Say hello to the "Moondog"...
If Alan Freed who called himself the "Moondog" hadn't started in Cleveland on WJW today, had he not gone to WINS in New York three years later, well, just maybe, we don't have "Rock and Roll". It was Freed who coined the phrase once he arrived in New York thanks to the strange Broadway character dressed like a viking, the real "Moondog"...
This was the day in 1951 that Alan Freed, a lover of big-band music, starting playing Rhythm & Blues records on WJW. After 3 years in Cleveland, Freed's next destination was 1010 WINS New York where he would go from the "King of the Moondoger's" to the "King of Rock and Roll". Freed and legendary music mogul Morris Levy, veteran Cleveland promoter Lew Platt and the "King" himself copyrighted the phrase "Rock and Roll" but the tidal wave of the new genre of music made the copyright virtually useless...
The "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" resides in Cleveland because of Freed's tenure in that city but in my commentary I'll give you the "rest of the story" (hopefully as well as Paul Harvey might) so stay tuned...
Ten Timeline Memories...
1798] The U.S. Marine Corps was created by an act of Congress...
1804] A pistol duel near Weehawken (NJ) between VP Aaron Burr and Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton results in the death of Hamilton the following day. Hamilton was 49...
1914] 19-year old Babe Ruth makes his major league debut as a pitcher for the Red Sox. The Bambino holds Cleveland to 8 hits in 7 innings in a game won by Boston 4-3. Ruth does not figure in the decision. At the plate Babe goes 0 for 2 (in 1918 Ruth goes to the outfield)...
1936] The Triborough Bridge, linking Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens opens to traffic (if you're going to New England, that's the bridge you take)...
1967] Kenny Rogers forms The First Edition. Rogers previously performed with the New Christy Minstrels (on one of the 1st promotional tours Kenny and the group made they visited Boston)...
1979] In a post-July 4th fireworks display, the U.S. space station Skylab returns to Earth burning up in the atmosphere and showering debris over the Indian Ocean and Australia...
1982] The more things change, the more they stay the same: Italy wins its 3rd World Cup and first in 44 years by beating West Germany 3-1 in Madrid (over the weekend Italy won its 4th World Cup over France)...
1985] Nolan Ryan of the Astros becomes the 1st major leaguer to earn 4,000 strikeouts in a career (his 4,000th strikeout victim was a Met, Danny Heep)...
1989] The Royals' Bo Jackson is named MVP of the All-Star game in Anaheim. Bo's 450-foot home run helps the AL beat the NL 5-3 (Jackson was a two-sport star becoming an NFL Pro Bowler as a running back for the Raiders in 1990)...
1989] Sir Laurence Olivier dies at 82...
[In order to ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...
Commentary...
No one was more influencial than Norm N. Nite, known as the "keeper of the Alan Freed flame" in getting "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" to Cleveland. Norm, a Cleveland native, pitched the idea to anyone that would listen and eventually flew the Cleveland mayor, Ohio Governor and the guy who beats the drums at Indian games (well maybe not him) to New York for a meeting with the people, principally Ahmet Ertegun that would form the board of directors of the hallowed Hall. Norm does a show from "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" on Sirius...
I was directly influenced (as was Joe McCoy, celebrating a birthday today) by listening to Freed at WINS, so much so that it led to a career in radio for both of us. Although I watched Freed rehearse his television show from the ABC-TV studios, I never met the man. The closest I got to meeting "The King of Rock and Roll" was a visit to WINS only to discover that Paul Sherman was sitting in for Freed but Alan would always read every dedication I would send him...
No WJW, no Freed, no "Rock and Roll" and I probably would have been a "tool and die" man which my Mom wanted me to be. On second thought, how much do they make ???
#1 on this date...
1959] "Lonely Boy" - Paul Anka, 1969] "In the Year 2525" - Zager & Evans, 1970] "Mama Told Me Not To Come" - Three Dog Night, 1979] "Bad Girls" - Donna Summer, 1989] "If You Don't Know Me By Now" - Simply Red...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...
Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi) (47), Sela Ward (50), Leon Spinks (53), Bonnie Pointer (55), Jeff Hanna (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) (59), Tab Hunter (79)...
"Happy Trails"...
Eleanor Geisman a.k.a. June Allyson passed away from pulmonary respiratory failure and bronchitis after a long illness over the weekend at 88. Born in the Bronx, June was often "the perfect wife" of James Stewart, Van Johnson and others. Her sunny disposition and raspy voice made her a distinctive star in Hollywood. She also did commercials for something you hope you never see, Depends. Happy Trails June Allyson...
[Today is the 192nd day of 2006 with 173 days remaining in the year and 56 days from Labor Day]
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