBC, 30 min.

Presented on "CHEVY SHOW." Joining the supercharged songstress, comedienne and actress Betty Hutton are Jimmy Durante and Bob Hope. Vaudeville is the theme of this one hour variety show. Not complete.

#10378: STAGE SHOW: STARRING TOMMY AND JIMMY DORSEY

Order

1955-11-05, CBS, 7 min.

July 3rd, 1954-September 18th, 1954 (CBS)
October 1st, 1955-September 22nd, 1956 (CBS)      

Musical variety series hosted by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. 
Introduced as a one-hour show in 1954, it was a summer replacement for the Jackie Gleason Show. Gleason resurrected the show in the fall of 1955, trimming it to a half-hour, preceding his own show.  In 1956, comedian Jack Carter became the permanent emcee of the show, which saw both Elvis Presley and Bobby Darin make their national TV debuts.   

Guest: Frank Fontaine, who sings "When You're Smiling" and performs a skit based on the character John L.C. Savonne. The Savonne character preceeded Fontaine's "Crazy Guggenheim" character in the "Joe The Bartender" skits he performed on The Jackie Gleason Show.

#10477: JIMMY DURANTE SHOW, THE

Order

1956-04-07, NBC, 7 min.

October 2nd, 1954-June 23rd, 1956- (NBC)

Half-hour variety show starring Jimmy Durante. Joining Jimmy were his former vaudeville partner Eddie Jackson, pianist Jules Buffano, and drummer Jack Roth. The show was set at the Club Durant and also featured the Durante Girls. 

Guest: Ernest Borgnine.

#10692: NEWS, THE

Order

1956-04-20, WNBC, min.

Today's Headlines: Report from Monaco on Grace Kelly wedding, reported by Jinx Falkenburg. In sports news, middleweight Gene Fullmer defeats Tiger Jones, Brooklyn Dodger baseball news, Jim (Junior Gilliam) and Roger Craig's no-hitter until the 7th inning. News on Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford. 
Don Peterson reporting for United Press International.

#9477: STAGE SHOW

Order

1956-05-12, CBS, 25 min.

      Stage Show with Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey. Guest headliners are all musical. Singer Dick Haymes, song stylist, Roberta Sherwood, in a return engagement, and the Hines Brothers...all perform to music by the Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey Brothers orchestra.

#10371: STAGE SHOW: STARRING TOMMY AND JIMMY DORSEY

Order

1956-06-30, CBS, min.

July 3rd, 1954-September 18th, 1954 (CBS)
October 1st, 1955-September 22nd, 1956 (CBS)      

Musical variety series hosted by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. 
Introduced as a one-hour show in 1954, it was a summer replacement for the Jackie Gleason Show. Gleason resurrected the show in the fall of 1955, trimming it to a half-hour, preceding his own show.  In 1956, comedian Jack Carter became the permanent emcee of the show, which saw both Elvis Presley and Bobby Darin make their national TV debuts.   

Guest: Comedian Wally Brown.

#13034: JIMMY SHEARER SINGS

Order

1956-10-31, , 4 min.

Jimmy Shearer

  Jimmy Shearer sings old songs.

#5936: TOM SAWYER

Order

1956-11-21, WCBS, 54 min.

Presented on "US STEEL HOUR." A series of adventures in the life of Tom Sawyer.

#13105: WALTER WINCHELL SHOW, THE

Order

1956-11-30, NBC, 7 min.

October 5, 1956-December 28, 1956

Walter Winchell attempted to bring to television a shortened  variety show version of The Ed Sullivan Show. His half hour format was brief, and after 13 weeks his series was cancelled. 

Walter Winchell's guests are Shelley Winters and Jimmy Durante.
Jimmy sings, "Toscannin, Iturbi & Me." 
Billy Glibert takes a bow from the audience, celebrating his 50th anniversary in show business.

#13106: HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP: ARCHIE MOORE VS. FLOYD PATTERSON

Order

1956-11-30, , 15 min.

The 1956 heavyweight boxing championship fight between Floyd Patterson and Archie Moore. Don Dunphy gives the blow-by-blow report of rounds 1 and 5 with commentary by Jimmy Powers. Patterson knocks out Moore in round 5. Patterson and Moore are interviewed after the fight with commentary by Winn Elliott.

#13111: HY GARDNER CALLING

Order

1956-12-02, WRCA, 6 min.

HY GARDNER CALLING - Sunday Night, half hour broadcasts, weekly, WRCA Ch. 4 New York City -11:15pm - 11:45pm, 11:30pm - 12:00am April 29, 1956-January 13, 1957

HY GARDNER - Mon-Fri, weekdays, WRCA CH. 4 New York City 11:15-11:25pm, 11:20-11:30pm, 11:15-11:30pm September 10, 1956-January 25, 1957

January 28, 1957 - ? Hy Gardner ten minute segments "Face to Face" on TONIGHT! (New format replacing Steve Allen)
revised format series hosted by Jack Lescoulie.

HY GARDNER SHOW - October 25, 1959-August 14, 1960 WNEW 45 minute and 60 minute broadcasts, Sunday evenings 10-11pm.

HY GARDNER SHOW - September 24, 1960 - September 29, 1962 WOR one hour weekly broadcasts, Saturday evenings 12am-1am.

HY GARDNER SHOW - October 21, 1962 - April 4, 1964 WOR one hour weekly broadcasts Saturdays or Sundays 7:00pm-8:00pm.

HY GARDNER SHOW - September 26, 1964-January 10, 1965 WOR one hour weekly broadcasts Saturday 11:30pm-12:30am or 12:00am-1:00am.

Hy Gardner was a well-known New York Herald-Tribune columnist. He appeared regularly on Tonight! and America After Dark, a short-term substitute for Tonight! after Steve Allen abandoned it early in 1957. Gardner specialized in profiling show business celebrities and other news makers, and he hosted a nightly ten-minute TV interview program in New York called Face to Face. His weekly Sunday-night show, Hy Gardner Calling!, also aired only in the New York area and consisted of interviews conducted by telephone, with the subject seemingly at home, but actually seated in one studio, while Gardner sat at his desk in another. The telephone hook-up was real, and there was no physical proximity between host and guest. The show premiered in 1954 ? on New York City’s NBC affiliate station WRCA-TV, Channel 4, and ran until 1965.

Hy Gardner interviews Jimmy Durante who recalls his early days in show business, Salvatore Dali explains his new technique using bullets.

#6973: AT SIXTY FIVE

Order

1957-01-12, CBS, 54 min.

A special one hour salute to Eddie Cantor celebrating his 65th birthday. On hand to salute him in this variety program are Edward R. Murrow, Burt Lancaster, Connie Russel, George Jessel, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Eddie Fisher, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnay, Milton Ager, Jimmy McHugh, and Cantor's daughter, Marilyn Cantor. Eddie Cantor wrote the script for the show, pre-empting The Jackie Gleason Show.

#6967: TONIGHT! STARRING STEVE ALLEN

Order

1957-01-25, WRCA, 87 min.

September 27, 1954 - January 25, 1957. This evenings telecast is the final TONIGHT! show starring Steve Allen. A farewell party is staged. All the regular singers are featured in musical numbers and Steve uses some of the 'gimmicks which found great popularity on show during the 2 1/2 years on air, including the big salami, and goo goo dolls. Steve speaks briefly to some of the men on the new "Tonight" show which starts next week. They include Jack Lescoulie, Earl Wilson, Hy Gardner, & Bob Considine.

The basic format of The Tonight! Show was established during Allen's tenure: an opening monologue, a segment involving the studio audience (through interviews or games such as "Stump the Band"), and a simple set (a desk and chair for the host, a couch for the guests), all trademarks of the Allen era. Allen inaugurated the out-of-town broadcast (the first one was done from Miami), the one guest show (Carl Sandburg was the first solo guest), and the one topic show (entire programs devoted to such subjects as narcotics, civil rights, and black music). Allen also established the practice of paying his guests only "scale," the minimum fee required by union-network contract (this practice led to a highly publicized feud between Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan and later between Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan, as Sullivan paid top dollar for his guests). Though Allen's Tonight! show closely resembled the shows of his successors, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, it was more a musical show; Allen himself was an accomplished musician and composer (he wrote his theme, "This Could Be The Start of Something Big"), and he employed a nucleus of musical regulars on his show. In addition to announcer – sidekick Gene Rayburn, the show featured singers Steve Lawrence (who was only seventeen when he began singing on Allen's local show), Eydie Gormé (who subsequently married Steve Lawrence), Andy Williams (who later hosted several series of his own), and Pat Marshall (who was succeeded by Pat Kirby). Skitch Henderson led the Orchestra.

#10457: TONIGHT! STARRING STEVE ALLEN

Order

1957-01-25, WRCA, 55 min.

September 27, 1954 - January 25, 1957. This evenings telecast is the final TONIGHT! show starring Steve Allen. A farewell party is staged. All the regular singers are featured in musical numbers and Steve uses some of the 'gimmicks which found great popularity on show during the 2 1/2 years on air, including the big salami, and goo goo dolls. Steve speaks briefly to some of the men on the new "Tonight" show which starts next week. They include Jack Lescoulie, Earl Wilson, Hy Gardner, & Bob Considine.

The basic format of The Tonight! Show was established during Allen's tenure: an opening monologue, a segment involving the studio audience (through interviews or games such as "Stump the Band"), and a simple set (a desk and chair for the host, a couch for the guests), all trademarks of the Allen era. Allen inaugurated the out-of-town broadcast (the first one was done from Miami), the one guest show (Carl Sandburg was the first solo guest), and the one topic show (entire programs devoted to such subjects as narcotics, civil rights, and black music). Allen also established the practice of paying his guests only "scale," the minimum fee required by union-network contract (this practice led to a highly publicized feud between Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan and later between Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan, as Sullivan paid top dollar for his guests). Though Allen's Tonight! show closely resembled the shows of his successors, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, it was more a musical show; Allen himself was an accomplished musician and composer (he wrote his theme, "This Could Be The Start of Something Big"), and he employed a nucleus of musical regulars on his show. In addition to announcer – sidekick Gene Rayburn, the show featured singers Steve Lawrence (who was only seventeen when he began singing on Allen's local show), Eydie Gormé (who subsequently married Steve Lawrence), Andy Williams (who later hosted several series of his own), and Pat Marshall (who was succeeded by Pat Kirby). Skitch Henderson led the Orchestra.

Duplicate of #6967. Farewell Party. After two and one half years, Steve Allen hosts his final Tonight Show.

Andy Williams sings a new song, "Butterfly." Tonight Show stage hands behind the scenes bid farewell to Steve.

#13141: EMMY AWARDS: NINTH ANNUAL

Order

1957-03-16, NBC, 56 min.

The Ninth Annual Emmy Awards for the best in television for 1956 are presented from the NBC studios in Burbank, California. Personalities include Ed Sullivan, Phil Silvers, Carl Reiner, Robert Young, Jimmy Durante, Lloyd Nolan, Jack Palance, Claire Trevor, Peggy Lee, Perry Como, Dinah Shore, Danny Thomas, Sid Caesar, Nanette Fabray, Ralph Edwards, Loretta Young, and Peggy Wood, "Requiem For a Heavyweight, a presentation of "Playhouse 90," was voted the Emmy Award for best television presentation of 1956.

Desi Arnaz is the host. Dave Garroway concludes the program.

#13180: ROCK AND ROLL REVUE STARRING ALAN FREED, THE

Order

1957-05-11, ABC, 11 min.

Alan Freed's guests are Edith Adams, Andy Williams, and Lillian Briggs. 

This SPECIAL ABC TV broadcast is the second of his two half-hour Rock'N' Roll Reviews. The first SPECIAL was broadcast one week earlier on ABC TV (May 4, 1957). 
Freed conducts the orchestra.

All Excerpts of songs performed:
-Jimmy Bowen and the Rhythm Orchids: "I'm Stickin' With You." 
-Lillian Briggs: "I Want You To Be My Baby."
-Edith Adams: "He Don't Want To Be Kissed."
-Charlie Gracie: "Fabulous."
-Edith Adams sings a medley of the best  of Rock 'N' Roll with the Alan Freed Orchestra, including, 
"I'm Hoping That You Come Back To Me,"
"I'm All Shook Up,"
"Party Doll."

NOTE: This television audio air check from ATA was donated to The Library of Congress, who requested having a copy, on December 29, 2009. 

Host: Alan Freed

#10503: PLAYHOUSE '90: HELEN MORGAN STORY, THE

Order

1957-05-16, CBS, 30 min.

October 4th, 1956- May 18th, 1960 (CBS) 

CBS anthology series considered to be the most ambitious of all the early day TV anthology series with top talent performing. During it's first three seasons, Playhouse '90 presented ninety-minute dramas. It was broadcast as a series of specials during the 1959-60 season. Reruns were aired in 1961.
More than 100 plays were presented, many of them live, featuring top ranked directors and excellent scripts.   

This episode features "The Helen Morgan Story." 

Helen Morgan is a Broadway legend. Her story told by her mother from her early start in speakeasies to star of top-rated shows and owning her own club. Her fatal descent into alcoholism is also covered. Polly Bergen stars as Helen Morgan.

#13200: STEVE ALLEN SHOW, THE

Order

1957-06-30, NBC, 22 min.

Commercials included in this TV Audio Air Check are, Jergens Woodbury beauty bar, Crosley and Bandix Home Appliances, Crosley radio and Television, and Viceroy Cigarettes.

June 24, 1956-December 27, 1961.
The multi-talented Steve Allen- musician, composer, singer, comedian,author- was the star of this live weekly variety series that bore a strong resemblance to his informal, late-night Tonight! Show. Although the program had elements of music and serious aspects, comedy was far and away its major component. Steve had with him one of the most versatile and talented collections of improvisational comics ever assembled. Among the features that were used at one time or another on a semi-regular basis were: "Letters to the Editor," "The Allen Report to the Nation," "Mad-Libs," "Crazy Shots," "Where Are They Now," "The Question Man," "The Allen Bureau of Standards," and "The Allen All Stars." The most frequently used feature, and by far the most memorable, was the "Man on the Street Interview." It was here that the comics on the show developed their best-remembered characters: Louis Nye as suave, smug Gordon Hathaway, Tom Poston as the man who can't remember his own name, Skitch Henderson as Sidney Ferguson, Don Knotts as the extremely nervous and fidgety Mr Morrison, Pat Harrington as Italian golf pro Guido Panzini, and Bill Dana as shy Jose Jimenez.

Steve's guests are Bob Hope, George Jessel, and former New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker (on film). A tribute is given to Walker.

#13222A: NEW YORK GIANTS VS PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Order

1957-09-29, WPIX, 22 min.

The final New York Giant Baseball Game played in New York at the Polo Grounds by the New York Giant baseball team.

The Giants moved into the Polo Grounds in 1891. After today's final game they will be leaving many memories, mourners and an empty baseball park behind.

Radio came to the Giants in 1939. Television's first full season came in 1948. Steve Ellis called the shots that first TV season over the NBC network. In 1949 WPIX, with Russ Hodges and Al Helfer, at the mikes took over the telecasting, providing memorable play by play moments including those by Willie Mays and the most audacious New York Giant recording of them all, by Hodges, of the National League Winning home run by Bobby Thomson in 1951.

In what is considered the only known WPIX TV video or audio opening of a regularly scheduled New York Giant game we hear the theme music and opening by broadcaster, in the booth, Jim Woods, who reminds the viewers that the ballgame is coming to them by Knickerbocker Beer and Pall Mall cigarettes. We hear George Levy New York Giant public address announcer naming today's line-up in the background.

Announcer, Jim Woods, states that manager Bill Rigney wants to pack the Giant line-up with as many 1954 New York Giant players as possible, including catcher Wes Westrum who hasn't started a game in quite some time.

NEW YORK GIANTS STARTING LINE-UP

1B - Danny O'Connell
RF - Don Mueller
CF - Willie Mays
LF - Dusty Rhodes

3B - Bobby Thomson (traded by the Giants in 1954 and returning
for one more half season in 1957)

1B - Whitey Lockman
SS - Daryl Spencer
C - Wes Westrum
P - Johnny Antonelli

After announcing the first lead off hitter for the Pittsburgh Pirates we segue to the bottom of the ninth inning, Giants losing 9 to 1. Bob Delaney does play by play. Don Meuller flies out. Willie Mays gets a resounding standing ovation (banging on the roof of the Giant dugout can be heard. Willie makes out ending his 1957 season with a .333 batting average. The final New York Giant out at the Polo Grounds is made by Dusty Rhodes.

NOTE: In 2014 a version of this tape was presented in person by Phil Gries to the daughter of Dusty Rhodes and to a friend of Willie Mays, to be given to him.

We hear announcer Russ Hodges, from the center field New York Giant clubhouse reminiscing about past Giant teams who played at the Polo Grounds (1942, 1944, 1946, 1951, 1954).
Giant fans surround him and chant "Stay team stay."

Hodges interviews manager Bill Rigney from his New York Giant Clubhouse Office. He states that today is a sad day.
He discuses plans for managing the 1958 San Francisco Giants.

Russ Hodges interviews former NY Giant players, including Hans Lobert who began his baseball career in 1903 playing for the Giants from 1915-1917, Red Murray who played with the Giants from 1909-1914, Sid Gordon who retired as a Giant during the middle of last season, Buddy Kerr great short stop for the New York Giants over a period of six years during the 1940's, and Eddie Brannick who joined the New York Giant organization in 1905 as an office boy working his way up to Club Secretary / Office manager, remaining with the club for a total of 65 years.

Russ Hodges becomes poetic reading a verse he has written about the departure of the New York Giants form New York.

Russ Hodges and Bob Delaney sign off.
THE END OF AN ERA

Duplicate of #11075.

#13222B: NEW YORK GIANTS VS PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Order

1957-09-29, WPIX, 6 min.

ATA #13222B is a six minute excerpt edited from the ATA #13222A TV Audio Air Check, outlined below. It contains ONLY the ninth inning, as announced by Bob Delaney, which includes a rare retrospective TV broadcast audio description of Willie Mays' last at bat, in the Polo Grounds, as a New York Giant.

ATA#13222A
The final New York Giant Baseball Game played in New York at the Polo Grounds by the New York Giant baseball team.