It takes more than luck...
That was the headline of an AP item on the upcoming NCAA tournament that starts Thursday night and I'm thinking about the birth of WRKO on this date 40 years ago and how, that too, took more than luck. We weren't Santa Clara, Vermont, Bucknell, George Mason or Wisconsin-Milwaukee, teams that made an improbable Final Four run in previous basketball tournaments. We didn't even exist until March 13, 1967...
The original jock lineup on that Monday was: 6-9 a.m. Al Gates (and alter-ego 'Feathers'), Palmer Payne (news) and Curt Gowdy (sports), 9-12 p.m. John Rode, 12-3 p.m. Joel Cash, 3-6 p.m. J.J. Jeffrey, 6-9 p.m. Arnie "Woo Woo" Ginsburg and 9-12 midnight Chuck Knapp. Dick Burch did the all-night show for a quick minute before Jon Powers joined us a couple of weeks later. One of the last people I spoke to in compiling the WRKO anniversary tributes was J.J. Jeffrey and we reminisced for close to an hour about the people we worked with, the great times we enjoyed but most of all - the great success we had. Claude Hall mentioned in the August 19th (1967) edition of Billboard that WRKO had climbed to #1 with these comparative numbers: WRKO 13.9 WMEX 9.9 and WBZ 9.0. On Saturdays we had a phenomenal 20.1 share and we never looked back...
One year ago, thanks to Donna Halper's research, I was able to put an accurate timeline together, in detail, on the birth of WRKO which is in the archives (March 13, 2006) for you radio historians. All of the information was documented by both local and national publications, notes and memos and can be easily retrieved just by a click. Look in the right-hand column of this blog...
I got to WRKO as WRKO-FM programmer and then WRKO program director thanks to Bob Henabery, the first WRKO program director and VP/GM Perry S. Ury. You read all the personal tributes leading up to today on how vitally important a role WRKO played in each person's career and life. As for my feelings, I'll simply say that everything else in my career pales in comparison to WRKO...
There is one video link today, in the "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" timeline...
Timeline Memories...
Pronounce it 'Hah-vid": 1639] Cambridge College changes its name to Harvard, after clergyman John Harvard...
Lobster - now on sale: 1677] The state of Massachusetts gains title to the state of Maine for $6,000...
Herschel and Clyde: 1781] Sir William Herschel discovers the planet Uranus. He should have named it 'Herschel'...1930] The (former) planet Pluto is discovered by scientist Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory. He should have named in 'Clyde'...
Recorded on this date: 1961] "Travelin' Man" - Ricky Nelson...
#1 on this date: 1965] "Eight Days A Week" - Beatles...1967] "Penny Lane" - Beatles...1978] "Night Fever" - Bee Gees (from "Saturday Night Fever")...
At their Beck and call: 1965] Jeff Beck replaces Eric Clapton in the Yardbirds (Clapton joins John Mayall's Bluesbreakers)...
"D-I-V-O-R-C-E": 1975] After 6 years of a troubled marriage, Tammy Wynette breaks the news to George Jones this way: Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_cj4mfcE5A ...
Celebrity Boxing: 2002] Tonya Harding finds a new calling, beating Paul Jones (with Bubba as referee?), Barry Williams loses to Danny Bonaduce, and Todd Bridges defeats Vanilla Ice on 'Celebrity Boxing' as TV hits an all-time low...
Screams? What screams?: 1964] 38 neighbors ignore the screams of 28-year old Kitty Genovese being stabbed to death in a Queens neighborhood which would never happen today. The people who watched the video of that 101-year old woman being clocked by that low-life criminal are ready to rip him to shreds once he's found...
Ford gets a pass: 1980] A jury finds Ford Motor Company innocent of reckless homicide in the deaths of 3 young women that had been riding in a Ford Pinto....
"Guilty as Charged": 1991] Exxon pays $1 billion in fines and for the clean-up of the Alaskan oil spill they caused...
The final curtain: 2000] Dan Marino, the NFL's most prolific passer gives his farewell speech after 17 years with the Miami Dolphins. In 2005 Marino was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton (OH)...
Musical Mouse Ears: 2005] Robert Iger is named to succeed Michael Eisner as chief executive of Walt Disney Co...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Dana Delany (51), William H. Macy (57), Neil Sedaka (68), former Heisman Trophy winner Joe Bellino (69) and Songwriter Mike Stoller (74)...
Timeline Countdown: 2 days until March Madness, 8 days until spring and 19 days until Opening Day...
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