President Franklin D. Roosevelt has died from a cerebral  hemorrhage.                  

From NBC radio news: An airplane has crashed into the Empire State Building.           

Report on A-bomb test.                           

General Dwight Eisenhower and Winston Churchill comment on the Korean war.          

UN reporter reports from the battlefield.              

UN recaptures Seoul, South Korean capital short wave report from the capital, General MacArthur welcomes South Korean President Syngman Rhee.             

Establishment of United Nations declared.                       

Soldiers begin firing artillery shells into Chinese territory following their arrival.         

An assassination attempt has been made on the life of Harry S. Truman. It was carried out by militant Puerto Rican pro- Independence activists, Oscar Collazo and Griselio Torresola while President Truman was residing at Blair House during renovations at the White House. Although the pair made it up to the entry steps at Blair House and opened fire, Torresola was killed by a Secret Service agent, Leslie Coffelt who was mortally wounded himself by gunfire. Collazo was captured and sentenced to death but Truman commuted his sentence to life imprisonment.                                                     

One million Chinese Red troops in attack on Seoul, Governor Dewey sworn in. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Plan to kill Chief of Police fails at last minute in Panama.            

Korean war news.             

Sam Snead wins his third PGA C'Ship golf title by defeating Walter Burkemo at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania.            

   
   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. 
                                                                                    

NBC RADIO NEWS originally WEAF in New York City beginning in 1926 was renamed WNBC in 1946, renamed WRCA in 1954, and again remaned WNBC in 1960. 

A daily five minute News Report with Merrill Mueller and at times with  David Anderson substituting. 

Contained in this news report, the latest events related to our involvement in Korea. Also of note the following report only two hours prior to what is considered a most iconic baseball game highlight to occur in baseball history. 

David Anderson substituting for Merrill Mueller reports:

"A different more pleasant kind of warfare opens in New York in just a few hours when the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants settle the National League Championship. The winner will meet the New York Yankees in the World Series opener, tomorrow. With so much at stake, both clubs will start their ace pitchers. Sal Maglie will be on the mound for the Giants and Don Newcombe will go for the Dodgers. Both of them have an enviable record in their inner-city rivalry. Maglie has beaten the Dodgers five out of six times this season, while Newcombe has beaten the Giants five out of seven. The weatherman promises fair, warm weather for the season clincher with temperatures in the low 80's. Once again NBC TV will carry the play-off game direct from New York. 
A disappointing 38,000 fans were on hand for the game yesterday but a sell-out crowd of 50,000 is expected today. Fans began lining up for tickets by midnight last night and by dawn some 100 ardent supporters were already on hand." 
  
NOTE:
The New York Giants defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers 5-4 in game 3 of their National League playoff series to decide the National League pennant. Bobby Thomson hit a three-run home run into the left field stands off Dodger reliever Ralph Branca to win the game for the Giants 5-4 at the Polo Grounds in New York City.   
                                                             

Musical "South Pacific" opening in London.              

Joe DiMaggio retires from baseball, playing in his final World Series two months earlier vs. the New York Giants.                        

Swedish race walker John Mikaelsson won back-to-back gold medals in the 10K event at the Helsinki Olympics. He won the corresponding race in London in 1948.            

Korean war news.             

The Soviet Union's Andrei Gromyko comments on the Korean war.                       

    #10941: NEWS WITH LOWELL THOMAS (CBS Radio), & FULTON LEWIS JR. NEWS AND COMMENTARY (WOR Radio).
1954-05-17, 4 min.
Lowell Thomas, Fulton Lewis Jr., Chief Justice Earl Warren, William Dawson


Supreme Court news with Lowell Thomas, Coast to Coast, CBS radio, followed by Fulton Lewis Jr. commentary, same day, on Supreme court justice Earl Warren unanimous ruling in the landmark civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas, mandating and sanctioning that in the future segregation of public schools would be a violation of the 14th Amendment and would in the future be unconstitutional.  

Decision on integration:

Lowell Thomas: 
"Good evening, everybody. Today's decision by the United States Supreme Court is called the most important action of its kind since the Emancipation Proclamation. Our high tribunal today outlawed racial segregation in schools, the decision written by Chief Justice Earl Warren. It was unanimous. Several complaints against racial segregation in schools upheld today in one sweeping decision. The court ruled against the Southern theory of separate but equal facilities. The decision stating separated educational facilities are inherently unequal. The verdict is complete and sweeping. But it does not mean total change at once. The court notes the far-reaching character of its action. Also, the great variety of local conditions to be considered. So there will be further hearings on the way, the decision is to be put into effect. The details are delayed until Autumn and, it may be a year before the court rules on the methods to end segregation in schools. The reaction in the South is immediate, and its angry with new proposals to transform the public schools into a private school system there. A technical change mostly, but one which might evade constitutional questions on segregation. Already three states, Georgia, South Carolina, and Mississippi have taken preliminary steps to turn their public-school systems over to private organizations. Meanwhile, Negro and sympathetic white groups in the South are jubilant. One organization calling a meeting of its leaders in Birmingham to decide on plans in line with today's decision." 

This is a CBS radio aircheck from May 17th, 1954 (1:35), followed by Fulton Lewis Jr. reporting over WOR radio the same evening (2:00).

Fulton Lewis Jr. comments include:
Reactions from the South, no Supreme Court new terms intentions to be imposed overnight, may be a year before pragmatically implemented. 
Negro democrat William Dawson from Illinois states that today's decision is the greatest and finest things that has happened since the Declaration of Independence to make a United America and to raise the status of America as the leader in the eyes of the world.  

Lowell Thomas was an American radio broadcaster for both the NBC and CBS radio networks. He was employed by his sponsor, Sunoco Oil. He hosted the first television news broadcast in 1939 and the first regularly scheduled news broadcast on February 21st, 1940, over W2XBS, which is now the NBC television network, a camera simulcast of his radio broadcast.  

Fulton Lewis' commentary program (presented as a "news" program, but which allowed him to choose his topic and to give his opinions in depth) ran from 7:00-7:15 p.m. Eastern time, five days a week. His audience liked Lewis' folksy broadcasting style. At his commercial peak, Lewis was heard on more than 500 radio stations and boasted a weekly audience of sixteen million listeners. His signature closing was "That's the top of the news as it looks from here." He also transitioned briefly to television in the early 1950s, but the format of his program did not appeal in that medium, so he returned to radio for the remainder of his career.     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Comments from David Brinkley on the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg execution, which took place on June,19th,1953. The Rosenbergs were convicted of spying for the Soviet Union, which included providing top-secret information about American radar, sonar, jet propulsion engines, and nuclear weapon designs. Pleas of clemency were ignored by President Eisenhower and the couple became the first American civilians to be put to death on spying charges.  

David Brinkley reports.                

The NBC Symphony Orchestra  was a radio orchestra conceived by RCA President David Sarnoff. It remained active from 1937-1954. 


Orchestra conducted by Robert Russell Bennett.

The NBC Symphony Orchestra  was a radio orchestra conceived by RCA President David Sarnoff. It remained active from 1937-1954. 


Orchestra conducted by Robert Russell Bennett.

The latest news and sports.             

The latest news from NBC radio news.

Host: Morgan Beatty.              

News review of 1954 by NBC radio.                       

President Eisenhower suffers heart attack in Colorado.         

In January, 1955, the US Congress passed "The Formosa Resolution." It gave President Eisenhower the authority to
defend Taiwan. The United  States actively defended the Republic Of China. When the United States arranged to re-supply ROC garrisons on Jinmen and Mazu, it eased the crisis and brought it to an end.                            

News review of 1955 by NBC radio.            

News of the Calderonista invasion of Costa Rica.           

President Eisenhower goes to hospital, news on the Dr. Jonas Salk polio vaccine.           

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. 

This episode stars Tom D'Andrea and Larry Blake. Includes comedy routine by Jonathan Winters and Joey Carter. Also, horror bit with Bert Wheeler, Tom D'Andrea, and Larry Blake.


                   

The illness on Presidential campaign, Truman on 1952 campaign.         

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. 

Guest: Groucho Marx and a clip from his popular TV show, "You Bet Your Life." 


                   

Eisenhower says he will run for President again.             

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. 

Standup comedy from Jonathan Winters. 


                   

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. 

Guest: Georgie Kay. Psychiatrist sketch. 




                   

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. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Today's Headlines: Newspaper reporter Victor Reisel will suffer remainder of life with blindness following acid attack on his eyes. Harold Stassen and Estes Kefauver join presidential campaign. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

US defers dropping A-bomb due to weather.            

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. 

Guests: Hank Penny, Dan Tanner. 


                   

Don Larsen and Don Newcombe, just two days before Larsen's perfect game at Yankee Stadium vs. Brooklyn Dodgers. 
Also featured a Bert and Harry Piels commercial starring the Bob and Ray comedy team of Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding.            

   Hungarians revolt against invading  Russian army in fierce fighting. Adlai Stevenson, democratic candidate running for  President of the United States against President Dwight D. Eisenhower, states that Ike is a part-time president who plays golf especially during serious events of the day. 

Eisenhower plans to have his medical checkup today.                                   

A campaign speech by Democratic presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson who is introduced by Senator John F. Kennedy. Stevenson attacks President Eisenhower, Vice-President Nixon and the Republican party for misinforming the American people about the world crisis.                         

Highlights include, the Middle East crisis continues, British and French demands rejected by Egypt, Nasser says he will fight to the end and claims Sinai campaign almost over, the question of strained feelings between Anglo-French and USA.                                                 

October 90, 1956-May 31, 1957

Night beat was an hour-long talk/interview program hosted by Mike Wallace and broadcast on WABD-TV channel 5 in New York City. (Dumont). It was broadcast from 11 PM to 12 AM Tuesday through Friday evenings. Wallace served as host from October 1956 to May 1957. 

In this episode, Mike interviews Max Lerner of the NY Post who comments on the Middle East crises and makes a prediction that Adlai Stevenson will be elected the next President of the United States and New York City Mayor Robert Wagner will be a United States Senator from New York. He also predicts that John Foster Dulle's days as Secretary of State are over. Mike Wallace reviews current headlines.                                               

Highlights: UN General Assembly meeting, heavy fighting in Egypt, Secretary of State Dulles at the UN, Stevenson says US troop deployment is a miserable failure, no fighting in Budapest, airfields are surrounded by Russian tanks, New reports
of Russian troop movements, Senator Estes Kefauver accuses the Eisenhower administration of poor foreign policy. John K.M. McCaffery signs off with his famous "what kind of day will it be tomorrow?"   

  NOTE: A signature sign off by newscaster John K.M. McCaffery, 
"What kind of a day will it be Tomorrow?"