TSB Heritage


                         Baseball Broadcast Timeline….







          Grantland Rice                                           Harold Arlin

First Major League radio broadcast:

On August 5th, 1921 a twenty-five year old radio engineer and
nighttime studio announcer named Harold Arlin became the first
person to broadcast a major league baseball game. Arlin’s equipment
was far from elaborate. Using a converted telephone as a microphone,
Arlin set up a remote “broadcast booth” in a box seat behind home
plate at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh and called the Pirates 8-5 win over
the Phillies on KDKA radio. The coverage was such a success, that
KDKA later joined with radio stations in Newark, NJ and Springfield, MA
to form what would be considered the first radio Network. Arlin then
went on to broadcast the first live football game, a Pitt/West Virginia
contest.








           
   Bob Prince and Harold Arlin                          Bob Prince

On August 30th, 1972 in Pittsburgh, announcer Bob Prince gave the
mic to Arlin. On that day he called a few innings of play-by-play with his
grandson Steve on the mound for the Pirates.

First WorldSeries broadcast on radio:

WJZ in Newark, NJ was the first station to broadcast the 1921 World
Series between the New York Yankees and New York Giants. Tommy
Cowan actually recreated the games from reports that were phoned in
from the two stadiums. Journalist Grantland Rice broadcasted the first
game of the series on KDKA. The next year, Rice was the lead
announcer as WJZ broadcast the entire Series for the first time.

First baseball television broadcast:

On May 17th, 1939, the first baseball game was televised. At Columbia’
s Baker Field, Princeton beat Columbia 2-1. The game was broadcast
on W2XBS, an experimental station in New York City. W2XBS would
eventually become WNBC-TV.

First Major League television broadcast:

On August 26th, 1939, Red Barber was at the mic for the first Major
League game ever televised. The Brooklyn Dodgers played the
Cincinnati Reds at Ebbets Field in a doubleheader. Without the
modern conveniences of a monitor and instant replay, Barber called
the first game with only two cameras capturing the action on the field.

First televised World Series Game:

The 1947 World Series featured the New York Yankees and the
Brooklyn Dodgers. The Yankees won the Series in seven games and it
was the first World Series to ever be televised. Only New York City and
its surrounding areas received the coverage. Bob Stanton called
games 1 and 5 on NBC, Bob Edge called games 3 and 4 on CBS and
Bill Slater called games 2, 6 and 7 on the Dumont Television Network.

Pioneers

Graham McNamee                                                     










     Graham McNamee                                 Graham McNamee
       and Babe Ruth

Graham McNamee was the most recognized personality in the early
days of radio. He broadcast the 1923 World Series between the
Yankees and Giants and covered many top sporting events in his
career. McNamee began his career as a concert singer, but would go
on to cover 12World Series from 1923 through 1935. He also
pioneered radio broadcasts in boxing and football. McNamee called
games for 13 seasons for Westinghouse and NBC.

Dizzy Dean








          Dizzy Dean (center) the                                  The player
               broadcaster

Dizzy Dean, a Hall of Fame player, spent 24 seasons as a color man in
St. Louis and nationally with Mutual Radio and the ABC/CBS Game of
the Week. Dean pitched for parts of 12 seasons in the major leagues,
winning 30 games in 1934.
World Series Broadcasters
(Radio)

2000 Decade

2000-2006
Jon Miller-Joe Morgan
(ESPN)

90's Decade

1999
Jon Miller-Rick Sutcliffe
(ESPN)
1998
Jon Miller-Joe Morgan
(ESPN)
1995-1997
Vin Scully-Jeff Torborg
(CBS)
1994-World Series cancelled
1990-1993
Vin Scully-Johnny Bench
(CBS)

80's Decade

1989
Jack Buck-Johnny Bench
(CBS)
1987-1988
Jack Buck-Bill White
(CBS)
1985-1986
Jack Buck-Sparky Anderson
(CBS)
1984
Jack Buck-Brent Musberger
(CBS)
1983
Jack Buck-Sparky Anderson
(CBS)
1980-1982
Vin Scully-Sparky Anderson
(CBS)

70's Decade

1979
Vin Scully-Sparky Anderson
(CBS)
1978
Bill White-Ross Porter
(CBS)
1977
Win Elliott-Ross Porter
(CBS)
1976
Bill White-Bill Sorrell
(CBS)
1975
Joe Garagiola-Curt Gowdy
Marty Brennaman-Ned Martin
(NBC)
1974
Jim Simpson-Monty Moore-Ross Porter
(NBC)
1973
Jim Simpson-Bob Murphy-Monty Moore
(NBC)
1972
Jim Simpson-Monty Moore-Marty Brennaman
(NBC)
1971
Jim Simpson-Bob Prince-Bill O'Donnell
(NBC)
1970
Jim Simpson-Chuck Thompson-Jim McIntyre
(NBC)

60's Decade

1969
Jim Simpson-Ralph Kiner-Bill O'Donnell
(NBC)
1968
Ernie Harwell-Jack Buck-Pee Wee Reese
(NBC)
1967
Harry Caray-Ken Coleman-Pee Wee Reese
(NBC)
1966
Bob Prince-Chuck Thompson-Vin Scully
(NBC)
1965
By Saam-Joe Garagiola
(NBC)
1964
Phil Rizzuto-Joe Garagiola
(NBC)
1963
Ernie Harwell-Joe Garagiola
(NBC)
1962
George Kell-Joe Garagiola
(NBC)
1961
Bob Wolff-Waite Hoyt
(NBC)
1960
Chuck Thompson-Jack Quinlan
(NBC)

50's Decade

1959
Mel Allen-By Saam
(NBC)
1958
Bob Wolff- Earl Gillespie
(NBC)
1957
Bob Neal-Earl Gillespie-Bill Corum
(NBC)
1956
Bob Wolff -Bob Neal
(Mutual)
1955
Al Helfer- Bob Neal
(Mutual)
1954
Al Helfer- Jimmy Dudley
(Mutual)
1953
Al Helfer- Gene Kelly
(Mutual)
1952
Al Helfer-Jack Brickhouse-Bill Corum
(Mutual)
1951  
Mel Allen- Al Helfer
(Mutual)
1950
Mel Allen- Jim Britt
(Mutual)

40's Decade

1949
Mel Allen-Red Barber
(Mutual)
1948
Mel Allen- Jim Britt
(Mutual)
1947
Mel Allen-Red Barber
(Mutual)
1946
Jim Britt-Arch McDonald-Bill Corum
(Mutual)
1945
Bill Slater-Al Helfer
(Mutual)
1944
Bill Slater-Don Dunphy-Bill Corum
(Mutual)
1943
Red Barber-Bob Elson-Bill Corum
(Mutual)
1942
Red Barber-Mel Allen
(Mutual)
1941
Red Barber-Bob Elson
(Mutual)
1940
Red Barber-Bob Elson  
(Mutual)