1960 MLB Season
As originally written by Tim Brulia:
We arrive at 1960. ABC joins the big two with regular season telecasts.
Note some of the pairing switches with CBS and NBC.
Due to sponsorship conflict (Anheuser-Busch / National Bohemian), 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.
National Television
APRIL
Saturday 4/16:
Braves-Phillies, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Redlegs-Pirates, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Cubs-Giants, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 4/17:
Braves-Phillies, 1:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Redlegs-Pirates, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Saturday 4/23:
Dodgers-Cardinals, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Giants-Cubs, 2:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Indians-Athletics, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 4/24:
Orioles-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Dodgers-Cardinals, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Saturday 4/30:
Pirates-Redlegs, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Yankees-Orioles, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Giants-Dodgers (tape delayed from 4/29 game), 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
MAY
Sunday 5/1:
Yankees-Orioles, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Tigers-White Sox, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Saturday 5/7:
Tigers-Red Sox, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Athletics-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Jack Whitaker, Frankie Frisch
Pirates-Giants, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 5/8:
White Sox-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Saturday 5/14:
Cardinals-Cubs, 2:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Pirates-Braves, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Dodgers-Giants, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 5/15:
White Sox-Indians, 1:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Pirates-Braves, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Saturday 5/21:
Giants-Pirates, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Yankees-White Sox, 2:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Senators-Athletics, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 5/22:
Dodgers-Phillies, 1:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Senators-White Sox, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Saturday 5/28:
Dodgers-Cubs, 2:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Giants-Cardinals, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
White Sox-Athletics, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 5/29:
Braves-Redlegs, 2:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Indians-Tigers, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
JUNE
Saturday 6/4:
Red Sox-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Redlegs-Braves, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Cardinals-Giants, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 6/5:
Tigers-Indians, 1:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Redlegs-Braves, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Saturday 6/11:
Indians-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
White Sox-Red Sox, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Braves-Giants, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 6/12:
Phillies-Cubs, 2:30, CBS. Bob Finnegan, Gabby Hartnett
White Sox-Red Sox, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Saturday 6/18:
Red Sox-Indians, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Yankees-White Sox, 2:30, NBC. Jim Simpson, Fred Haney. SE: PxP unknown, Al Rosen
Phillies-Giants, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 6/19:
Cubs-Redlegs, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Yankees-White Sox, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Saturday 6/25:
Giants-Redlegs, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Dodgers-Braves, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Orioles-Athletics, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 6/26:
Yankees-Indians, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Dodgers-Braves, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
JULY
Saturday 7/2:
Tigers-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Dodgers-Pirates, 2:00, NBC. Leo Durocher, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Indians-Senators, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 7/3:
Tigers-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Dodgers-Pirates, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Saturday 7/9:
Indians-White Sox, 2:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Redlegs-Braves, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Cubs-Giants, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 7/10:
Pirates-Phillies, 1:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Indians-White Sox, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Monday 7/11:
First Baseball All-Star Game from Kansas City:
National-American, 2:45, NBC. Curt Gowdy, Russ Hodges
Wednesday 7/13:
Second Baseball All-Star Game from New York:
National-American, 12:45, NBC. Mel Allen, Vin Scully
Saturday 7/16:
Orioles-White Sox, 2:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Yankees-Tigers, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Dodgers-Giants, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 7/17:
Orioles-White Sox, 2:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Yankees-Tigers, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Saturday 7/23:
White Sox-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Indians-Red Sox, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Pirates-Giants, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 7/24:
White Sox-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Indians-Red Sox, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Saturday 7/30:
Indians-Orioles, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Pirates-Cubs, 2:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Redlegs-Giants, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 7/31:
Indians-Orioles, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Pirates-Cubs, 2:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
AUGUST
Saturday 8/6:
Orioles-Indians, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Giants-Pirates, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Yankees-Athletics, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 8/7:
Senators-White Sox, 2:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Cubs-Braves, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Saturday 8/13:
Senators-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Giants-Braves, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Cubs-Phillies, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 8/14:
Cardinals-Pirates, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Dodgers-Redlegs, 2:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Saturday 8/20:
Pirates-Redlegs, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Dodgers-Cardinals, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
White Sox-Athletics, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 8/21:
Pirates-Redlegs, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Dodgers-Cardinals, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Saturday 8/27:
Indians-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
White Sox-Red Sox, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Braves-Giants, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 8/28:
Tigers-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Pirates-Cardinals, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
SEPTEMBER
Saturday 9/3:
Yankees-Orioles, 1:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney, SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Tigers-White Sox, 2:30, CBS. Pee Wee Reese, Russ Meyer
Dodgers-Giants, 3:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Sunday 9/4:
Yankees-Orioles, 2:00, CBS. Pee Wee Reese, Jerry Coleman
Phillies-Pirates, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Saturday 9/10:
Cardinals-Phillies, 1:55, ABC. Jack Buck or Les Keiter, Carl Erskine
Orioles-White Sox, 2:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Dodgers-Braves, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Sunday 9/11:
Yankees-Indians, 1:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Dodgers-Braves, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Saturday 9/17:
Red Sox-Senators, 12:55, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
Orioles-Yankees, 1:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Giants-Cardinals, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Sunday 9/18:
Orioles-Yankees, 1:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
White Sox-Tigers, 2:30. NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney
Saturday 9/24:
White Sox-Indians, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Pirates-Braves, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Orioles-Senators, 4:00, ABC. Jack Buck, Carl Erskine
OCTOBER
Saturday 10/1:
Braves-Pirates, 1:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson, Fred Haney. SE: Chuck Thompson, Al Rosen
Indians-White Sox, 2:30, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
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WORLD SERIES
Wednesday 10/5:
Game 1, Yankees-Pirates, 1:00, NBC. Bob Prince, Mel Allen
Thursday 10/6:
Game 2, Yankees-Pirates, 1:00, NBC. Bob Prince, Mel Allen
Saturday 10/8:
Game 3, Pirates-Yankees, 1:00, NBC. Mel Allen, Bob Prince
Sunday 10/9:
Game 4, Pirates-Yankees, 2:00, NBC. Mel Allen, Bob Prince
Monday 10/10:
Game 5, Pirates-Yankees, 1:00, NBC. Mel Allen, Bob Prince
Wednesday 10/12:
Game 6, Yankees-Pirates, 1:00, NBC. Bob Prince, Mel Allen
Thursday 10/13:
Game 7, Yankees-Pirates, 1:00, NBC. Bob Prince, Mel Allen
Note: KDKA-Pittsburgh and WPIX-New York also provided coverage, using the NBC feed.
Local TV/Radio Info
Originally written by garretta, edited by wareagle98
National League
Pirates:
Radio: KDKA-AM (1020) aired all games
TV: KDKA-TV televised 30 road games, all played on weekends
Sponsors: Atlantic Refining, Ford Dealers of Allegheny County, and Pittsburgh Brewing Company (Iron City Beer).
Phillies:
Radio: WFIL-AM (560) aired all games and fed its coverage to a 27-station network that covered eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, and southern New Jersey.
TV: WFIL-TV (Channel 6, now WPVI) aired 61 games, which also were fed to WGAL-TV Lancaster and WNEP-TV Wilkes-Barre (Channel 16).
Sponsors: Atlantic Refining (which owns the rights to Phillies broadcasts), Ballantine Beer. Phillies Cigars, and Tastykake.
San Francisco Giants:
Radio: KSFO/Golden West Radio Network aired all games.
TV: None
Sponsors: Falstaff Beer, Folgers coffee and Tareyton cigarettes.
Chicago Cubs:
Radio: WGN-AM (720) aired all games. It's highly possible that WGN fed Cubs games to other stations in Illinois, and likely Iowa and Indiana as well.
Radio Sponsors: Oak Park Federal Savings and Loan, Phillips Petroleum, and G. Heilmann Brewing Company.
TV: WGN-TV (Channel 9) televised 94 games (77 home games and 17 road games. The home games (plus a few games from Cincinnati) were televised in color on an "experimental" basis, the road games were shown in black and white.
TV Sponsors: Hamm's Beer and the Oklahoma Oil Company.
Dodgers:
Radio: KFI replaced KMPC as the flagship radio station in 1960, broadcasting all games over a nineteen-station network.
Radio Sponsors: American Tobacco and the Union Oil Company.
TV: KTTV(Channel 11) was prohibited from airing home games but was allowed to televise all eleven road games from San Francisco as a "public service" (which sounds more like a courtesy to Dodgers fans who were unable to travel to San Francisco)
Reds:
Radio: WKRC aired all games.
Radio Sponsor: Burger Brewing Company
TV: WLWT-TV aired 50 games (23 home games and 27 road games, the home games were shown in color) WLWT also planned to show three additional games if the Reds were in the pennant race, which they weren't.
Sponsors: Hudepohl Brewing Company, Sohio, and Colgate-Palmolive-Peet.
Braves: Here's what's confusing. The 1960 MLB broadcasting preview listed three radio affiliates in Milwaukee. WTMJ, WMIL-FM, and WEMP. Strangely, WEMP is listed as the flagship, mentioned as "returning as" the previous season. WTMJ was listed as the flagship.
Given that WTMJ had the stronger signal, it's a near-certain that WTMJ was the actual flagship, and WEMP was the overflow station when a Packers game conflicted. As for WMIL, it's possible that they served as the FM outlet for the Braves. The Brewers radio network itself consisted of 50-60 stations covering Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, and Minnesota.
Sponsors: Miller Beer (partial sponsor, they had sole sponsorship from 1953-1955), Clark Oil Company, and Tareyton cigarettes (which replaced Kent cigarettes as the sponsor)/
St. Louis Cardinals:
Radio: KMOX aired all games across the largest radio network in all of baseball, an 80-station network that covered 12 states.
TV: KPLR-TV (Channel 11) aired forty road games.
Sponsor: Busch Beer, which also served as a regional sponsor of NBC's "Game of the Week".
American League
Athletics:
Radio: WDAF aired all games across a six state radio network.
TV: An unknown number of games were televised over WDAF-TV
Sponsors: Schlitz Beer and Skelly Oil.
Orioles:
Radio: WBAL aired all games
TV: WJZ-TV aired forty-seven games (36 road and 11 home), including one exhibition.
Sponsor: Hamm's Beer
Detroit Tigers:
Radio: Ironically, WKMH (Dearborn) served as the Tigers flagship station, rather than Detroit stations WWJ and WJR. WWJ aired day games, with the night games airing on WJR . The 50-station Tigers network covered all of Michigan, Toledo, OH and Fort Wayne, IN.
TV WJBK-TV aired forty-two games. Of the 42 televised games, 12 home games played on weeknights were aired, the remaining 30 games aired on weekends (21 on Saturday, 12 home, 9 road, and 9 road games on Sundays)
Sponsors: Stroh's Beer (replacing Goebel's Beer) and Speedway Petroleum
Cleveland Indians:
Radio: WERE-AM/FM aired all games, feeding a 35-station network.
TV: WEWS-TV (Channel 5) aired fifty-six games (one more than 1959, mostly weeknight and weekend games, as part of a two-year contract that was signed in 1959.
Sponsors: Carling Brewing Company (Black Label Beer), Sohio, and Central National Bank.
Yankees:
Radio: WMGM-AM aired all games across a forty-station radio network covering upstate New York, Connnecticut and parts of Pennsylvania.
Radio Sponsors: Ballantine Beer and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.
TV: WPIX aired 125 games, a limited number of weekend games were fed to other regional stations in upstate NY and Hartford, CT)
Sponsors: Ballantine Beer and Atlantic Refining Company
Chicago White Sox:
Radio: WCFL-AM for the ninth straight season aired all games across a sixty-station network covering twelve states.
Radio Sponsors: General Tire, Anheuser-Busch, White Owl Cigars, and General Finance Company.
TV: WGN-TV (Channel 9) aired all forty-three daytime home games in color, and a small number of road games in black and white.
TV Sponsors: Hamm's Beer and the Oklahoma Oil Company.
Boston Red Sox:
Radio: WHDH aired all games across a 40-station network covering all of New England
TV: WHDH-TV aired 55 games and fed a five-station network that included WPRO-TV (Providence, Rhode Island), WMTW-TV (Poland Spring, Maine), WABI-TV (Bangor, Maine), WAGM-TV (Presque Isle, Maine), and WTIC-TV (Hartford). Strangely, no TV station in Vermont picked up the Red Sox games.
Sponsors: Narragansett Beer (which had a one-third interest in the sponsorship rights), Atlantic Refining, Ford Dealers of New England and R.J. Reynolds.
Senators:
Radio: WTOP aired all games
Radio Sponsor: National Brewing Company
TV: WTOP-TV aired 24 games (all on weekends with the exception of the Memorial Day doubleheader), the previous season, WTOP aired only 15 games.
Sponsors: Wildroot Cream Oil, Robert Burns Cigars, and Wheaties.
National TV/Radio Info
Originally written by garretta
NBC and CBS combined will telecast fifty Saturday and Sunday games. On radio, Mutual will broadcast 130 games on weekdays and weekends.
(It's not documented here, but NBC has the two All-Star Games and the World Series on both TV and radio under the "Gillette Cavalcade of Sports" banner. The first All-Star Game was at Muncipal Stadium in Kansas City on July 11. Coverage began at 2:45 PM Eastern, with Curt Gowdy and Russ Hodges on the call. The second All-Star Game was on July 13 at Yankee Stadium in New York. Coverage began at 12:45 PM Eastern, with Vin Scully and Mel Allen describing the action. Merle Harmon and Jack Quinlan called the first All-Star Game for NBC Radio, while Bob Elson and Waite Hoyt called the second.
World Series coverage began on Wednesday, October 5 from Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. First pitch was at 1PM Eastern, and Allen, the Yankees' lead announcer, was joined by Pirates lead announcer Bob Prince, Each game started at 1PM Eastern except for Game 4 on Sunday, October 9, which started at 2PM Eastern. NBC's coverage was also seen on the Yankees' flagship station, WPIX-TV. Jack Quinlan and Chuck Thompson called the Series for NBC Radio, alternating four-and-a-half-inning stints behind the mic. Prince, the voice of the victorious Pirates, hosted the trophy presentation.)
Here's a brief look at the regular season coverage by each network:
ABC: Coverage begins on Saturday, April 16, when the Giants host the Cubs at Candlestick Park. Airtime for all games from April through September 3 is 3:55 PM. Airtime on September 10 from Philadelphia is 12:55 PM Eastern. Airtime on September 17 from Washington is 1:55 PM Eastern. Airtime on September 24, also from Washington, is 4PM Eastern. Jack Buck and Carl Erskine most likely called the entire series, although Les Keiter may have subbed for Buck on Cardinals-Phillies September 10,) The April 30 Giants-Dodgers game was tape-delayed from the night before. Games will air exclusively on Saturdays.
Ballparks Featured: Candlestick Park, Municipal Stadium (Kansas City), Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Griffith Stadium
CBS: Coverage begins April 16, as the Phillies host the Braves at Connie Mack Stadium. First pitch times will vary. Games will air on Saturday and Sunday' most of the time (but not always) from the same park. Dizzy Dean and Pee Wee Reese are the top announce team; Russ Meyer will fill in for Dean on Tigers-White Sox September 3, and Jerry Coleman will fill in for Dean on Yankees-Orioles September 4. Other announce teams are Bob Finnegan/Gabby Hartnett (Phillies-Cubs June 12) and Jack Whitaker/Frankie Frisch (Athletics/Yankees May 7).
Parks Featured: Connie Mack Stadium, Wrigley Field, Yankee Stadium, Crosley Field, Memorial Stadium (Baltimore), Municipal Stadium (Cleveland), Comiskey Park
NBC: Coverage begins on April 16 at 2PM Eastern, as the Pirates host the Redlegs at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Games will air on Saturdays and Sundays, usually (but not always) from the same park. Lindsey Nelson and Fred Haney are the main announcers. Because National Bohemian Been sponsors four-and-a-half-innings every Saturday in the Southeast, which creates a conflict with main beer sponsor Anheuser-Busch, a second announce team (Chuck Thompson and Al Rosen) is needed.
Ballparks Featured: Forbes Field, Sportsman's Park/Busch Memorial Stadium (St Louis), Memorial Stadium (Baltimore), Comiskey Park, Fenway Park, County Stadium, Briggs (Tiger) Stadium.