1965 MLB Season
As originally written by Tim Brulia:
Coming to 1965 and major changes occurred.
MLB signs a one year deal with 18 clubs (combined as a single contract) to televise on ABC Saturday afternoon games and two holiday games on a regional basis. There is an option for a second year in 1966. One major change of the new deal, there are no longer blackouts of games in MLB markets. The Yankees are not involved as CBS will continue to do their weekend games at Yankee Stadium. The Phillies are not involved as Atlantic Refining (your Atlantic gasoline station) ponies up a substantial sum to keep the Phillies exclusive in the Delaware Valley.
The previous team by team agreements with NBC and CBS are dissolved.
Meanwhile, NBC's deals with Gillette and Chrysler to televise the All-Star Game and the World Series continue in 1965.
Now, the crews:
National Television
APRIL
Saturday 4/17:
Giants-Mets, 2:00, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher
Orioles-Red Sox, 2:00, ABC. Merle Harmon, Jackie Robinson
Cubs-Braves, 5:00, ABC. Keith Jackson, Tommy Heinrich
Saturday 4/24:
Angels-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Cardinals-Reds, 2:00, ABC. Merle Harmon, Jackie Robinson
Red Sox-Orioles, 2:00, ABC. Keith Jackson, Tommy Heinrich
Mets-Giants, 5:00, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher
Sunday 4/25:
Angels-Yankees, 1:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
MAY
Saturday 5/1:
Orioles-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Twins-White Sox, 2:00, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher
Red Sox-Tigers, 2:00, ABC. Keith Jackson, Tommy Heinrich
Phillies-Braves, 5:00, ABC. Merle Harmon, Jackie Robinson
Sunday 5/2:
Orioles-Yankees, 1:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Saturday: 5/8:
Yankees-Senators, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Leo Durocher
Reds-Pirates, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Jackie Robinson
Dodgers-Giants, 5:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Tommy Heinrich
Saturday 5/15:
Reds-Mets, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Tommy Heinrich
Angels-White Sox, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Jackie Robinson
Cubs-Dodgers, 5:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Leo Durocher
Saturday 5/22:
Senators-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Orioles-Tigers, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Jackie Robinson
Giants-Astros, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher
Sunday 5/23:
Senators-Yankees, 1:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Saturday 5/29:
Yankees-White Sox, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher
Indians-Tigers, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Jackie Robinson
Angels-Orioles, 5:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Tommy Heinrich
JUNE
Saturday 6/5:
White Sox-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Dodgers-Braves, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Jackie Robinson
Astros-Cardinals, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Leo Durocher
Orioles-Angels, 5:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Tommy Heinrich
Sunday 6/6:
White Sox-Yankees, 1:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Saturday 6/12:
Giants-Pirates, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Jackie Robinson
Dodgers-Mets, 2:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Tommy Heinrich
Indians-Athletics, 5:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Leo Durocher
Saturday 6/19:
Twins-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Cubs-Reds, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Jackie Robinson
Angels-Indians, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher
Phillies-Dodgers, 5:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Tommy Heinrich
Sunday 6/20:
Twins-Yankees, 1:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Saturday 6/26:
Angels-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Orioles-White Sox, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher, Jimmy Piersall
Tigers-Twins, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Jackie Robinson
Pirates-Dodgers, 5:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Tommy Heinrich
Sunday 6/27:
Angels-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
JULY
Saturday 7/3:
Yankees-Red Sox, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher
Giants-Cubs, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Jackie Robinson
White Sox-Angels, 5:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Tommy Heinrich
Monday 7/5:
Yankees-Tigers, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher
Giants-Cardinals, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Jackie Robinson
Saturday 7/10:
Yankees-Twins, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher
Dodgers-Pirates, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Jackie Robinson
Tigers-Athletics, 5:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Tommy Heinrich
Tuesday 7/13:
Baseball All-Star Game from (Bloomington) Minnesota:
National-American, 1:45, NBC. Jack Buck, Joe Garagiola
Saturday 7/17:
Senators-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Angels-White Sox, 2;10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Tommy Heinrich
Astros-Giants, 5:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Jackie Robinson
Sunday 7/18:
Senators-Yankees, CBS. 2:00, Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Saturday 7/24:
White Sox-Tigers, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher
Angels-Red Sox, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Jackie Robinson
Braves-Giants, 5:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Tommy Heinrich
Saturday 7/31:
Indians-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Giants-Braves, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Jackie Robinson
Orioles-Twins, 2:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Tommy Heinrich
AUGUST
Sunday 8/1:
Indians-Yankees, 1:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Saturday 8/7:
Giants-Cardinals, 2:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Jackie Robinson
Indians-White Sox, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher
Saturday 8/14:
Twins-Indians, 1:40, ABC. Merle Harmon, Leo Durocher
Reds-Cardinals, 1:40, ABC. Keith Jackson, Jackie Robinson
Athletics-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Sunday 8/15:
Athletics-Yankees, 1:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Saturday 8/21:
Braves-Pirates, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher
Cardinals-Mets, 2:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Jackie Robinson
Saturday 8/28:
Indians-Twins, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher
Astros-Pirates, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Jackie Robinson
Yankees-Athletics, 5:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Tommy Heinrich
SEPTEMBER
Saturday 9/4:
Red Sox-Yankees, 1:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Pirates-Braves, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Leo Durocher
White Sox-Twins, 2:10, ABC. Bob Wolff, analyst unknown
Giants-Cubs, 2:10, ABC. pxp unknown, Tommy Heinrich
Senators-Tigers, 2:10, ABC. Ken Coleman, Warren Spahn
Dodgers-Astros, 5:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Jackie Robinson
Sunday 9/5:
Red Sox-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Monday 9/6:
Mets-Braves, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Ken Coleman
Pirates-Reds, 2:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Tommy Heinrich
Giants-Dodgers, 5:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher, Jackie Robinson
Saturday 9/11:
Reds-Pirates, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Jackie Robinson
Braves-Mets, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Tommy Heinrich
Cubs-Giants, 5:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Leo Durocher
Saturday 9/18:
Tigers-Yankees, 2:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Giants-Braves, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher
Senators-Twins, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Jackie Robinson
Saturday 9/25:
White Sox-Yankees, 1:00, CBS. Dizzy Dean, Pee Wee Reese
Pirates-Cubs, 2:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher
Twins-Senators, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Jackie Robinson
Braves-Giants, 5:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Tommy Heinrich
OCTOBER
Saturday 10/2:
Angels-Twins, 2:10, ABC. Bob Wolff, analyst unknown
Orioles-Indians, 2:10, ABC. Merle Harmon, Tommy Heinrich
Reds-Giants, 5:10, ABC. Chris Schenkel, Leo Durocher
Braves-Dodgers, 5:10, ABC. Keith Jackson, Jackie Robinson
---------------------------------------------------------------
WORLD SERIES
Wednesday 10/6:
Game 1, Dodgers-Twins, 3:00, NBC. Ray Scott, Vin Scully
Thursday 10/7:
Game 2, Dodgers-Twins, 3:00, NBC. Ray Scott, Vin Scully
Saturday 10/9:
Game 3, Twins-Dodgers, 4:00, NBC. Vin Scully, Ray Scott
Sunday 10/10:
Game 4, Twins-Dodgers, 4:00, NBC. Vin Scully, Ray Scott
Monday 10/11:
Game 5, Twins-Dodgers, 4:00, NBC. Vin Scully, Ray Scott
Wednesday 10/13:
Game 6, Dodgers-Twins, 3:00, NBC. Ray Scott, Vin Scully
Thursday 10/14:
Game 7, Dodgers-Twins, 3:00, NBC. Ray Scott (also pxp bottom of 9th inning), Vin Scully
Note: KTTV-Los Angeles and WTCN-Minneapolis/St. Paul also provided coverage, using the NBC feed.
Local Radio Info
Originally written by garretta
National League
Now let's look at 1965 in the National League. We'll begin with radio:
Cardinals: KMOX-AM is the flagship of a network numbering approximately 100 stations. Preseason broadcasts begin March 13 and regular season broadcasts begin April 12. Busch Bavarian Beer will sponsor half of each game; other sponsors signed at press time include General Finance, Texaco, Lincoln-Mercury, and U,S Steel. Pre- and postgame shows will be sold locally. Harry Caray and Jack Buck will call the action.
Mets: WHN-AM is the team's new flagship station. It will head a nine-station network in New York and Connecticut that will air 190 games, including twenty-eight exhibitions. Sponsors include Rheingold Beer, Brown and Williamson, and Shell Oil, Pre- and postgame sponsors include King Korn Stamps and Stewart-Warner. Your announcers are Lindsey Nelson, Bob Murphy, and Ralph Kiner.
Cubs: WGN-AM is the team's radio outlet; there is no network at this time. WGN will carry all regular season games plus four exhibition games Sponsors signed at press time are G. Heileman Brewing Company, Serta Mattresses. the local Rambler Dealers, Texaco, and Oak Park Federal Savings and Loan. Vince Lloyd and Lou Boudreau will describe the action; Jack Quinlan was killed in a car accident during spring training.
Reds: WCKY-AM is the team's flagship. The games will be fed to about sixty stations, which is ten fewer than last year. Sponsors signed at press time are Burgen Brewing Company and Tressier Oil. Waite Hoyt and Claude Sullivan are your announcers.
Houston Astros: KPRC-AM is the head of a twenty-six-station network set up by the team that will carry every game. Schlitz Brewing has exclusive sponsorship of the team on both radio and television for the next three years. but is looking to sell two-thirds of those rights to other sponsors. Pre- and postgame sponsors are Coca-Cola and Duncan Foods. Gene Elston and Loel Passe will call the action.
Phillies: WFIL-AM is the flagship of a twenty-three-station network that will carry 182 games, including twenty exhibitions. Sponsors are Atlantic Refining and Ballantine Beer. Byrum Saam, Bill Campbell, and Richie Ashburn are your announcers.
Dodgers: KFI-AM heads an eighteen-station network in California, Arizona, and Nevada that will broadcast 192 games, including thirty exhibitions. Sponsors are Union Oil of California, the Chevrolet Dealers of Southern California, Security First National Bank, and General Cigar. Pre- and postgame sponsors are Pabst Brewing and the Carnation Company. KWKW Pasadena-Los Angeles will broadcast the games in Spanish. Vin Scully and Jerry Doggett will handle the English announcing chores; Fats Garcia and Jaime Jarrin will describe the action in Spanish.
Giants; KSFO-AM heads a sixteen-station network in California and Nevada. 172 games will be broadcast, including ten exhibition games. Games are sponsored by Hamm's Beer and Folger's Coffee; pre- and postgame sponsors include Armour and Company. Russ Hodges and Lon Simmons are your announcers.
Pirates: KDKA-AM is the flagship of a network that will carry all regular season games plus fifteen exhibition games, As of press time, the network consists of twenty-seven stations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, but more may be added, Sponsors signed at press time were Pittsburgh Brewing and Atlantic Refining, Pre- and postgame sponsors include Avis Rent-A-Car. Bob Prince, Jim Woods and Don Hoak will call the action.
Braves: There seemed to be confusion at this time over whether the team would play in Milwaukee or Atlanta this year; even the article lists them as "Milwaukee (Atlanta)". The article was dated March 1, and if I recall correctly the final decision over whether to let the Braves go to Atlanta for 1965 was still pending; ultimately, of course, they played a lame-duck year in Milwaukee before leaving for good.
At press time, no broadcast outlets had been found in either city; the package on the table for Atlanta was fifty-five Braves games plus all seventy home games of the Atlanta Crackers, the Southern League team now owned by the Braves. Sponsors included Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, and Pabst Brewing. No announcers had been named, but Mel Allen, who could supposedly "talk Atlanta" because he'd been born in Georgia, was a leading candidate.
American League
Now let's finally finish 1965 in the American League. We'll begin with radio:
Senators: WTOP-AM will head a network of either seven or eight stations. National Brewing will sponsor a third of each game; other participating sponsors include General Mills, Tastykake, and Household Finance. Pregame shows are also scheduled. Dan Daniels and John MacLean will call the action.
Orioles: WBAL-AM will head a forty-seven-station network that will carry all regular season games. Pre- and postgame shows will also be aired. National Brewing and Esskay Meats will each sponsor a third of each game. Other sponsors include Central Savings Bank, the local Pepsi-Cola Bottlers, Harley Restaurants and Bayuk Cigars. Pre- and postgame sponsors include General Mills and Household Finance. Chuck Thompson and Frank Messer are your announcers.
Yankees: WCBS-AM is the flagship of a forty-station network that will carry all regular season games. It will also carry twenty-nine preseason games. Ballantine Beer, R.J. Reynolds, and Tidewater Oil are each one-third sponsors, with Atlantic Refining taking Tidewater Oil's third outside of New York City. Red Barber, Phil Rizzuto, Joe Garagiola, and Jerry Coleman will call the action.
Athletics: KCMO-AM is the head of a network numbering between twelve and fourteen stations that will carry 187 games, including twenty-five exhibitions. Sponsors include Hamms Brewing. General Finance, and General Mills. Monte Moore and Red Rush will be on the call.
Angels: KMPC-AM will head an eighteen-station network in California, Nevada, and Arizona that will carry all scheduled games, including twenty exhibitions. Pre- and postgame shows will be sold locally. Sponsors include Standard Oil of California, Anheuser-Busch, and Great Western Savings. Buddy Blattner and Don Wells will call the games.
Red Sox: WHDH-AM leads a forty-five-station network that will carry all regular season games and some exhibition games. Sponsors are General Cigar, Atlantic Refining, and Narragansett Brewing. Curt Gowdy, Ned Martin and Mel Parnell will describe the action.
Twins: WCCO-AM is the flagship of a forty-four-station network (up from thirty last year) that will carry exhibition games beginning March 13, then the entire regular season. Hamm's Beer and Twin City Federal will each sponsor a third of each game. Other sponsors include Pure Oil and General Mills. Ray Scott, Halsey Hall, and Herb Carneal will call the action.
Indians: WERE-AM will head an eighteen-station network that begins broadcasting games on March 13 and regular season games on April 12. There will also be pre- and postgame shows which will be sold as a package on WERE and on a co-op basis over the rest of the network. Duquesne Beer will sponsor a third of each game; other sponsors include General Mills, General Cigar, and Sun Oil, with the rest of the time to be sold locally. Pre- and postgame sponsors include Ohio Bell. Your announcers are Jimmy Dudley and Bob Neal.
White Sox: WCFL-AM will be the flagship of a seventy-five-station network in twelve states, with exhibition games beginning March 13. General Finance will sponsor a third of each game; other sponsors include Anheuser-Busch, the local Rambler Dealers, and General Cigar, with the rest of the time sold locally. Bob Elston and Milo Hamilton will call the games.
Tigers: After carrying night games only for years, WJR-AM will carry all Tigers games this year in the first year of a three-year contract. It will head a network of about twenty stations. Stroh's Beer will sponsor a third of each game; other sponsors include Sun Oil, General Cigar, and Household Finance. Ernie Harwell and Gene Osborn will be on the call.
On an additional note, Sports Networks, Inc. (SNI) will coordinate the home radio feeds for all teams except the White Sox. It will coordinate both the home and road feeds for the Yankees, Tigers, Cardinals, and Astros. SNI will coordinate a total of 1,215 radio feeds this year
Local TV Info
Originally written by garretta
National League
Now let's look at television in the National League in 1965. Announcers and sponsors are the same unless otherwise noted:
Cubs: WGN-TV will televise all eighty-one home games in color plus five road games in black and white. Sponsors include Hamm's Beer, R.J. Reynolds, Allstate Insurance, Phillips Petroleum, the local Dodge Dealers, Pre- and postgame shows are sponsored by Household Finance and United Air Lines, Jack Brickhouse and Lloyd Petttit will call the action.
Reds: WLWT-TV will televise a total of forty-two games. All games where color facilities are available, including the twelve games at Crosley Filed, will be televised in color. Sponsors are Hudepohl Brewing and Sun Oil. Ed Kennedy and Frank McCormick will call the games, which will also air on the other three Crosley stations: WLWC-TV Columbus, Ohio; WLWD-TV Dayton, Ohio; and WLWI-TV Indianapolis.
Braves: Milwaukee TV hasn't been set. Atlanta is set to receive eighteen regular season games plus "a few" exhibitions.
Mets: WOR-TV will televise 129 games plus three exhibitions. All home games and between fifteen and twenty road games will be shown in color. WOR will also have pre- and postgame shows. Kiner's Korner is the postgame show.)
Dodgers: KTTV-TV will carry the nine games played against the Giants in San Francisco plus one exhibition game from Florida.
Giants: KTVU Oakland-San Francisco will carry the nine games played against the Dodgers in Los Angeles plus two exhibition games.
Cardinals: KSD-TV will televise twenty-five road games. Thirteen will be Sunday day games; twelve will be weekday night games. Sponsors include R.J. Reynolds and U.S. Steel. Jerry Gross will join Harry Caray and Jack Buck in the booth.
Astros: KTRK-TV leads a twelve-station network in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico that will show fourteen weekend road games. Pre- and postgame shows will be sold locally. The network was set up by the team.
Phillies: WFIL-TV is the flagship of a four-station network that will carry sixty-six games plus two exhibitions. WFIL will air a half-hour pregame show. Road games will be televised both during the day and at night, but home games will only be televised during the day.
Pirates: KDKA-TV heads a five-station network that will televise thirty-four regular season games.
American League
Now here's a look at the television situation in the American League for 1965. Sponsors and advertisers are the same as on radio unless otherwise noted:
Senators: WTOP-TV will carry thirty-five games, twenty-four of them on the road. Additional sponsors include R.J, Reynolds.
Orioles: WJZ-TV will televise fifty-two games; the home and road breakdown hasn't been finalized yet. Additional sponsors include Coca-Cola, R.J. Reynolds, and General Cigar. Pre- and postgame shows will also be scheduled; sponsors include General Mills and Household Finance.
Red Sox: WHDH-TV is the flagship of a seven-station network in Maine, Rhode Island. Connecticut, and New Hampshire. Three of those stations will carry pregame and postgame shows on the weekends; Liberty Mutual Insurance is a sponsor.
Yankees: WPIX-TV will televise 130 games. including four exhibitions. Fifteen-minute pre- and postgame shows will also be aired; sponsors signed at press time include U.S. Steel and Volvo. About fifty games, mostly on weekends, will be shown on an eight-station network in New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
Angels: KTLA-TV will broadcast thirty games: ten exhibitions (all in color) and twenty regular season games. Additional sponsors include P. Lorillard.
Athletics: KCMO-TV will televise forty games (thirty-five road, five home). Participating advertisers include General Mills, General Finance, Hamm's Beer, and Proctor and Gamble.
Twins: WTCN-TV will head a network comprised of eleven TV stations and thirteen cable television systems. It will televise fifty games, forty-six of them on the road and the other four at home. Additional sponsors include General Foods, Western Oil, and Northern States Power. Pre- and postgame sponsors include the local Ford Dealers.
White Sox: WGN-TV will air sixty-five games, fifty-two of them home games in color. The other thirteen will be road games in black and white. Sponsors include Hamm's Beer, R.J. Reynolds, Allstate Insurance, and the local Dodge Dealers. Pre- and postgame sponsors include Household Finance and United Air Lines, Jack Brickhouse and Vince Lloyd are your announcers.
Indians: WJW-TV will televise forty-six games this season: twenty-six on the road and twenty at home. There are no plans for a network. Sponsors for a third of each game are Carling Brewing and R.J, Reynolds; the other third is still open, Harry Jones and Herb Score will call the games.
Tigers: Advertising of games will be sold in twenty "blocks". Pabst Beer has bought three as of press time; Household Finance appears to have bought some as well; they're listed as a sponsor in the table accompanying the article.
There will be two TV networks this year for the Tigers: one for Michigan and one for stations outside of Michigan. Each network will televise the same forty-game package, but the non-Michigan stations will sell their advertising to local sponsors in their own area. The Michigan stations, known as the "A" network, are:
WJBK-TV Detroit (overall flagship station)
WJRT-TV Flint
WKZO-TV Kalamazoo
WJIM-TV Lansing
WWTV-TV Cadillac
WWUP-TV Sault Ste. Marie
The non-Michigan stations, known as the "B" network, are:
WSPD-TV Toledo, Ohio
WKJG-TV Fort Wayne, Indiana
Ray Lane will call the play-by-play. while George Kell handles color.
SNI will coordinate the local TV feeds for every team except the Dodgers and Giants this year, about three hundred in all
National TV Info
Originally written by garretta
Here's the national TV situation in 1965:
CBS: CBS is still the only network allowed to broadcast at Yankee Stadium, at least for this year, Coverage debuts on Saturday, April 24 when the Angels come to town. Saturday telecasts begin at 2PM Eastern except for September 4 against the Red Sox, which begins at 1PM Eastern. Most Sunday telecasts begin at 1PM Eastern; exceptions are June 27 (Angels), July 18 (Senators), and September 5 (Red Sox), which begin at 2PM. Sponsors will be Falstaff Brewing and Simoniz. There will be no Sunday coverage on September 19 and 26 because of NFL football. Dizzy Dean and Pee Wee Reese will call the action. This is the final year of the Yankees' contract with CBS.
NBC: NBC is the exclusive home of the All-Star Game and the World Series, This is the fourth year of a five-year contract; sponsors are Gillette and Chrysler Corporation.
The All-Star Game will air from Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota on Tuesday, July 13. Coverage begins at 1:45 PM Eastern, with Jack Buck and Joe Garagiola on the call. Bob Prince and Herb Carneal will call the action for NBC Radio.
The World Series will begin at Metropolitan Stadium on Wednesday, October 6, as the Twins welcome the Dodgers, Coverage begins at 3PM Eastern for all games in Bloomington, and 4PM Eastern for all games at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Game 2 will be in the Twin Cities on Thursday, October 7 before the series moves to Los Angeles for Games 3 (Saturday, October 9), 4 (Sunday, October 10), and 5 (Monday, October 11). The series reconvenes in Bloomington for Games 6 (Wednesday, October 13) and 7 (Thursday, October 14).
Ray Scott (the voice of the Twins) and Vin Scully (the voice of the Dodgers) will call the action in alternating four-and-a-half inning blocks. (Ray also called the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7 so Vin could get to the Dodgers' clubhouse for the trophy presentation.) Byrum Saam and Joe Garagiola are your announcers for NBC Radio. Scully, the voice of the victorious Dodgers, will host the trophy presentation. Garagiola and Bob Wolff will cohost the pregame show on television for the fourth straight year. KTTV-TV (the Dodgers' flagship station_ and WTCN-TV (the Twins' flagship station) also broadcast NBC's coverage,
ABC: ABC will show a total of eighty-one games on twenty-five Saturdays and two holiday Mondays (July 5 and September 6) Each week there will be one game for the East and Midwest, another game for the West Coast, and a standby game. Coverage begins on most Saturdays at 2:10 PM Eastern, with coverage of West Coast games beginning at 5:10 PM Eastern. Exceptions are a 2PM-5PM start time for the first three weeks and a 1:40 PM Eastern start time on August 14.
The only two parks that games will not be televised from are Yankee Stadium (exclusive to CBS) and Connie Mack Stadium (Atlantic Refining paid the Phillies extra money not to let their home games be televised nationally). ABC can still televise games where the Yankees or Phillies are the road team. Texaco and Mennen are national co-sponsors; games are sponsored regionally by Stroh's Beer, Lone Star Brewing, and Carling Brewing.
ABC plans to do ten-minute pre- and postgame shows that will be sold separately from the games; there were no takers at press time for either show. A five-minute introduction will precede each game. The postgame can be lengthened if the game ends early or shortened if it runs late.
Among the innovations planned by ABC this year: isolated cameras for immediate replays, along with stop-action and slow-motion replays. Also possible are split-screen replays. shotgun microphones, and cameras with zoom lenses (the article calls them "creepiepeepie" cameras).
Play-by-play announcers include Chris Schenkel, Merle Harmon, Keith Jackson, Bob Wolff, and Ken Coleman. Analysts include Leo Durocher, Jackie Robinson, Tommy Henrich, Jimmy Piersall, and Warren Spahn. Coleman also served as an analyst/second play-by-play for Mets-Braves September 6. (I'm pretty sure that Howard Cosell had a role in the pregame show, but I can't absolutely swear to it,)
MLB originally wanted a Monday night package but had to settle for this one instead. Could the Yankees still being under contract to CBS (which meant that ABC couldn't televise from Yankee Stadium, the most famous park in baseball at the time) have had something to do with it?
Even though this package contained no postseason action whatsoever, ABC still called it Major League Championship Baseball.
While games could be shown in major league markets for the first time, games involving the home team in a market couldn't. For example, fans in New York on April 17 didn't see their Mets host the Giants; they most likely got Orioles-Red Sox from Boston, San Francisco fans almost certainly saw Cubs-Braves from Milwaukee, which started at 2PM Pacific.
ABC will try to show all teams in the first part of the year, then concentrate on pennant contenders in the second half of the year.
Finally, there is a great deal of concern about whether the Yankees will eventually join the MLB package or if not its renegotiated next year. If they don't. baseball's hopes for a big-money prime time package of games could be thwarted.