The year Vin Scully was unhappy about reduced role on network television coverage of World Series

Awful Announcing ^ | October 24, 2016 | David J. Halberstam

[EveningStar]

Full title: The year Vin Scully was unhappy about his reduced role on network television coverage of the World Series

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In the early years of network television, the participating World Series teams each nominated one of their announcers to broadcast the games on NBC. The two men would usually split the play-by-play. This practice gave national viewers the opportunity each year to sample legendary local voices like Russ Hodges, Mel Allen, Red Barber, Bob Prince, Jack Brickhouse, and Harry Caray.

With this setup in place, Vin Scully correctly assumed that he would announce the World Series on network television in each year that the Dodgers qualified. Indeed, beginning in 1953 and continuing through 55, ’56, ’59, ’63 and ’65, Scully did every Series game on NBC.

But in 1966, NBC vastly expanded its baseball coverage, saturating the nation with a weekly broadcast each Saturday of the regular season.

Needing a fulltime announcer and wanting a signature voice of its own, NBC put Curt Gowdy on its weekly telecasts. It also awarded him a lofty play-by-play microphone for the World Series. As a result, the roles of Scully and other team broadcasters on network television’s coverage were gradually reduced and eventually eliminated.

[EveningStar]

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[Dilbert San Diego]

The liberals would be aghast at this picture nowadays, with the prominent place of cigarettes. I assume they were a sponsor, if they got this product placement.

[Inyo-Mono]

Gowdy couldn’t hold a candle to Scully bookmark.

[EveningStar]

That picture is from the 1950s. Cigarette ads in the US on TV and radio weren’t banned until 1971.

[chrisinoc]

Many of the 1950s TV shows like the Jack Benny Program had cigarette ads embedded in their skits. That is why you do not see those particular episodes on retro TV.

[Inyo-Mono]

Most of my favorite TV shows in the ‘50s and early ‘60s were sponsored by Lucky Strike cigarettes.

[map]

That picture is from Brooklyn: WOR TV channel 9. The sponsors were Lucky Strike cigarettes and Schaefer beer.

[ifinnegan]

Thanks for posting this.

[Dr. Sivana]

Cigarette ads in the US on TV and radio weren’t banned until 1971.

I dunno about the Lucky Strikes, but Schaeffer is NASTY beer, and I can be okay with cheap beer. The only ones worse than Schaeffer (among readily available beers at the time) that I tried were Schmidt's and Piels. Make mine Rheingold or Tuborg.

[alexander_busek]

[...] reduced role on network television coverage of World Series

This is about baseball, right?

I think I heard about that once.

Regards,

[5th MEB]

LS/MFT= Lucky Strike/Means Fine Tobacco.