1965 NFL Season
See also 1965 AFL Season.
As originally written by Tim Brulia:
CBS would revert back to the split audio feed for regional telecasts for 1965. In 1964, CBS utilized both teams' on-air talent for split duties during the game.
Color telecasts would make their first appearance in 1965. Those probable games in color will be noted with a (C).
*as always, this means that the commentator is unconfirmed.
National Television
PRESEASON
Friday 8/6: Browns-College All Stars (Chicago), 9:00, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Ken Coleman, Kyle Rote, Bill Flemming
Saturday 8/7: Eagles-Redskins (Hershey, PA), 2:00, CBS. Jim Gibbons, Pat Summerall, Tom Brookshier
Saturday 8/21: Bears-Packers (Milwaukee), 1:00, CBS. Ken Coleman, George Connor, Tony Canadeo
Saturday 8/21: Cowboys-49ers (Portland), 11:30, CBS. Frank Glieber, John Roach, Gordie Soltau
Saturday 8/28: Bears-Rams (Nashville), 1:30, CBS. Gil Stratton, Don Paul, George Connor
Sunday 8/29: Browns-Lions, 1:00, CBS. Ken Coleman, Warren Lahr, Sonny Grandelius
Saturday 9/4: Steelers-49ers (Providence), 2:00, CBS. Bob Fouts, Gordie Soltau, Johnny Sauer
Saturday 9/11: Vikings-Giants (Omaha), 1:30, CBS. Jack Whitaker, Frank Gifford, Clayton Tonnemaker
Sunday 9/12: Lions-Redskins (Hall of Fame Game - Canton), 2:00, CBS. Van Patrick, Pat Summerall, Sonny Grandelius
NOTE: According to the 8/7 Lexington Herald, CBS was planning on taping that day's Baltimore Colts intrasquad scrimmage, with plans to show it the following day.
NOTE: The 8/21 afternoon games were interrupted by coverage of the Gemini V blastoff, which resulted in a healthy amount of angry phone calls from fans...The 8/21 Dallas-San Francisco was shown on a tape-delay basis the following afternoon in a number of cities due to the late start.
NFL WEEK 1, 1965:
Sunday 9/19:
Browns-Redskins, 1:30, CBS. Ken Coleman, Warren Lahr (CLE). Jim Gibbons, Pat Summerall (WSH/SE).
Packers-Steelers, 1:30, CBS. Ray Scott, Tony Canadeo
Rams-Lions, 1:30, CBS. Gil Stratton, Don Paul (LA). Van Patrick, Sonny Grandelius (DET).
Cardinals-Eagles, 1:30, CBS. Jack Drees, Bill Fischer, Tom Brookshier
Vikings-Colts, 2:00, CBS. Jim Morse, Clayton Tonnemaker
Giants-Cowboys, 2:30, CBS. Jack Whitaker, Frank Gifford (NY). Frank Glieber, John Roach, Ves Box (DAL).
Bears-49ers, 4:00, CBS. Jack Buck, George Connor (CHI). Bob Fouts, Gordie Soltau (SF).
NFL WEEK 2, 1965:
Sunday 9/26:
Giants-Eagles, 1:30, CBS. Jack Whitaker, Frank Gifford, Tom Brookshier
Cardinals-Browns, 1:30, CBS. Jack Drees, Bill Fischer (STL). Ken Coleman, Warren Lahr (CLE).
Colts-Packers (Milwaukee), 2:00, CBS. Chuck Thompson, Tony Canadeo, Wayne Hardin
Lions-Vikings, 2:30, CBS. Van Patrick, Sonny Grandelius (DET). Jim Morse, Clayton Tonnemaker (MIN).
Redskins-Cowboys, 2:30, CBS. Jim Gibbons, Pat Summerall (WSH). Frank Glieber, John Roach (DAL).
Bears-Rams, 4:00, CBS. Jack Buck, George Connor (CHI). Gil Stratton, Don Paul (LA).
Steelers-49ers, 4:00, CBS. Joe Tucker, Johnny Sauer (PGH). Bob Fouts, Gordie Soltau (SF).
Note:
GB pxp man Ray Scott worked the Minnesota Twins AL pennant clincher in Washington for the Twins TV Network. It is likely that CBS used a single audio feed with Thompson calling the full game with Canadeo for the first half and Hardin for the second half for BAL-GB.
NFL WEEK 3, 1965:
Sunday 10/3:
Browns-Eagles, 1:30, CBS. Ken Coleman, Warren Lahr, Tom Brookshier
Giants-Steelers, 1:30, CBS. Jack Whitaker, Frank Gifford
Redskins-Lions, 1:30, CBS. Jim Gibbons, Pat Summerall (WSH/DAL/SE). Van Patrick, Sonny Grandelius (DET).
Bears-Packers, 2:00, CBS. Jack Buck, George Connor (CHI/STL). Ray Scott, Tony Canadeo (GB).
49ers-Colts, 2:00, CBS. Bob Fouts, Gordie Soltau
Vikings-Rams, 4:00, CBS. Jim Morse, Clayton Tonnemaker (MIN). Gil Stratton, Don Paul (LA).
Monday 10/4:
Cowboys-Cardinals, 8:00, KRLD-Dallas (joined in progress at 8:45). Frank Glieber, John Roach
Note:
The DAL-STL game was played on Monday night, with the telecast JIP'ed as KRLD was with CBS's telecast of Pope Paul VI's Mass for Peace at Yankee Stadium. KRLD joined the game in progress after the Mass ended.
NFL WEEK 4, 1965:
Saturday 10/9:
Steelers-Browns, 8:00, Syndicated. Ken Coleman, Warren Lahr
Giants-Vikings, 9:30 (JIP at 11:00), WCBS-New York. Jack Whitaker, Frank Gifford
Sunday 10/10:
Cardinals-Redskins, 1:30, CBS. Jack Drees, Bill Fischer (STL/PIT/CLE/MIN). Jim Gibbons, Pat Summerall (WSH/NY/SE)
Lions-Colts, 2:00, CBS. Van Patrick, Sonny Grandelius
Rams-Bears, 2:00, CBS. Gil Stratton, Don Paul (LA). Jack Buck, George Connor (CHI).
49ers-Packers, 2:00, CBS. Bob Fouts, Tony Canadeo, Gordie Soltau
Eagles-Cowboys, 2:30, CBS. Johnny Sauer, Tom Brookshier (PHI). Frank Glieber, John Roach (DAL).
Notes:
NY-MIN played on Saturday night to avoid conflict with Dodgers-Twins World Series. WCBS joined in progress so as not to interfere with CBS prime time programming.
PIT-CLE seen a regionally (PA, WV) syndicated network.
While not definite, it appears that with Ray Scott - as Twins regular season TV commentator - called upon by NBC to cover World Series with Vin Scully, that SF-GB was likely a single feed telecast to SF & GB networks. Fouts pxp with Canadeo color for first half and then with normal partner Soltau for second half.
NFL WEEK 5, 1965:
Sunday 10/17:
Colts-Redskins, 1:30, CBS. Chuck Thompson, Wayne Hardin (BAL). Jim Gibbons, Pat Summerall (WSH/SE).
Cowboys-Browns, 1:30, CBS. Frank Glieber, John Roach (DAL). Ken Coleman, Warren Lahr (CLE).
Packers-Lions, 1:30, CBS. Ray Scott, Tony Canadeo (GB). Van Patrick, Sonny Grandelius (DET).
Eagles-Giants, 1:30, CBS. Johnny Sauer, Tom Brookshier (PHI). Jack Whitaker, Frank Gifford (NY).
Cardinals-Steelers, 1:30, CBS. Jack Drees, Bill Fischer
Bears-Vikings, 2:30, CBS. Jack Buck, George Connor (CHI). Jim Morse, Clayton Tonnemaker (MIN).
49ers-Rams, 4:00, CBS. Bob Fouts, Gordie Soltau (SF). Gil Stratton, Don Paul (LA).
NFL WEEK 6, 1965:
Sunday 10/24:
Browns-Giants, 1:30, CBS. Ken Coleman, Warren Lahr (CLE). Jack Whitaker, Frank Gifford (NY).
Steelers-Eagles, 1:30, CBS. Joe Tucker, Johnny Sauer, Tom Brookshier
Cowboys-Packers (Milawukee), 2:00, CBS. Frank Glieber, John Roach, Eddie Barker (DAL). Ray Scott, Tony Canadeo (GB).
Lions-Bears, 2:00, CBS. Van Patrick, Sonny Grandelius (DET). Jack Buck, George Connor (CHI).
Rams-Colts, 2:00, CBS. Gil Stratton, Don Paul
Redskins-Cardinals, 2:00, CBS. Jim Gibbons, Pat Summerall (WSH/SE). Jack Drees, Bill Fischer (STL).
Vikings-49ers, 4:00, CBS. Jim Morse, Clayton Tonnemaker (MIN). Bob Fouts, Gordie Soltau (SF).
NFL WEEK 7, 1965:
Sunday 10/31:
Cowboys-Steelers, 1:30, CBS. Frank Glieber, John Roach
Vikings-Browns, 1:30, CBS. Jim Morse, Clayton Tonnemaker (MIN). Ken Coleman, Warren Lahr (CLE/SE).
Eagles-Redskins, 1:30, CBS. Johnny Sauer, Tom Brookshier
Cardinals-Giants, 1:30, CBS. Jack Drees, Bill Fischer (STL). Jack Whitaker, Frank Gifford (NY).
Packers-Bears, 2:00, CBS. Ray Scott, Tony Canadeo (GB). Jack Buck, George Connor (CHI).
Lions-Rams, 4:00, CBS. Van Patrick, Sonny Grandelius (DET). Gil Stratton, Don Paul (LA).
Colts-49ers, 4:00, CBS. Chuck Thompson, Wayne Hardin (BAL). Bob Fouts, Gordie Soltau (SF).
NFL WEEK 8, 1965:
Sunday 11/7:
Eagles-Browns, 1:30, CBS. Johnny Sauer, Tom Brookshier (PHI). Ken Coleman, Warren Lahr (CLE).
Redskins-Giants, 1:30, CBS. Jim Gibbons, Pat Summerall (WSH). Jack Whitaker, Frank Gifford (NY).
Colts-Bears, 2:00, CBS. Chuck Thompson, Wayne Hardin (BAL/SE). Jack Buck, George Connor (CHI).
Lions-Packers, 2:00, CBS. Van Patrick, Sonny Grandelius (DET). Ray Scott, Tony Canadeo (GB).
Steelers-Cardinals, 2:00, CBS. Joe Tucker, Bill Burns (PIT). Jack Drees, Bill Fischer (STL).
Rams-Vikings, 2:30, CBS. Gil Stratton, Don Paul (LA). Jim Morse, Clayton Tonnemaker (MIN).
49ers-Cowboys, 2:30, CBS. Bob Fouts, Gordie Soltau (SF). Frank Glieber, John Roach (DAL).
NFL WEEK 9, 1965:
Sunday 11/14:
Giants-Browns, 1:30, CBS. Jack Whitaker, Frank Gifford (NY). Ken Coleman, Warren Lahr (CLE/SE).
49ers-Lions, 1:30, CBS. Bob Fouts, Gordie Soltau (SF). Van Patrick, Sonny Grandelius (DET).
Redskins-Eagles, 1:30, WTOP-Washington. Jim Gibbons, Pat Summerall, Tom Brookshier
Rams-Packers (Milwaukee), 2:00, CBS. Gil Stratton, Don Paul (LA). Ray Scott, Tony Canadeo (GB).
Cardinals-Bears, 2:00, CBS. Jack Drees, Bill Fischer (STL). Jack Buck, George Connor (CHI).
Steelers-Cowboys, 2:30, CBS. Joe Tucker, Johnny Sauer (PGH). Frank Glieber, John Roach (DAL).
Colts-Vikings, 4:00, CBS. Chuck Thompson, Jim Morse, Wayne Hardin
Note:
BAL-MIN was a national doubleheader telecast (blackout in effect in MPLS-STP). While Morse was the MIN pxp TV voice, it appears that he split analyst duties (1st half) with BAL color man Hardin (2nd half).
NFL WEEK 10, 1965:
Sunday 11/21:
Bears-Lions, 1:30, CBS. Jack Buck, George Connor (CHI). Van Patrick, Sonny Grandelius (DET).
Redskins-Steelers, 1:30, CBS. Jim Gibbons, Pat Summerall
Giants-Cardinals, 2:00, CBS. Jack Whitaker, Frank Gifford (NY). Jack Drees, Bill Fischer (STL).
Eagles-Colts, 2:00, CBS. Johnny Sauer, Tom Brookshier
Packers-Vikings, 2:15, CBS. Ray Scott, Tony Canadeo (GB). Jim Morse, Clayton Tonnemaker (MIN).
Browns-Cowboys, 4:00, CBS. Ken Coleman, Warren Lahr, Frank Glieber
Rams-49ers, 4:00, CBS. Gil Stratton, Don Paul (LA). Bob Fouts, Gordie Soltau (SF).
Note:
CLE-DAL was the doubleheader game, seen everywhere but the west coast (LA-SF) and Dallas-Ft Worth (blacked out). Coleman and Lahr, the normal Browns TV crew called the game, with Cowboys pxp man Glieber working from CBS Control.
NFL WEEK 11, 1965:
Thursday 11/25:
Colts-Lions, Noon, CBS. Van Patrick, Pat Summerall (1st half). Chuck Thompson, Frank Gifford (2nd half). (C)
Sunday 11/28:
Bears-Giants, 1:30, CBS. Jack Buck, George Connor (CHI). Jack Whitaker, Frank Gifford (NY).
Browns-Steelers, 1:30, CBS. Ken Coleman, Warren Lahr
Cowboys-Redskins, 1:30, CBS. Frank Glieber, John Roach (DAL). Jim Gibbons, Pat Summerall (WSH).
Eagles-Cardinals, 2:00, CBS. Johnny Sauer, Tom Brookshier (PHI). Jack Drees, Bill Fischer (STL).
49ers-Vikings, 2:30, CBS. Bob Fouts, Gordie Soltau (SF). Jim Morse, Clayton Tonnemaker (MIN).
Packers-Rams, 4:00, CBS. Ray Scott, Tony Canadeo, Don Paul, Gil Stratton
Notes:
BAL-DET, the Thanksgiving Day game, was the first NFL game televised in color (at least in the regular season).
GB-LA was the national doubleheader game. Stratton worked CBS Control.
NFL WEEK 12, 1965:
Sunday 12/5:
Cowboys-Eagles, 1:30, CBS. Frank Glieber, John Roach
Steelers-Giants, 1:30, CBS. Joe Tucker, Johnny Sauer (PGH). Jack Whitaker, Frank Gifford (NY).
Redskins-Browns, 1:30, CBS. Jim Gibbons, Pat Summerall (WSH). Ken Coleman, Warren Lahr (CLE).
Bears-Colts, 2:00, CBS. Jack Buck, Chuck Thompson, George Connor
Rams-Cardinals, 2:00, CBS. Gil Stratton, Don Paul (LA). Jack Drees, Bill Fischer (STL).
Vikings-Packers, 2:00, CBS. Jim Morse, Clayton Tonnemaker (MIN). Ray Scott, Tony Canadeo (GB).
Lions-49ers, 4:00, CBS. Van Patrick, Gordie Soltau, Sonny Grandelius
Note: Per BearFan, on the CHI-BAL game, Chuck Thompson was co-color with George Connor.
DET-SF was the national doubleheader telecast (subject to blackout).
NFL WEEK 13, 1965:
Saturday 12/11:
Cardinals-Cowboys, 2:30, CBS. Frank Glieber (pxp 1st half), Jack Drees (pxp 2nd half), John Roach (analyst)
Sunday 12/12:
Vikings-Lions, 1:30, CBS. Jim Morse, Clayton Tonnemaker (MIN). Van Patrick, Sonny Grandelius (DET).
Giants-Redskins, 1:30, CBS. Jack Whitaker (pxp), Pat Summerall (analyst 1st half), Frank Gifford (analyst 2nd half)
Eagles-Steelers, 1:30, CBS. Johnny Sauer, Tom Brookshier
Packers-Colts, 2:00, CBS. Ray Scott, Tony Canadeo
49ers-Bears, 2:00, CBS. Bob Fouts, Gordie Soltau (SF). Jack Buck, George Connor (CHI).
Browns-Rams, 4:00, CBS. Ken Coleman, Don Paul, Gil Stratton
Notes:
CBS with only two dual audio feeds for this week.
STL-DAL a Saturday national telecast (blackout in the Metroplex).
NY-WSH using a single audio, perhaps to showcase the young and talented analysts Gifford and Summerall to much of the east coast.
CLE-LA the national doubleheader game (blackout in LA) with CLE pxp man Coleman working with LA analyst Paul. LA pxp man Stratton in CBS control.
SF-CHI was the Gale Sayers 6 touchdown masterpiece in the mud.
CBS News coverage of Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 space missions caused some interruption and split screen coverage for all Sunday games.
NFL WEEK 14, 1965:
Saturday 12/18:
Colts-Rams, 4:00, CBS. Chuck Thompson (pxp), Don Paul (1st half analyst), Wayne Hardin (2nd half analyst)
Sunday 12/19:
Cowboys-Giants, 1:30, CBS. Frank Glieber, John Roach (DAL). Jack Whitaker, Frank Gifford (NY).
Lions-Eagles, 1:30, CBS. Van Patrick, Sonny Grandelius, Tom Brookshier
Steelers-Redskins, 1:30, CBS. Joe Tucker, Johnny Sauer (PGH). Jim Gibbons, Pat Summerall (WSH).
Browns-Cardinals, 2:00, CBS. Ken Coleman, Warren Lahr (CLE). Jack Drees, Bill Fischer (STL).
Vikings-Bears, 2:00, CBS. Jim Morse, Clayton Tonnemaker (MIN). Jack Buck, George Connor (CHI).
Packers-49ers, 4:00, CBS. Ray Scott, Tony Canadeo (GB). Bob Fouts, Gordy Soltau (SF).
1965 NFL Western Conference Playoff (Tie-breaker):
Sunday 12/26: Colts-Packers, 2:00, CBS. Ray Scott (pxp 1st half), Chuck Thompson (pxp 2nd half & OT), Pat Summerall (analyst) (C)
1965 NFL Championship Game:
Sunday 1/2: Browns-Packers, 2:00, CBS. Ray Scott (pxp 1st half), Ken Coleman (pxp 2nd half), Frank Gifford (analyst) (C)
NFL Playoff Bowl in Miami:
Sunday 1/9: Colts-Cowboys, 2:00, CBS. Frank Glieber (pxp 1st half), Chuck Thompson (pxp 2nd half), Pat Summerall (analyst) (C)
NFL Pro Bowl in Los Angeles:
Sunday 1/16: East-West, 4:00, CBS. Jack Drees, Frank Gifford (C)
Local TV Crews
Originally written by garretta
Eagles: The Philadelphia CBS station is WCAU-TV. It will carry four exhibition games on tape plus the live network telecast of the Eagles' August 7 game against the Redskins in Hershey, PA in addition to the team's regular-season games. Ballantine Beer will sponsor one quarter of each preseason game; the rest is still unsold. Tom Brookshier will do play-by-play for the preseason games, with Eagles coach Joe Kuharich as his analyst; for the regular season, Brookshier moves to analysis alongside play-by-play man Johnny Sauer.
Redskins: The Washington CBS station is WTOP-TV. It will carry all of the team's regular-season games plus three live preseason Saturday night games. Sponsors for the preseason games include National Brewing, Volkswagen, Coca-Cola, and W.T.F. Pharmacraft. Jim Gibbons, Eddie Gallaher, and Bill Fisher will be on the call. It will also carry the network telecasts of the preseason games against the Eagles in Hershey, PA on August 7 and the Hall of Fame game on September 12 against the Lions. Kickoff on August 7 is at 2PM Eastern, with Gibbons, Pat Summerall, and Tom Brookshier on the call. Kickoff on September 12 is also at 2PM Eastern; Van Patrick will call the play-by play, while Summerall will be joined by Sonny Grandelius on color,
Before each regular-season game, coach Bill McPeak will host a fifteen-minute Pregame News Conference sponsored by J.P. Stevens. It will air before the CBS pregame show, NFL Countdown. Gibbons will call the regular-season games as well, with Pat Summerall coming over from the Giants to provide color commentary. WTOP will also have a local telecast of the 11/14 game against the Eagles in Philadelphia. Gibbons and Summerall will be joined by Brookshier, who will act as a sideline reporter.
(For those of you in the Washington area, who or what is/was W.T.F. Pharmacraft?)
Steelers: The Pittsburgh CBS station is KDKA-TV, which will carry the CBS telecast of the Steelers' preseason game against the 49ers September 4 in Providence, Rhode Island. In the regular season, there will be a fifteen-minute local pregame show prior to the network pregame show. It will be hosted by Bob Prince and sponsored by Pittsburgh National Bank and J.P. Stevens.
Joe Tucker is the team's play-by-play announcer. Johnny Sauer will do color when it doesn't conflict with his primary duty as the play-by-play voice of the Eagles. (There was only one conflict: Week 8 in St. Louis. KDKA newsman Bill Burns, who would later be the team's full-time color analyst, filled in while Johnny went to Cleveland to call Eagles-Browns.)
Cardinals: The St. Louis CBS station is KMOX-TV. During the season, it will air Big Red Huddle before every game, partially sponsored by J.P/ Stevens. In addition to the regular-season games, KMOX will air five exhibition games on tape. Falstaff Beer will sponsor half of each game, with the rest being sold locally. Jack Drees and Bill Fischer are your announcers.
Giants: The New York CBS station is WCBS-TV. In addition to the team's regular-season games, it will air three taped exhibition games. Sponsors signed at press time were Ballantine Beer and Brown and Williamson Tobacco. Newcomer Frank Gifford joins Jack Whitaker to call the games, including a special Saturday night telecast from Minneapolis on October 9 when the Giants take on the Vikings. (According to our research, the game started at 9:30 PM Eastern, but the telecast Joined it in progress at 11PM Eastern because WCBS didn't want to preempt CBS programming.)
In addition to the games indicated, WCBS will also air the network telecast of the Giants' preseason game against the Vikings on September 11. Whitaker and Gifford will be joined in the booth by Vikings commentator Clayton Tonnemaker.
Cowboys: The Dallas CBS station is KRLD-TV. In addition to the team's regular-season games, KRLD will carry four exhibition games; three of them will be on tape, while the September 3 game against the Vikings in Birmingham will be live. KRLD will also air the network telecast of the Cowboys' game against the 49ers from Portland, Oregon on August 21. Associated Groceries will sponsor half of each locally produced game, with Lion Oil Company sponsoring another quarter. The remaining quarter is still unsold, but is expected to be bought by Delta Street Buildings. Frank Glieber and John Roach will call the games, with Ves Box serving as a sideline reporter in Week 1 and Eddie Barker serving as a sideline reporter in Week 6.
There will be a special Monday night telecast on KRLD October 4 from St. Louis when the Cowboys face the Cardinals. Kickoff is at 9PM Eastern, with coverage beginning when Pope Paul VI's papal mass at Yankee Stadium concludes. (According to our research, the telecast started at approximately 9:50 PM Eastern.)
Browns: The Cleveland CBS station is WJW-TV. In addition to all regular-season games, WJW will carry a pregame feature called Best of the Browns, which will be sponsored by Hilderbrandt Meats, Shaker Ford, and the Painting and Decorating Institute. There will be no postgame show. WEWS-TV will air three exhibition games. (The article makes it sound like those three games will be national CBS telecasts, but I find it impossible to believe that either WJW or CBS would allow an arrangement like that.) Ken Coleman and Warren Lahr are your announcers.
One of the games televised by WEWS-TV will be the College All-Star Game from Chicago on August 6, which will be nationally televised by ABC. Looking at the announcer lineup, it appears that Coleman and Chris Schenkel split the play-by-play, Kyle Rote was the analyst, and Bill Flemming was the sideline reporter.
There will also be a special syndicated telecast of the Steelers-Browns game from Cleveland on October 9 beginning at 8PM Eastern, with Coleman and Lahr on the call.
Colts: The Baltimore CBS station is WMAR-TV. Before each regular-season game, the station will carry two pregame shows: Inside Football with Bob Williams, sponsored by Coca-Cola, and Football Preview with Jim Mutscheller, sponsored by Norelco. Inside Football will also air prior to pregame shows. On Monday nights during the regular season, it will air Corralin' the Colts, a highlight show hosted by Chuck Thompson and sponsored by National Beer. Both color and black-and-white footage will be used on the show.
WMAR will also carry three exhibition games. National Beer will sponsor half of each game, with Western Electric sponsoring a quarter. The other quarter is available for local sale. Wayne Hardin will call he action opposite Thompson.
(Note: According to our research, CBS planned to tape the August 7 intrasquad scrimmage for airing the next day. Whether this plan ever came ro fruition is unknown at this time.)
Rams: The Los Angeles CBS station is KNXT-TV. The local pregame show, which will precede the network pregame show, will be hosted by Bill Keene and Don Heinrich and sponsored by J.P. Stevens and Hormel Meats. KNXT will also carry three exhibition games on tape; the sponsors are J.P. Stevens, Shell Oil, and Busch Bavarian Beer. Your announcers are Gil Stratton and Don Paul. In addition, KNXT will carry the network's telecast of the Rams' August 28 preseason game against the Bears in Nashville, Tennessee. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 PM Eastern; Stratton and Paul will be joined on the broadcast by Bears commentator George Connor.
49ers: The San Francisco CBS station is KPIX-TV. The only exhibition games televised will be the network games, Frank Gill will host the pregame show, which will be partially sponsored by J.P. Stevens. Your announcers are Bob Fouts and Gordie Soltau. The Niners will have two appearances on CBS in the preseason: August 21 when they take on the Cowboys in Portland, Oregon and September 4 when they oppose the Steelers in Providence Rhode Island. Kickoff on August 21 will be 11:30 PM Eastern, with a re-air on tape delay the following afternoon in selected markets. Kickoff on September 4 will be at 2PM Eastern. Fouts and Soltau will be joined by Steelers commentator Johnny Sauer in Providence, while Soltau will join Cowboys voices Frank Glieber and John Roach in Portland.
Vikings: The Minneapolis CBS station is WCCO-TV. Because WCCO is committed to the CBS network schedule, the exhibition schedule will be carried by WTCN-TV, Half of each game will be sponsored by Minneapolis Federal, and another quarter will be sponsored by Hamm's Beer. The fourth quarter will be sold locally. The exhibition games will be called by Frank Buetel and Bob McNamara. WCCO will carry the network telecast of the September 11 preseason game against the Giants in Omaha, Nebraska. Jim Morse and Clayton Tonnemaker will call the regular-season games.
Bears: The Chicago CBS station is WBBM-TV. WBBM will carry three preseason games on tape; Heilman Brewing will sponsor one half of each game, with the rest still open. Jack Buck and George Connor will call the regular-season games; Jim Morse will fill Buck's seat during the preseason. WBBM will also carry two Bears preseason network telecasts: August 21 against the Packers in Milwaukee and August 28 against the Rams in Nashville, Tennessee.
(The article said that WBBM would also carry the Bears-Rams game on September 25 in Los Angeles. Since that game was on a Saturday, it wouldn't be televised by CBS. But according to both our own research and Pro-Football Reference, the game was played the next day, and according to our research CBS televised it as normal, Whether the mistake was Broadcasting's to begin with or whether the game was moved after the article went to press, I'm not sure, For the record, American Oil was to sponsor half of the 9/25 telecast, with the other half still open.)
According to the article, the Bears are the only NFL team considering theater television coverage of its home games.
Lions: The Detroit CBS station is WJBK-TV. WJBK will carry three exhibition games (two live, one on tape) and feed them to a six-station network. Marathon Oil and Altes Beer will each sponsor a quarter; the other half is being sold to spot advertisers. The pre- and postgame shows will also be sold to spot advertisers this year. Van Patrick and Bob Reynolds will call the exhibition games; Sonny Grandelius will replace Reynolds for the regular season.
Here are the stations that will air Lions exhibition games. All stations listed are in Michigan unless otherwise noted:
WJIM-TV Lansing
WKZO-TV Kalamazoo
WKNK-TV Saginaw-Bay City-Flint
WWTV-TV Cadillac
WWUP-TV Sault Ste. Marie
WTOL-TV Toledo, Ohio
WJBK will also carry two Lions preseason games that will be televised by CBS: August 29, when they host the Browns and the Hall of Fame Game against the Redskins in Canton, Ohio on September 12. Grandelius will join Browns announcers Ken Coleman and Warren Lahr on August 29.
Packers: The Green Bay CBS station is WBAY-TV. Ray Scott and Tony Canadeo will call the action. Pregame features set at press time include The Vince Lombardi Show, which hasn't been sold as of press time but is expected to be renewed by Old Milwaukee Beer. The Sunday ten-minute version of Packers Highlights has been renewed by Faiirmont Foods, but the half-hour Saturday night edition is still open. At least one more feature for pregame is being developed, as well as a regular-season postgame feature.
WBAY-TV is also the head of a four-station network that will air taped coverage of all five Packer exhibition games. Each station on the network will sell its spots locally, On WBAY the sponsors include the Ford Dealers Association, Wisconsin Telephone Company, Ferron's Clothing Chain, and Hamm's Beer. Each network station will also have the opportunity to carry The Vince Lombardi Show. Here are the network stations, all in Wisconsin except where otherwise noted:
WKRT-TV La Crosse
WISC-TV Madison
WSAU-TV Wausau
WISN-TV Milwaukee
WLUX-TV Marquette, Michigan
WBAY will also air the network telecast of the Packers' August 21 game against the Bears at County Stadium in Milwaukee, Kickoff is at 1PM Eastern; Canadeo will be joined by Connor and Coleman in the booth.
Local Radio
Originally written by garretta
Cowboys: KLIF-AM will head a network of at least twelve stations in Texas and Oklahoma. The network will carry all nineteen scheduled games. Household Finance will sponsor half of each game, with another quarter sponsored by Hine Pontiac. The remaining quarter wasn't set at press time, but Lone Star Beer was expected to buy it. The pregame and postgame shows on KLIF will be sponsored by James K. Wilson Clothes. Coach Tom Landry's pregame interview will be sponsored by Transcon Freight Lines. Jay Randolph and Gary Delaune will call the action,
Eagles: The team's network has expanded from fourteen stations to seventeen this year. It will be headed by WCAU-AM. which is in the second year of a five-year contract, and will have stations in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. Sponsors are the Philadelphia Dodge Advertising Association, Tastykake, Sunoco, and Ortlieb Brewing. Household Finance will sponsor the ten-minute pre- and postgame shows. Andy Musser will call the play-by-play, with Charlie Gauer handling color.
Cardinals: KMOX-AM heads a forty-station network spanning five states. Falstaff Beer, which holds the rights, will sponsor half of each game. One quarter each will be sponsored by Household Finance and the Chrysler Dealers of St. Louis. The postgame show will be sponsored on KMOX by Tower Grove Bank; the pregame show is completely unsold at press time. J.C. Politz and Jim Butler are your announcers.
Redskins: WMAL-AM will feed all twenty scheduled games (the Skins play six exhibitions) to a network of more than forty stations. National Brewing Company and Household Finance will sponsor a quarter of each game in the network; the rest of the time will be sold locally. On WMAL, the local sponsors are Washington Gas Light Company and the local Dodge Dealers. Bill Malone and Chuck Drazenovich will call the action. Steve Gilmartin will host the ten-minute pre- and postgame shows, which will be sponsored by Alexandria Dairy.
Steelers: KDKA-AM will be the flagship of a thirty-one-station network in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Viriginia, It will carry all nineteen scheduled games. Carling Brewing Company, Sunoco, and the local Chrysler-Plymouth Dealers sponsor the games. Pre- and postgame shows will be sold locally. Tom Bender and Jack Fleming will call the games and host both the pre- and postgame shows. A fifteen-minute show with head coach Mike Nixon will air at various times on the network stations; KDKA will carry it on Saturdays.
(The article lists Buddy Parker as the coach of the Steelers; he resigned during the preseason as the result of a power struggle with then-general manager Dan Rooney.)
Giants: WNEW-AM and Ivy Broadcasting Company are each entering the second-year of a three-year contract to run separate feeds of each Giants game. According to the article, more than seventy-five stations are currently signed, and as many as 115 stations are expected to sign before the season starts. These stations are located in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Ontario Quebec, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
On the Ivy feed, Ballantine Beer has bought a quarter on approximately forty northern stations; the rest of the time is being sold locally. So are The Pregame Show with Don Snith, Woody Erdman, and Alex Webster and the postgame Locker Room Report, where Ted Brown takes Smith's place alongside Erdman and Webster. Those three gentlemen will be joined by Joe Hasel to call the games.
On WNEW, the pregame Pro Football Preview with Kyle Rote and the postgame Locker Room Report with Rote and Al DeRogatis will be sponsored by Schrafft's and Volvo. The games will be sponsored by Ballantine, Liggett and Myers, Howard Clothes, and Manufacturers Hanover Trust. Marty Glickman will join Rote and DeRogatis to call the action.
(To clear up any confusion, Ted Brown calls the games on the Ivy feed, with Joe Hasel, Woody Erdman, and Alex Webster as the analysts. Marty Glickman calls the games for WNEW, with Kyle Rote and Al DeRogatis as the analysts. On a side note, a four-man radio booth? Either they rotated and the article forgot to mention it or it was absolute chaos. I couldn't imagine it working today, let alone back in 1965.)
Browns: WERE-AM has picked up its three-year option to remain the Browns' flagship station. It will head a network of more than fifty stations in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts. WGAR-AM will carry two exhibition games and three regular-season games because WERE is committed to airing Cleveland Indians baseball games. There will be a total of six exhibition games, including a doubleheader on September 4 (Giants-Lions and Browns-Packers). Sponsors signed at press time are Carling Brewing, General Cigar, Sunoco, and Midwest Volkswagen, Gib Shanley and Jim Graner will describe the action.
The pregame show will be sponsored by Weintraub Clothes and Leader Drugs. The Blanton Collier Show, which will also air before the game, will be sponsored by The Beef House. The postgame scoreboard show will once again be sponsored by Exide and Willard Batteries, and another postgame feature, Second Guess, will be sponsored by the Greater Cleveland Plymouth Dealers.
Colts: WCBM-AM is on a one-year contract to be the flagship of a thirty-station network in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington. D.C. National Brewing, a co-holder of the team's radio rights, will sponsor half of each game; the other half will be sold locally. Sponsors on WCBM include the local Plymouth Dealers, Pepsi-Cola, and Union Federal Savings and Loan, The pre- and postgame shows will air on WCBM only; the pregame show, hosted by Buddy Young, will be sponsored by City Oldsmobile. The postgame locker room show with Jimmy Orr will be sponsored by Archway Ford. Frank Messer and John Steadman will call the games.
Lions: WJR-AM is the flagship station, but won't air games until October 10 due to conflicts with Detroit Tigers baseball games. WWJ-AM will carry all five Lions exhibition games and the first three regular-season games. Marathon Oil and Altes Beer will each sponsor half of each game. The Lions' radio network consists of thirty-six stations, Bob Reynolds and Ray Lane will be on the call. The pregame show, Lions Press Box will be sponsored on WJR by the Detroit Plymouth Dealers. The postgame show will be sponsored on WJR by Packer Pontiac.
Bears: WGN-AM will carry all fourteen regular-season games plus three exhibition games. American Oil and Old Style Beer will again each sponsor half of each game; American has been a Bears radio sponsor for over twenty years. The pregame show will be sponsored by Robert Hall Clothes, while the postgame Scoreboard show will once again be sponsored by Household Finance. Jack Brickhouse and Irv Kupcinet will call the action.
49ers: KSFO-AM will carry all scheduled games and feed a fourteen-station network in California, Nevada, and Hawaii. Sponsors are the local Chevron Dealers/Standard Stations (for the fourth consecutive year), the local Chrysler-Plymouth Dealers (third year), Italian Swiss Colony Wine (second year) and Household Finance (second year), all for one quarter each per game. Russ Hodges will host the fifteen-minute pregame Clubhouse. which will be sponsored the Bay Area Chevrolet Dealers. Lon Simmons will host the fifteen-minute postgame show, called Press Box Review. which will be sponsored by Armour and Company. Hodges and Simmons will be joined by Jim Lange (yes, the same man who histed The Dating Game and Bullseye, among others) to call the games.
(The article also lists Bob Fouts, but the only week he could have done radio was Week 12, when the Niners hosted the Lions in a national telecast and Lions voice Van Patrick called the whole game.)
Packers: WTMJ-AM Milwaukee will head a six-station network. All sponsors from last year have renewed: Thorp Finance will sponsor half of each game, while Consolidated Cigar and Employers Mutual of Wausau will each sponsor a quarter, The pregame Packers Preview will be sponsored on WTMJ by Humble Oil, while the postgame show will be sponsored on WTMJ by Lurie Glass Company. Ted Moore will call the games.
Rams: KMPC-AM enters its tenth consecutive year as the team's flagship. It will feed seventeen stations in California, Nevada, and Arizona, Sponsors include Chevron/Standard, the local Chrysler-Plymouth Dealers, Household Finance, and Italian Swiss Colony Wine, the same lineup as the 49ers. The Rams Warmup pregame show and Rams Report postgame show are each sold for local sponsorship, On KMPC, Warmup will be sponsored by Alpha Beta Markers, and Report will be sponsored by Bonanza Air Lines. Bob Kelley and Bill Brundige are your announcers.
Vikings: WCCO-AM is in the second year of a three-year agreement to be the team's flagship. The network of nearly thirty stations will carry all scheduled games. The network will once again be packaged by North Star Features, and games will be sold locally. On WCCO, sponsors include the Northwest Ford Dealers and Minneapolis Federal Savings and Loan, Ray Christiansen and Paul Giel will call the action. The pregame show will be sponsored by the Hotel Leamington, while the postgame show is still open. WCCO has also sold the fifteen-minute Norm Van Brocklin Show on Monday nights; it will be sponsored by Peters Meat Products.
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