1959 MLB Season
As originally written by Tim Brulia:
Welcome to 1959. The beginning of the two all-star game experiment.
NBC follows suit and joins CBS in a Sunday afternoon Game of the Week telecast.
Due to sponsorship conflict (Anheuser-Busch in most of the country, National Bohemian Beer in the Southeast), NBC employed a second crew for 4 1/2 inning stint on its Saturday telecasts in the Southeastern US. They are listed as "SE" after the main on-air crew.
Per the 4/8/59 edition of The Sporting News, sponsors for the CBS games were Falstaff Beer, State Farm Insurance, Colgate-Palmolive and General Mills. NBC games were sponsored by either the aforementioned Anheuser-Busch or National Boh and also Phillies Cigars.
National Television
APRIL
Saturday 4/11:
Braves-Pirates, 1:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Bill Veeck
Dodgers-Cubs, 1:45, CBS. Bob Finnegan, Gabby Hartnett
Sunday 4/12:
Red Sox-Yankees, 1:45, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Saturday 4/18:
Phillies-Redlegs, 1:15, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Yankees-Red Sox, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Sunday 4/19:
Athletics-Indians, 1:45, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Yankees-Red Sox, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Saturday 4/25:
Giants-Cubs, 1:45, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Dodgers-Cardinals, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Bill Veeck
Sunday 4/26:
Dodgers-Cardinals, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Braves-Redlegs, 2:15, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
MAY
Saturday 5/2:
Yankees-Indians, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Giants-Braves, 2:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Sunday 5/3:
Cardinals-Pirates, 12:55, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Orioles-White Sox, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Saturday 5/9:
Indians-White Sox, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Redlegs-Braves, 2:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Sunday 5/10:
Senators-Yankees, 1:25, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Phillies-Pirates, 1:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Saturday 5/16:
White Sox-Yankees, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Indians-Red Sox, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Bill Veeck
Sunday 5/17:
White Sox-Senators, 12:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Tigers-Red Sox, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Saturday 5/23:
Braves-Phillies, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Yankees-Orioles, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Bill Veeck
Sunday 5/24:
Braves-Phillies, 12:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Yankees-Orioles, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Saturday 5/30:
Yankees-Senators, 1:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Pirates-Redlegs, 2:25, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Sunday 5/31:
Pirates-Redlegs, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Phillies-Braves, 2:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
JUNE
Saturday 6/6:
Yankees-Indians, 1:55, CBS. Buddy Blattner, Frankie Frisch
Dodgers-Braves, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Sunday 6/7:
Yankees-Indians, 1:25, CBS. Buddy Blattner, Frankie Frisch
Dodgers-Braves, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Saturday 6/13:
Braves-Cubs, 2:25, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Dodgers-Pirates, 1:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Bill Veeck
Sunday 6/14:
Tigers-Yankees, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Dodgers-Pirates, 1:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Saturday 6/20:
Indians-Yankees, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
White Sox-Red Sox, 1:55, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Sunday 6/21:
Indians-Yankees, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
White Sox-Red Sox, 1:55, NBC, Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Saturday 6/27:
Red Sox-Indians, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Cubs-Braves, 2:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Sunday 6/28:
Cardinals-Redlegs, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Orioles-Tigers. 2:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
JULY
Saturday 7/4:
Dodgers-Cubs, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Giants-Cardinals, 2;25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Bill Veeck
Sunday 7/5:
Redlegs-Pirates, 12:55, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Braves-Phillies, 1:25, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Tuesday 7/7:
First Baseball All-Star Game from Pittsburgh:
American-National, 12:45, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Mel Allen
Saturday 7/11:
Yankees-Red Sox, 1:55, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Giants-Redlegs, 2:25, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Sunday 7/12:
Tigers-Indians, 1:25, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Yankees-Red Sox, 1:55, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Saturday 7/18:
Giants-Pirates, 1:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Bill Veeck
White Sox-Yankees, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Sunday 7/19:
Indians-Red Sox, 1:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
White Sox-Yankees, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Saturday 7/25:
Senators-Indians, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Pirates-Braves, 2:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Sunday 7/26:
Senators-Indians, 1:25, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Yankees-Tigers, 2:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
AUGUST
Saturday 8/1:
Cubs-Redlegs, 2:25, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Cardinals-Braves, 2:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Sunday 8/2:
Orioles-Indians, 1:25, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Cardinals-Braves, 2:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Monday 8/3:
Second Baseball All-Star Game from Los Angeles:
American-National, 6:45, NBC. Vin Scully, Mel Allen
Saturday 8/8:
Athletics-Yankees, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner, Frankie Frisch
Tigers-Red Sox, 1:55, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Bill Veeck
Sunday 8/9:
White Sox-Senators, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Tigers-Red Sox, 1:55, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Saturday 8/15:
Giants-Cubs, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Dodgers-Cardinals, 2:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Bill Veeck
Sunday 8/16:
Red Sox-Yankees, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Dodgers-Cardinals, 2:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Saturday 8/22:
Giants-Phillies, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Red Sox-Tigers, 2:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Jim Simpson, Al Rosen
Sunday 8/23:
Red Sox-Indians, 1:25, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Orioles-Tigers, 2:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Saturday 8/29:
White Sox-Indians, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Yankees-Senators, 1:55, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Jim Simpson, Bill Veeck
Sunday 8/30:
Phillies-Pirates, 12:55, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
White Sox-Indians, 1:25, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
SEPTEMBER
Saturday 9/5:
Braves-Redlegs, 2:25, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Indians-White Sox, 2:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Jim Simpson, Al Rosen
Sunday 9/6:
Indians-White Sox, 2:20, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Braves-Redlegs, 2:25, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Saturday 9/12:
Indians-Yankees, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Redlegs-Braves, 2:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher. SE: Jim Simpson, Bill Veeck
Sunday 9/13:
Indians-Yankees, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Redlegs-Braves, 2:25, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Note: CBS also had a Browns-Lions preseason game at 2:30, the football game was joined in progress.
Saturday 9/19:
Redlegs-Pirates, 1:30, NBC. Jim Simpson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Red Sox-Yankees, 1:55, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Sunday 9/20:
Braves-Phillies, 1:25, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Redlegs-Pirates, 1:55, NBC. Jim Simpson, Leo Durocher
Note: CBS also had a Colts-Cardinals (Louisville) preseason game at 2:00, the football game was joined in progress.
Saturday 9/26:
Senators-Red Sox, 1:55, NBC. Jim Simpson, Leo Durocher. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Dodgers-Cubs, 2:25, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Buddy Blattner
Sunday 9/27:
Phillies-Braves, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Leo Durocher
Monday 9/28:
Dodgers-Braves (playoff), 3:15, ABC. George Kell, Bob Finnegan
Tuesday 9/29:
Braves-Dodgers (playoff), 4:45, ABC. George Kell, Bob DeLaney
-----------------------------------------------------------------
, Bob
WORLD SERIES
Thursday 10/1:
Game 1, Dodgers-White Sox, 2:00, NBC. Jack Brickhouse, Vin Scully
Friday 10/2:
Game 2, Dodgers-White Sox, 2:00, NBC. Jack Brickhouse, Vin Scully
Sunday 10/4:
Game 3, White Sox-Dodgers, 5:00, NBC. Vin Scully, Jack Brickhouse
Monday 10/5:
Game 4, White Sox-Dodgers, 5:00, NBC. Vin Scully, Jack Brickhouse
Tuesday 10/6:
Game 5, White Sox-Dodgers, 5:00, NBC. Vin Scully, Jack Brickhouse
Thursday 10/8:
Game 6, Dodgers-White Sox, 2:00, NBC. Jack Brickhouse, Vin Scully
Note: KTTV-Los Angeles and WGN-Chicago also provided coverage, using the NBC feed.
Local TV/Radio Info
Originally written by garretta
I was looking through Cory's collection of Broadcasting Magazine profiles, and there's a ton of good information in them. But they're a bit hard to read at times, both because of the print and the fact that there's so much advertising-specific jargon. What I propose to do is put down the basic historical information in a format that we can use to make changes in some of the other baseball announcer threads, and also to facilitate discussions about facts contained in the articles that we may not have talked about before, Let's begin with 1959 in baseball:
Kansas City A's: They televise for the first time this year, a ten-game package over WDAF (Channel 4). The sponsor is Schlitz Beer.
Baltimore Orioles: Their station is WJZ (Channel 13, I believe). Their sponsor is Baltimore's own Gunther Brewing Company.
Washington Senators: Their flagship radio station is WTOP, and WTOP-TV (Channel 9, now WUSA) will broadcast thirteen weekend games. Gunther Beer will also sponsor.
New York Yankees: WPIX-TV (Channel 11) will telecast all home games and most road games. Ballantine Beer and R.J, Reynolds Tobacco Co. (brand wasn't specified in the article) are the sponsors. They claim that these will be the only games shown in metropolitan New York. Coverage begins March 14 with the first of four exhibition games.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Will be televised by KDKA-TV (Channel 2). The flagship radio station is KDKA-AM.
San Francisco Giants:Nothing about local plans, but home games will be carried by WINS New York. (The article doesn't state this, but Les Keiter was the play-by-play man for the recreations, according to his autobiography.)
Cincinnati Reds: Games will be televised by WLWT-TV Cincinnati and WLWD-TV Dayton. (No word in the article about the other Crosley stations in Columbus and Indianapolis.)
Philadelphia Phillies: Games will be broadcast on radio over WIP. Sponsors include Ballantine, Atlantic Richfield, Phillies Cigars, and Tastykake,
Los Angeles Dodgers: Sponsors are American Tobacco Company (probably for Lucky Strike, who had been a sponsor in Brooklyn) and Eastside Brewing Company. Stations (all in California) include:
KMPC-AM Los Angeles
KFXM-AM San Bernardino
KVEL-AM San Luis Obispo
KPAL-AM Palm Springs
KROD-AM Brawley
KYOR-AM Blythe
KREO-AM Indio
KIST-AM Santa Barbara
Milwaukee Braves: Sponsors include Miller Brewing, Clark Oil and Refining Company, and P. Lorillard Tobacco Company. The radio station is WTMJ.
That's all that was in the article. Later articles are much more detailed.
Here's what we have on the other teams:
Detroit Tigers: The radio flagship is WKMH-AM. The television flagship is WJBK-TV. Van Patrick and George Kell announce for both radio and television.
Cleveland Indians: The radio flagship is WERE-AM. The television flagship is WEWS-TV. Jimmy Dudley and Bob Neal call the action on radio, while Ken Coleman and Bill McColgan do the same on television.
Chicago White Sox: WGN-TV is the television flagship; the radio flagship is WCFL-TV. Jack Brickhouse and Vince Lloyd call the action on television; Bob Elson and Don Wells do the same on radio.
Boston Red Sox: WHDH-AM is the radio flagship, while its sister station WHDH-TV is the television flagship. Curt Gowdy, Bob Murphy, and Bill Crowley do the announcing for both media.
Chicago Cubs: WGN-AM is the radio flagship; WGN-TV is the television flagship. Jack Quinlan and Lou Boudreau will describe the action on radio, while Jack Brickhouse and Vince Lloyd do the honors on television.
St. Louis Cardinals: The flagships are KMOX-AM for radio and KPLR-TV for television. Harry Caray, Jack Buck, and Joe Garagiola are the announcers for both media.
National TV Info
Originally written by garretta
There were two All-Star Games in 1959. The first one was played on July 7 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Airtime was 12:45 PM Eastern on NBC. with Curt Gowdy and Mel Allen on the call. The second was played on August 3 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Airtime was 6:45 PM Eastern on NBC, with Vin Scully joining Allen in the booth. Jack Brickhouse and Bob Prince will call the first game from Pittsburgh for NBC Radio; Russ Hodges and Bob Neal will call the second game from Los Angeles.
NBC also aired the World Series between the White Sox and the Dodgers. Coverage began Thursday, October 1 at Comiskey Park in Chicago, and continued with Game 2 on Friday, October 2. Airtime was 2PM Eastern. This was also the case for the deciding Game 6 on Thursday, October 8.
Games 3, 4, and 5 were played Sunday-Tuesday October 4-6 at the LA Coliseum. Airtime was at 5PM Eastern, Jack Brickhouse (voice of the White Sox) and Vin Scully (voice of the Dodgers) called the games, alternating four-and-a-half-inning stints in the booth. The announcer who finished one game started the next one. Team flagships WGN-TV (White Sox) and KTTV-TV (Dodgers) also aired the NBC feed. Mel Allen and Byrum Saam called the action for NBC Radio.
ABC won the rights to the National League playoff between the Dodgers and the Braves on both television and radio. Game 1 was played at County Stadium in Milwaukee. Airtime was at 3:15 PM, with George Kell and Bob Finnegan on the call. Game 2 was on Tuesday, September 29 at the LA Coliseum. Kell was joined by Bob DeLaney in the booth, and airtime was 4:45 PM Eastern. Tony Flynn and Bob Finnegan called Game 1 for ABC Radio. which was partially sponsored by Pabst Beer. I'll have to actually listen to the broadcasts to provide any other information, so stay tuned to this space.
NBC's Game of the Week package began on Saturday, April 11 with the Pirates hosting the Braves at Forbes Field. Lindsey Nelson and Leo Durocher called the action, with Jim Simpson filling in for Nelson on September 19, 20, and 27. Most of the time (but not always) games were televised from the same park on both Saturday and Sunday. Sponsors were Anheuser-Busch and Phillies Cigars.
National Bohemian Beer was a partial sponsor of the Saturday games in the Southeast, which required a different announce team for half of every Saturday game. Chuck Thompson and Jim Simpson were the play-by-play men, with Bill Veeck and Al Rosen serving as analysts.
Parks Televised From: Forbes Field, Fenway Park, Sportsman's Park, County Stadium, Memorial Stadium (Baltimore), Griffith Stadium, Briggs (Tiger) Stadium, Comiskey Park
CBS's Game of the Week coverage also began on April 11, when the Cubs hosted the Dodgers. Buddy Blattner and Dizzy Dean were the main announce team, but Bob Finnegan and Gabby Hartnett called the game that day. Frankie Frisch filled in for Dean on June 6 and 7 on Cleveland and was also a third man in the booth on August 8 at Yankee Stadium. As was the case with NBC, CBS usually (again, not always) televised both of their games on a given weekend from the same park. Sponsors were Falstaff Beer, State Farm Insurance, Colgate-Palmolive, and General Mills.
Parks Televised From: Wrigley Field, Yankee Stadium, Crosley Field, Municipal Stadium (Cleveland), Comiskey Park, Griffith Stadium, Connie Mack Stadium