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1981 • Baseball Clip • Announcer Bob Elson Remembered - Radio Broadcast · Retro Sports Radio: Classic Games from History

0:00
This is Retro Sports Radio. Visit RetroSeasons.com for more sports history.
0:07
Bob received many All-Star and World Series assignments during his illustrious career as a reward for being among the best of his time.
0:17
Here he is at the All-Star Game in 1935, and we follow up with an All-Star moment of 1938, a bizarre one featuring Leo DeRosier in Cincinnati.
0:31
Let's listen first to Jimmy Foxx at bat in the 1935 All-Star Game in Cleveland.
0:38
A man on first with two outs. Walker draws his arms up in front of him, watching the man on first base. Now he's ready.
0:47
Here's the next pitch to Foxx. It's outside, a fast ball at the knee, makes it fall to him. Strike one. Two and one.
0:56
Pepper Mark and third. Markey Vaughan short. Billy Herman second. Terry at first. That's the National League infield.
1:05
Walker's getting his sign again. Here's the next pitch. It's a slow ball and a beauty. Gee, that was a nice one. Right in there, and the count is ball two and strike two.
1:13
Walker threw a slow ball into Jimmy Foxx, and it was a beauty. Jump came in below the shoulders, right over the plate. It's a called strike, and the count is two and two.
1:22
Man on first base is taking a short lead off. He's ready again. Here's the next pitch. It was a slow curve outside, below the knee, and it's ball three, makes it three and two now.
1:36
Man on first with two outs, three and two on the batter. Now Gehrig will break for second base with the pitch. Three and two on the batter and two going. Gehrig on first base.
1:47
He's going to strike him now. Walker's getting ready. He throws the ball over to first base trying to pick Gehrig off, but he's back in the bag safely.
1:53
Drew didn't have a very long lead off, and he just leaps back onto the bag. Walker pulls with the peak of his cap, gets ready out there again. He has a three and two count on Foxx.
2:02
Gehrig is edging off the bag. There he goes. Here's the pitch. And the batter is off by the rim. Back, back, back, back. It's a home run.
2:19
Jimmy Foxx just hit a home run over Medwick Head into the stands in left field out there where the marker says about 385 feet. Jimmy Foxx just hit a home run over the left field fence into the lower grand stand out there in left center field, and it scored two runs.
2:39
Put the American League in the lead by a score of two to nothing, and believe me, that was Tom Wallop.
2:50
That is hit number five for the National League. McCormick's first hit. He popped out, bounced out, and singled a center field.
2:59
Now the next man to come up is the shortstop, DeRosier. Let me bounce out the first time and struck out the second time. He's facing Grove now with a man on first. A bump down the third baseline.
3:10
Foxx is coming in fast. He's up with it. There's the throw. Oop! He threw the ball away. There was nobody covering. There was nobody covering first base, and McCormick is coming all the way around the third.
3:20
DeRosier is going all the way. McCormick comes all the way to the plate, and DeRosier goes to third. Here's a wild throw to the plate, and DeRosier scores.
3:29
A wild throw to the plate, and DeRosier scores. Two more runs are in for the National League, and they lead four to nothing on that front.
3:41
There was nobody over to cover first base. The front was fielded by Foxx. Foxx threw the ball to first base while Geringer was shifting over to cover, but wasn't there.
3:52
The man on first base, McCormick, went all the way around and scored. And the third baseman threw the ball, passed first base into right field.
4:03
Before the ball was recovered, DeRosier was around the third. There was a wild throw to the plate that went up against the railing, and DeRosier scored.
4:11
Now we'll have all the errors for you. In just a second, we have to wait to get it from the official score. We don't do any guessing on these broadcasts.
4:18
Here's a right-hand hitter up Mace Brown, and it's a curveball around his knees for a strike. The score is four to nothing now in favor of the National League.
4:28
There'll be two errors on the play. That much is sure. Now to wind up in the next pitch. It's a slow curve, a little bit too close to ball.
4:39
National League leads in the last half of the seventh inning, four to nothing. That was a wild play there.
4:49
American Leaguers talk it up out there in the infield. Mace Brown, the pitcher is up. There's a swing and a miss right around his knees. He swung hard and missed it.
4:59
Everybody in the press box is waiting for word here from the official score.
5:07
A sacrifice hit for the batter DeRosier, an error for Fox, and an error for DiMaggio. As we told you, there were two errors on the play. Strike three struck him out.
5:15
A curveball right around his knees. He struck out. Mace Brown struck out. Fox gets an error for the throw to first.
5:23
The ball hit against the railing and bounced into right field. DiMaggio made a bad throw to the plate, and he gets an error.
5:29
So there's the play for you. A sacrifice for DeRosier. Two errors and two runs are in. The score is four to nothing in favor of the National League.
5:37
Here's Hacov, the leadoff man. One of the most infamous moments in not only World Series history, but in all of baseball history occurred in 1941 in Game 4 in the ninth inning at Brooklyn.
5:51
At the mic, Bob Elson being assigned that position by the mutual broadcasting system. Let's listen to how he called the never to be forgotten pass ball by Mickey Owen.
6:04
Mr. Casey gets by Henrik. The ball game will be over, and the Dodgers will have evened up the series at two games apiece.
6:12
And with the fifth game of the World Series tomorrow in Gillette's broadcast, it will be on the air tomorrow at 1.15 Eastern Standard Time.
6:21
The game started later today because of Sunday, but tomorrow Gillette will bring you the number five game of the World Series to be on the air at 1.15 Eastern Standard Time.
6:32
Well, here is Tommy Henrik up. Two out. Two out in the first half of the ninth inning. Henrik has been up four times.
6:42
Right out, first time. Right out the second time. Hit with the pitch ball the third time. Popped out the fourth time. Ball is high.
6:50
Henrik has had two hits so far in the series. Up in there, the first pitch wide. It's two out and nobody on. It's the ninth inning at Brooklyn.
6:59
Pitchers getting all set out there again. Watch it. Here it is. It's a strike. It's right across his knees. Boy, that was a beauty.
7:06
Casey threw in a half speed pitch that time. It was right in around his knees. And it's one and one.
7:12
Casey starts his windup out there again. Here's the next pitch to Henrik, and it's a strike. It's perfect. Right across his knees. It's called.
7:20
Ball one and strike two on Henrik. Casey, the man of the hour, pitching for Brooklyn in the ninth.
7:29
Changing fortunes of baseball. Here he is out there again. The next pitch, he swings and just tops the ball and rolls it foul on the ground to the left of the plate.
7:38
And it's ball one and strike two in the better.
7:42
Higbee, French, Allen and Casey went to the firing line for Brooklyn. Donald, Brewer and Murphy went to the firing line for the Yankees.
7:51
We saw seven pitchers in the ball game. Two out here for the Yankees in the ninth inning. Here comes the next pitch. It's a ball wide.
7:58
Way outside. And it's ball two and strike two for Henrik.
8:04
Dodger outfield, playing him straight away and plenty deep.
8:08
Right fielder Walker is right out in front of that scoreboard.
8:12
Ball two, strike two for Henrik.
8:16
Casey starting his windup again. Here comes the next pitch. It's a ball. Just missed the corner.
8:22
Waist high. Not by more than an inch. Baby was that close.
8:28
So again, we've come up to a 3-2 pitch. Two out in the ninth inning.
8:33
Casey gets by Henrik. It's all over. If you're starting his windup out there again, he's already not.
8:39
Watch it. Here it comes. He swung, fouled the ball. Swung the ball and missed it. The ball gets away from the catcher and Henrik goes to first.
8:48
And now let's see whether the umpire is going to decide he fouled it or whether it was a clean strike.
8:53
The umpire says that Henrik swung. It was a clean strike. The ball got away from the catcher.
8:58
And so Henrik is entitled to first because he got there ahead of the throw.
9:04
You never can tell on a swing like that whether it's a foul or not until the umpire rules on it.
9:10
He swung at that pitch. He missed it cleanly and is on first base.
9:16
It's an error for the catcher. Owen is charged with an error.
9:21
A man on first base and brings up DiMaggio. Here's the pitch. It's wide and low for the ball. Joe DiMaggio batting.
9:28
A man on first base. Fortune still smiling here in this ninth inning on the Yankees.
9:34
After the first two men came up and went down, Henrik gets the first base on a last strike, which Owen missed.
9:43
Owen is charged with an error and the batter Henrik is on first.
9:47
The Dodgers still lead in this game 3-2 with Tommy Henrik at first base, two outs, top half of the ninth inning.
9:54
The next four batters in the Yankee lineup were Joe DiMaggio, Charlie King Kong, Keller, Bill Dickey, and Joe Gordon.
10:00
And they all batted. DiMaggio followed with a single. Keller shot the Yankees ahead with a two-run double.
10:07
And after a walk to Bill Dickey, Joe Gordon quieted the Dodger faithful with another two-run double.
10:13
Suddenly and shockingly, the Yankees led 7-4, the score by which they won.
10:19
So a 7-4 victory by the Yankees gave them a 3-1 lead in the series.
10:24
And they went on the next day to defeat the Dodgers by the score of 3-1 and win the series four games to one.
10:32
What a development. What a memory that will always live in baseball history.
10:39
Mini Minoso hit a grand slam homer for the Chicago White Sox at Washington in the second inning of a game played on May 3, 1954.
10:50
Here's Bob Elson to describe.
10:53
And here's Minoso. He walked the first time up.
11:09
The pitch is getting all ready.
11:11
Maury McDermott.
11:15
First pitch is a little bit too low for a ball.
11:18
McDermott's a victim of high schoolish errors here.
11:24
And that's the way Washington has been playing, I gather, from what the boys have been writing in the newspapers here,
11:29
that we've been reading since we got here, that they've just been throwing the ball all over the place.
11:35
And they're certainly giving evidence of it here tonight.
11:38
That's a ball. The south side, the ball two.
11:47
One run is scored. Bill Wilson is in.
11:51
Bob Wilson's on third. Chico on second. Foxton first with one away.
11:56
And the White Sox have a one-run lead.
12:06
Here's McDermott getting ready again.
12:09
And also takes a ball. It's first above the knee. And here's a pitcher coming in and howling at the umpire now.
12:20
McDermott is probably more upset by what the infielders have been doing behind him than he is by the umpire's call.
12:29
And he, if he gets another one off the strike zone, he will force in a run.
12:37
Three-nothing count.
12:40
Here's the pitch to many. Strike call.
12:44
At the end of three innings in the American League, 3-1-1. And Philadelphia, nothing.
12:54
The outfield is straight away fairly deep.
12:57
Right fielder, Menosco, in the batter's box. Bases loaded.
13:01
Sox are leading one to nothing in Washington.
13:04
He goes into the motion and fires.
13:07
Here's a foul that's up into the upper deck behind first.
13:12
And it's another full count free-two.
13:22
In the ball game tomorrow night, it's going to be Porterfield.
13:26
And in the final game Thursday afternoon, we are expecting Marrero.
13:32
He wanted to get the Indians there last night, but they had a deluge here.
13:37
Ball free and a strike-two count on Menosco.
13:41
He sets the fire.
13:43
Here's a swing and a long drive.
13:45
Red back. Back, back. It's a grand slam-hole run at Wilbur.
13:57
There was a grand slam-hole run.
14:01
And a Coca-Cola wallop.
14:03
And it came to Coca-Cola for Restes Menosco,
14:08
who just hit a home run with the bases loaded in Washington.
14:12
And the light stocks are leading five to nothing.
14:22
Menosco hit one.
14:24
It had to go 420 feet to get up in those stands.
14:29
And he hit it way up in there for a grand slam-hole run by Wolfingham.
14:38
All that was down close.
14:40
October 2, 1954.
14:43
Bob Elson hosts a post-game show after the World Series
14:47
with guests Bertie Tebbots and Marty Marion.
14:50
Let's listen.
14:52
Hello baseball fans everywhere.
15:02
This is Bob Elson again setting in for Bill Stern.
15:05
Well, it's all over for the Cowboys and the Giants, our new world baseball champions.
15:10
It's been a thrilling series, one that baseball will be talking about for a long time to come.
15:16
And right now we're going to get the professional opinions of managers Bertie Tebbots
15:20
of the Cincinnati Redlegs and Marty Marion of the Chicago White Sox
15:25
on how this year's post-series looks through the eyes of a big league manager.
15:29
First we want to send our good wishes and congratulations to Manager DeRosha and the New York Giants.
15:36
And we've heard the jubilation in the Giants clubhouse.
15:40
Bertie, I'm wondering, and perhaps the fans are too,
15:43
what the feeling must be like in the clubhouse of a loser that has just lost the World Series in four straight games?
15:50
Well, I went through that in 1940. We didn't lose in four straight games,
15:54
but it's just a feeling of loneliness and frustration and the feeling that you'll do it next year.
16:02
It's just something that's indescribable.
16:04
It's a great letdown because the World Series is a great thrill.
16:08
Marty, have you expressed that? Have you been on the losing team in the World Series?
16:12
Yes, Bob, one time back in 1943 when the Institute is. That was the only time.
16:17
But it's just like Bertie said, it's a great letdown.
16:20
Everybody's taking hands of their own plan and says,
16:22
hello boys and goodbye this way and I'll see you next spring. That's about it.
16:25
Well, that's one thing about baseball and sports.
16:28
It's part of a game. There has to be a winner and there has to be a loser.
16:31
And to be a gracious loser is just as important as winning, as long as you're going to have to lose.
16:37
Now, the Giants really won this series and they won it emphatically.
16:40
But, what did you think of the game today?
16:43
Well, I thought it was quite a ball game from the point of view of excitement.
16:47
And as I have said all the way along the line, the Giants picking staff will grind it out.
16:53
They've got the starters, they don't have the stuffers, they have the reliefers.
16:57
They still had good time left in that bullpen, Bob.
17:01
Little picked a real good ball and of course Anfonelli coming in on the 8th and the 9th.
17:06
He got them out of there when it looked like they might be able to break through.
17:11
He did a great job. He just did the kind of a job he's been doing all year.
17:15
What did the game look like?
17:17
Well, today it was close 7-0 and Cleveland coming back and trying to make a big game.
17:22
Certainly a big excitement for the series.
17:25
Cleveland throughout the series just didn't have what it took.
17:28
The Giants had a great series throughout the picking of the defense for the greats.
17:31
They're hitting, they're running, everything was great.
17:33
The Giants had a great ball club and deserved to win.
17:36
What about the picking of the New York Giants against the Cleveland ball club in the entire series?
17:43
They had something that I think stood out,
17:46
the effectiveness of their right-hand pickers against the Cleveland left-hand hitters.
17:51
Well, it was the story of one man on the Cleveland ball club, Rick Wood, doing all hitting.
17:56
And we know in the National League that Gomez with the screwball
18:00
and D'Anelli and Little can take care of the left-handed hitters.
18:03
And I think that the failure of the right-handed hitters on the Cleveland ball club to get hot
18:08
was the difference between the series.
18:11
What are your plans now, Marty?
18:13
I'm going to pick my wife and we're going away for a 10-day vacation trip,
18:18
then I'm going back to work.
18:20
What are your plans, Marty?
18:22
Well, Bob, I'm going out to Oregon on a vacation trip for about two weeks,
18:26
then back to the South Dakota for a little southern hunt and then back home and work.
18:29
Would you like to just say a word, Bertie, about this?
18:33
It's almost hard to pick out one or two players because I think we'll have to think
18:37
that this four-game win for the New York Giants was a keen victory.
18:41
Were there any three other players with you that you would like to just comment on and quote me?
18:47
Well, I think Dustin Rhodes did a fabulous job,
18:50
and I think that what maybe we're overlooking is the fact that we're the rogers.
18:56
I think Dustin Rhodes for the spot that he needed them the most.
18:59
As a matter of fact, he didn't use Rhodes today,
19:02
which I thought was a very fine managerial position to place himself in
19:09
because if this game ever did get tied up, he'd always had Rhodes for that hot spot.
19:15
What about Cleveland, just in closing, Marty?
19:19
You stood oil to them.
19:21
Yes, I was, but I thought they could win.
19:23
Bob, Dr. Yoni, a bright project team, a hand-drawn car, a big work at first place.
19:28
He did a terrific job, especially with his big battery.
19:31
I'm sure that Lopez did the best that he could.
19:33
The board gets up there.
19:35
Well, thank you both very, very much.
19:37
And finally, back to it.
19:39
My name is Bob O.
19:41
It's been a real pleasure for Phil Stern on today's All-State Show.
19:47
I don't believe that I have to tell you the quality of the last part of that interview by Bob Elson
19:54
was somewhat less than perfect.
19:56
However, it was requested by several of our Bob Elson fans, including his daughter.
20:03
And so we left it on there, especially for them.
20:07
Let's move on now to August 11, 1962, in Chicago.
20:12
The White Sox are hosting Kansas City.
20:15
Bob Elson and Milo Hamilton are on the mic.
20:19
Let's listen to a small portion of this ballgame
20:22
and pay attention to Bob Elson's dialogue on Dizzy Dean.
20:28
...he's going to flip to the pitcher.
20:30
They get boxed on the play.
20:32
Landis moves to face.
20:34
Goal.
20:35
Captain on the battle beginning.
20:37
...getting hands doubled off Rocco.
20:39
The stack is 4-7.
20:41
He scored our first run the tightest since then we've added 5-0 and lead 6-1.
20:49
Well, Ambricio seems to be all right down there in the back alley.
20:52
He has his glove ready to go up the steps and out when the spinning is over.
20:56
Before the way he was rolling and the way Foxy had to get him to be quiet,
20:59
I thought he was might have really been out of the game.
21:02
There's a ball inside and it's 2-0 to Cunningham.
21:07
Landis with a short lead of third.
21:09
Now he edges up the line as the left-hander starts his windup.
21:12
And here's a pitch to Cunningham.
21:14
There's a swing.
21:15
There's a fly ball down the left side.
21:17
It may go down into the corner.
21:19
It is off the top of the fence.
21:21
Here is Cunningham racing around second.
21:23
On his way to third.
21:24
Here's the throw coming in now.
21:26
And it's a stand-up triple high off the wall.
21:29
And it's a stand-up triple high off the wall in left field.
21:33
Cunningham gets his second hit in a row.
21:36
Landis could have called in some birding arch with a three-bagger.
21:42
There's a triple for Cunningham.
21:46
Hits number two off Archer.
21:48
As he slides that ball right down the left field line,
21:51
it hits right at the top of the wall with a.353 time.
21:55
The only concern when we watched the ball as we were right in line
21:57
with the third base fly was, was he going to slice that ball
22:00
into the human bowels.
22:02
But it was fair play about six feet.
22:05
And here was Robinson, the 11th man to bat in the inning.
22:08
Strikes him and scores.
22:11
Stockstown scored seven runs on five hits.
22:14
It must be the busy Dean Hall afternoon at Cornish U-Rounds.
22:20
He's a very, very funny man.
22:24
Here is a swing and a miss. He stuck him out.
22:31
That is the first strike off for Bazaar.
22:34
You know, occasionally we all make references to this or that.
22:38
You just can't keep your nose to the grindstone,
22:40
keep talking about the game all the time.
22:43
You hear us mention the friends, are we going to wire up to somebody
22:46
and so on.
22:47
It's kind of breaks it up because, well, here's the game, eight to one.
22:51
So if you just keep your nose to the grindstone and call every pitch,
22:56
all it gets is sort of monotonous.
22:58
And you break it up by doing other things and talking about other things,
23:01
figuring that maybe the people listening, too, will enjoy it.
23:05
I got a really, got a sample of it.
23:07
So here's a long put by Childs, but it's going to curve and it goes.
23:17
And he's been, this afternoon, was reading telegrams from all over the country,
23:24
every state and union.
23:26
He was talking about a ski down in Tennessee, a gypsy camp someplace down south.
23:34
And mentioning all these people.
23:37
Unfortunately, the game was on TV and you could see what was happening.
23:42
But you know, he's got a big following and does a good job for the monsters.
23:46
And of course, he murders the King's English.
23:50
And I think that he does that on purpose.
23:53
I can remember one time when Judge Landis listened to him and they wanted to get,
23:57
put Dean on a World Series.
23:59
And the judge's quick answer was, there's too many ignorant kids in America already.
24:06
But I was listening this afternoon and I listened to the whole game, nine innings,
24:11
and I really got a kick out of him because in his way he's amusing.
24:15
And he adds them up to the ball game and while he uses all this sort of English,
24:20
it's like a, it's a difference from, I think, our English as Casey Spangles' English is.
24:28
As Spangley's.
24:29
Well, Dean's got a language all of his own too.
24:32
But I sometimes think that he does that on purpose.
24:36
I played, he and I were at the Palace together one time for a week and we got to kill Vaudeville.
24:43
I really, really had a picnic with this guy.
24:47
Here is a swing and a fall.
24:50
He's a real cump of cards and his wife is watching all the time.
24:54
When he's around anybody that has any sort of a reputation as a card player,
25:01
he really walks his hand like a dog.
25:04
She called us one time out in California playing up in Andy Lobshaw's room.
25:08
Here's a swing and a fall.
25:14
One out.
25:16
We were at the Biltmore Hotel.
25:18
We were out there in training one year.
25:22
I was doing a cup game that time.
25:26
Oh dear, he's really quite a character but he makes the game very, very interesting.
25:31
And a swing and a line drive hit in the right center field.
25:34
They go for two. He's around first. There he goes. Oh, he's going to hold up now.
25:39
He puts those brakes down in a hurry.
25:42
Charles took a good look and saw that that play as he kept on going was going to be very close.
25:49
And he went back to first base.
26:00
Here's Lumpy stepping into the batter's box.
26:04
Jerry Lumpy, originally out of the empty organization,
26:08
is playing on a double play ball on the clock.
26:10
Over to second out, back over to first out.
26:12
That's number four.
26:14
That is a fourth twin killing and it retires the five.
26:18
So the White Sox are backing up the drive here and he's got that finger working now
26:22
and the boys are hitting that ball into the dirt.
26:25
And there was a fast double play.
26:28
Now we've got credit to Aberdeen Field who fired at the counting.
26:32
Now let's feature another compatriot of Bob Elson in the booth red rush.
26:37
The date, August 8th, 1967.
26:40
The White Sox are playing at Detroit. Let's tune in to the tenth inning.
26:46
The runners on at first and at second.
26:49
And that will bring on the guy that sent this game into extra innings anyway, Al Kalei.
26:57
Fly to the waste. Here's the pitch to Kalei.
26:59
A swing on the field.
27:01
Here comes Barry into the ball.
27:03
He's going to make the play of the play.
27:04
Here comes the runner.
27:05
He's going to be out by a mile and he is out of there.
27:08
Tag beautifully by Martin. What a tag.
27:10
Tag him right across the waste.
27:12
He tried to knock the ball out of his hands but he couldn't do it
27:14
as Martin was not going to be deprived of that put out.
27:17
And what a great throw by Ken Barry from the field, Bob.
27:21
Barry made a great throw.
27:23
It was right on the line, right into Martin's hand.
27:26
And Martin put the real squeeze on that baseball in his glove.
27:31
And he hit that base runner coming in and held that ball for sure
27:36
so that the runner was out of the plate.
27:39
It's a hit by the way, of course, for Kalei.
27:42
It was a very hard hit low line drive into left field.
27:46
And Barry made a fabulous game saving throw to nail the runner at the plate.
27:52
So now Eddie Stanky has come out to talk to Wilhelm again and he's got problems here.
27:58
There are runners that second and third.
28:01
Now Wilhelm's stuff is a lot harder to hit with that jumping beam
28:06
for these kind of hitters that try to slug that ball like Horton's.
28:10
But also a ball might escape and that's what Eddie's talking out there now about, right?
28:14
I'm sure.
28:15
A plant off of a white Wilhelm.
28:19
Wilhelm working out of the spread.
28:21
Here comes the pitch and it gets away to Martin.
28:25
Martin throws the plate straight.
28:27
He scores.
28:29
The Stanger has won the ball game.
28:42
One pitch to Willie Horton right down the middle.
28:45
And it's got away from J.C. Martin.
28:48
And coming in to score with the column.
28:51
The win the ball game for the Detroit Tigers by a score of 2 to 1.
28:59
Man, you talk about excitement.
29:01
It really was.
29:04
It will be.
29:06
It goes with the fast ball that scored the winning run.
29:10
So in the inning one run on two hits.
29:13
One man left the board.
29:15
And that's the end of the game, the final score.
29:18
The Detroit Tigers 2, the Chicago White Sox 1.
29:22
The California Angels 5, the Chicago White Sox 4.
29:27
October 1st, 1970.
29:29
A 13 inning game in which the Angels came from behind in the bottom of the 13th
29:34
to score twice and win 5 to 4.
29:37
Bob Elson and Red Rush were doing the broadcast back home to the White Sox fans from Anaheim Stadium.
29:43
The significance?
29:45
Obviously, Bob Elson had a lot of last games of the season.
29:51
But this happened to be the last game he would ever do for his beloved Chicago White Sox.
29:57
Let's listen to highlights, which include the final portion of the game.
30:03
We're going into the high inning here, and the last chance for the White Sox.
30:07
Through our trailing, clean and uping.
30:09
The leadoff batter will be McKinney, then Morales, and then Brickman.
30:13
Eddie Fisher is on the mound.
30:15
California 3, 10 and 2, the White Sox nothing, 5 and 3.
30:20
So it is now or never in the final game of the year.
30:26
Fisher's set again.
30:29
Swing and a high fly deep left field.
30:33
This ball is really fed.
30:35
It's gone, a three run ball ride. How do you like that?
30:39
Wow, how sweet it is.
30:44
Look at Walters go around the back.
30:47
Walters Williams, third home run of the year to keep this ball game alive.
30:54
Hit it off of Eddie Fisher, and the White Sox is celebrating like they were going into the playoffs.
31:00
But that's baseball.
31:02
So come on, Big John, tag one here.
31:08
Somebody better, Bob, or we're going to blow our plane.
31:14
Into the wind up there, and the pitch swing, and there's a drive in the left center field.
31:21
A center fielder racing over, grabs that ball.
31:25
Got the ball on the fly.
31:31
Well, that's one out here now.
31:35
And it's going to bring up these buildings.
31:37
Come on, Bill, this would be a great spot to wind it up with another home run.
31:52
Here is a high long drive, and this ball is gone.
31:59
How sweet it is, Robert, how sweet it is.
32:02
That proving that he is 33rd home run of the year.
32:06
How sweet it was.
32:08
Boy, did he hit that ball over the 375 foot marker.
32:12
Here he comes down the line and over the plate.
32:15
The White Sox have gone in front four to three, and they lead for the first time tonight.
32:21
Get that plane ready, Bob.
32:23
First baseman, Robert, ready.
32:26
Boy, that was some kind of a vote.
32:29
Some battle out here in California for a game that has no meaning except that the players on both sides would like to end the season on a winning note.
32:39
That's the way it should be.
32:43
To strike count for count, ball is low, one and two.
32:55
One and two on the batter.
33:01
Big left to your set again, and the pitch.
33:04
Swing and a smash, now the ball.
33:07
Down the third makes land.
33:09
Warner makes a dive for the ball.
33:11
Here's the turning run around the third.
33:13
He's coming to the plate.
33:14
Here's the throw.
33:15
Here he is.
33:17
Sweet that the plate is clean when he drops the ball.
33:20
The batter's going to third, Eastern.
33:25
All this one had to do was to hold onto the ball, and he would have been out of the plate by some kind of a heart.
33:33
And Bobby had called the dead in the line.
33:38
And that ball, and he just went over a little more, he would have had him out of there because he would have been able to stun himself.
33:46
But the throw came in high, and coming in high, he didn't get set enough, and he was knocked over with that ball going around it.
33:57
It goes to the mirror on him, and a double for Cowan.
34:02
Though this ball game is tied at four and four, one out of man on third, as they had Mickey Rivers,
34:10
the new flash from the Texas League was going to be out by about six feet.
34:21
McKinney took the ball from Williams and got that ball into the plate, and it was there in time.
34:31
Rivers was called out, and then the umpire properly reversed himself when Britman dropped the ball.
34:40
Now they're giving a walk here to Ruiz.
34:44
An intentional pass with the winning run on third, the game already tied at four and four.
34:55
There he goes, and here is Askew coming up, an intentional pass.
35:02
Well, we've seen eight runs, we've seen 22 hits, we have seen six errors, and the pitcher asks for a new ball.
35:20
Ball three on a strike, two count.
35:23
Here it is, right going, here's a high fly, the game is over.
35:28
Deep right field and California wins.
35:32
Fired two balls.
35:35
The more he really tagged that ball to deep right field, and it just scored as a base hit,
35:43
but that is the winning blow of the ball game, so Mel Queen came through with that long rise and gets credit for a hit.
35:51
So that's the end of the ball game, that's the end of the baseball season.
35:55
We want to thank all of you for listening.
35:57
Hope you have a nice winter and stay healthy.
36:00
At the end of the ball game, the final score, California 5, the White Sox 4.
36:06
The St. Louis Cardinals were in Chicago on April 19, 1979, and Jack Buck took that opportunity to talk with Bob Ilson.
36:16
It's good to see you, Bob Ilson.
36:18
Well, it's mighty good to see you, Jack, I feel fine.
36:22
It's nice to be out here at the ballpark again.
36:24
That's where I started in 1930, and they had a great ball club here in those days.
36:29
You remember the Stevenson years and Kyler and those kind of people.
36:33
And when did you put it down after starting in those things?
36:36
Well, actually from 1930 until almost 1970.
36:41
Over here is a baseball announcing from Bob Ilson in a high caliber baseball announcing.
36:47
It's as wild as it was and still is, the coast of the town here in the Chicago city.
36:51
Keith Hernandez leads it off, swings and fouls it out of play.
36:54
He's quickly in the hole with a strike two count.
36:56
People don't realize, I'm sure they don't, you don't either.
37:00
I really got started in St. Louis.
37:02
Isn't that right?
37:03
I won a radio announcers contest.
37:05
Here's a shot to short, a big hop today.
37:07
Zunz's throw is close through to beat it out.
37:11
Hernandez beat it out, and that causes the Cubs to argue.
37:14
That was a struggling call down there.
37:17
I kind of think the umpire was right, but I don't think anybody expected him to make the call that he did.
37:23
Do you want an announcing contest?
37:25
Well, I was representing Willie Hoppy and I was staying at the Chase Hotel, the world famous billiard player.
37:31
They had a radio announcers contest and I'd never been in a radio station in my life.
37:36
But station on top of a chase.
37:40
W-
37:41
Oh, KWK was it?
37:43
I think it was him.
37:44
Yes, Tom Convey was the only one that was safe.
37:48
I'm not sure what you think.
37:49
After two or three days and all kinds of competition, including on the air and visiting prominent St. Louis people, being judged by them,
37:58
I won the contest, but I lived in Chicago and I had no intention of staying in St. Louis so they gave it to the runner-up.
38:05
Uh-huh.
38:06
But St. Louis has always been a favorite city of mine.
38:10
Visiting with Bob Elson, Ted Simmons is at the plate. It's a ball hard and foul, pass first base to make the count one and one.
38:16
Hernandez is on with a leadoff single here in the fourth.
38:19
The Cardinals are trailing by the score of two to one.
38:22
Bob Elson, you did both the Cubs and the Whiteside.
38:24
Yes, in 1930, we had five stations all doing the same game. We did the Cubs at home and then the Sox at home.
38:33
Five different broadcasters?
38:34
Five different broadcasters, five different stations.
38:37
I was on GN, Hal Cotton was on Q, Pat Flanagan was on BBM, Johnny O'Hara was on IND, and Jimmy Dudley was on WNR.
38:45
There were no soap operas. The ladies had nothing to listen to.
38:49
Hernandez takes the lead. Lamp brings it into Simmons and swinging a foul back.
38:54
I guess you're all making a quarter of a million dollars.
38:57
No, we weren't and we didn't, uh, we didn't make that much. We didn't have to pay the Cubs any rights fees and we paid the Whitesides $10,000.
39:06
And that went on until, well, it went on for almost 13 years. No road games, all home games of both teams.
39:14
Simmons waits for a 2-2 pitch from Lamp, jumps back from ball three. Did you do the ticker tape game?
39:20
Yes, I did the ticker tape games and, uh, that was work. You know, doing the double header, looking at the wall, and with that, with that crowd record going.
39:32
Yeah, they had some imagination. Here is the pitch with the runner going, a swing and a high flat ball into left.
39:37
Might be troublesome for Kingman. It's hurting foul and it drops foul. Out of the way. Still 3-2 on Keith Hernandez.
39:44
Bob Elson, you won't mind if I say that I listen to you as a teenager in Cleveland. I listen to your broadcasts, notably at the night games, of course.
39:53
And then I listen to Pittsburgh and I listen to the Cleveland announcer, your old friend Jack Graney.
39:58
Yeah.
39:59
And I listen to baseball from Havana, Cuba. Ike Tyson used to pick him up. Ike Tyson in Detroit and Harry Harman in New York.
40:05
Harry Harman. My upbringing in the game of baseball. Well, that's nice.
40:08
You don't mind my saying that? I'd like to think that your fine work that you do is a reflection on listening to me.
40:13
And the bad word is not.
40:18
3-2 on the count to Simmons. Hernandez has singled the start of the fourth inning. Cardinals trailing 2-1. Hernandez leads away, runs, and swing and a high flat ball into short right hit by Simmons will be caught by Bobby Mercer.
40:32
He comes in and has it. And Hernandez is back to first. I'm starting to broadcast like you. That's the way he used to do it. A high flat ball.
40:40
You know, Jack, there's so many unpredictables in baseball this year that attendance wise, I think baseball is going to break all of it.
40:48
It sure is a different game now in a lot of ways.
40:51
Well, it is. And there's no cinch any place. I think Milwaukee's got a good shot to beat out the New York Yankees and the Dodgers are going to miss Tommy John.
41:02
There's no cinch anymore. There goes Hernandez again, a swing and another foul by Simmons and the count remains 3-2. What are your activities these days, Bob?
41:12
Well, I work for two companies. I'm sporting director of Northwest Federal Savings and Loan here. And I work for a paper company, Acme Paper.
41:20
So I'm busy and I do a radio show, a half hour show with a sports celebrity every Sunday, 1130 to 12. And I do a lot of commercials for different companies and I see as much baseball as I possibly can.
41:32
How old are you now?
41:33
Seventy-five.
41:34
Yeah, that's great. You look perky.
41:37
Bob Elson is with us here in the booth. Hernandez is at first. Simmons at the plate. The runner not going and another foul by Simmons.
41:44
And the count stays the same. We have one out here, or nobody out here in the, oh, excuse me, there's one out and the batter is Dane Orridge as Simmons is blight out.
41:56
And Hernandez is still on the first base and now a two-strike count on Orridge who grounded out his first time up.
42:02
Cubs got a run on the second.
42:06
Cardinals tied it in the third and the Cubs have the lead right now. Orridge is in the hole.
42:14
And Dennis Lance steps off the rubber, gets the sign again from Barry Foote.
42:19
A lead by the runner and the pitch is made and it's a ball downstairs, ball one, one and two. You've got a lot of fine young announcers working with you, Bob Elson.
42:28
Yes, I have. One now with Pittsburgh, Milo Hamilton. Don Wells worked with me for many, many years. He did the California games for seven or eight years.
42:39
They look to me like they could be a winner this year. The addition of Rod Carew has added a great deal to that ball club.
42:47
Carew is a good influence on average hitters and when they watch him and what he can do every day, he's got to make better ball players out of everybody on the team.
42:56
I think that was a great investment on the part of Gene Autry.
43:01
Dane Orridge is at the plate here as the Cardinals bat in the fourth, one on, one out.
43:06
Lamped the right-hander pitches, the runner going, a swing and a foul by Orridge. Did you ever write a book, Bob?
43:11
No, but I've been thinking about it. I have a lot of wonderful pictures of old players that played here like Hack Wilson and Rick Stephenson,
43:20
one of the greatest right-hand hitters I ever saw. Roger Hornsby was here. He probably was the best right-hand hitter I ever saw.
43:27
He hit over 200, over 400 with a dead ball twice and some great shots with Williams, probably the best left-hand hitter I ever saw.
43:35
Here's another pitch with the runner going, a pitch outside the throw. He is safe. The ball goes into center field.
43:42
Hernandez goes on to third base. He's there with a tying run with one man out and a free two-count on Orridge right now.
43:50
Stolen base for Hernandez. An error charge to the catcher. The runner is at third with one out.
43:56
Hi, on that day in August in Cooperstown.
43:58
No, I don't think so. I'm really honored by it. I've spent my life in baseball. I owe a lot to baseball.
44:04
I've known all those greats from back there. Lou Gehrig worked his way through Columbia washing dishes, one of the greatest players I ever saw.
44:12
I introduced him to his wife. The motion picture, the Lou Gehrig story is a fallacy.
44:17
Here's the pitch swung on, hit the second, the runner trying to score, the throw home, he's safe.
44:21
He beats the tag of Barry Putnam's eyes again, 2-2.
44:25
Safe all right.
44:26
Putt couldn't block the play and Hernandez got by him on the throw home from Tieslaw.
44:32
Orridge is on a feeler's choice with a run batted in. The play went 4-2 and Hernandez went around the tag.
44:39
The tie this game 2-2 in the fourth inning.
44:42
Putt jumping up and down. I don't know if he's angry at himself, Bob, or angry at the umpire.
44:47
Well, I thought he was safe and we have a very good look at it here in this opposition, in this group.
44:52
But the business of arguing in those close plays, that's part of the game.
44:56
And the manager who's got the worst seat in the ballpark, Herman Franks, he can't see anything from that dugout.
45:03
He comes out to argue and that's naturally to back up his catcher.
45:08
But the runner looks safe to me.
45:11
Herman Franks is out of the dugout to argue.
45:14
Sizemore field of the ground ball by Orridge, throw home to the catcher, Barry Putt.
45:19
Hernandez went around him, got the play, it was called safe and we have a tie game 2-2 here
45:24
in the fourth inning and Tony Scott is back.
45:27
I think the mistake that Putt made there was he was waiting for the runner to slide.
45:31
Had he stepped up about a foot, he never would have gotten in there.
45:35
He didn't knock them off the play, no probability.
45:38
The batter is Tony Scott, tapped out his first time up, the pitch to Tony, swung on, hit up the middle, that's a base hit.
45:44
For Scott, his 17th hit of the year, center fielder fumbles the ball, but staying at second base is Dane Orridge.
45:51
Well it was fun to see Bob Elson here at the ballpark before the game and knowing that he was going to
45:56
Baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in August, I asked him to stop by at Biz Willis and Bob, I'll be thrilled for you.
46:03
It's been a real pleasure and I expect one of these days, based on the fine work you've done over so many years,
46:10
that that honor will come to you and I sincerely hope it does and I hope I'm around to see it.
46:16
Thank you Robert. Thank you Jack very much.
46:18
Right again Bob Elson, right again. Two Hall of Fame broadcasters, Jack Buck and Bob Elson, conversing in the Cardinal booth in 1979.
46:27
We didn't have to bring you that entire interview, we could have cut it short after two or three minutes
46:32
and given you just the flavor of Bob Elson talking again in 1979.
46:38
But the conversation to us was a very interesting one and very revealing. Thus, we let you hear it all.
46:46
Now, we're going to end as we all sit back and listen to Bob Elson just do some play-by-play.
46:55
We're going back to June 1st, 1953. Sit back and enjoy as the White Sox are playing at New York.
47:05
The right-hander, Uro Blackwell. Big dog string beans.
47:20
When he left the gate out there way out in right center, it looked a little bit like Cusaba who was also a tall slender fellow, but it's Uro Blackwell.
47:32
Who's coming in here now to fire. At Junior Stevens, Sox have the bases loaded, a hip would tie the score.
47:42
Two out and the bases loaded in the ninth inning.
47:47
This is a thriller again at New York with the White Sox toppling these guys all the way down to the wire.
47:56
The party is going on.
48:18
Uro Blackwell has appeared in five games. He started two. He has two wins and no losses.
48:30
He's been 15 innings, given up six runs for the Marne, 13 hits at seven strikeouts, and has given up seven bases on both.
48:48
Blackwell, former National Leaguer, star in the All-Star game at Chicago two years ago at Comiskey Park, tall string bean, used to be with the Cincinnati Reds.
49:04
He's getting in his practice row. And Junior Stevens. Where's Junior?
49:24
Looks like they're going to take him out now for a clean shitter. Tommy Byrne is going to bat for Stevens against his old teammate, St. Agnes.
49:41
Tommy Byrne coming up to bat now to swing for Stevens with the bases loaded and just a base hit will tie the score.
50:06
And as he announces on Byrne, Tommy Byrne, former Yankees stepping into the batter's box.
50:19
Right, Rivera on the bases. Two outs, one run in. Yankees are leading 3-1, 3-9-1, White Scots 1-4-0. A very, very light rain.
50:41
Starting to come down, very light. But Tommy Byrne, who hasn't been much help out there on the mound, has a chance now to be a help here in hitting the back.
51:00
He's got a minute if he can get a hit off the back row. The first pitch is over the plate. A twisting curve ball for his front. Blackwell has a number 40 on the back of his white uniform.
51:14
This is Ewell known as the Ripped Blackwell.
51:23
Byrne batting for Stevens. White Scots runners on first, second, and third. Blackwell looking down his hulk again, getting a sign.
51:37
Here comes the pitch and there's a ball. It's too high. Too high.
51:50
Number 27 on the back of his white uniform, Tommy Byrne, batting here at the arc and the bases loaded. And the White Scots, battling Yankees, trailing 3-1.
52:01
Here's a ball. He almost hit him. And it's a ball too and it's strike one count on Byrne.
52:10
This guy hit one in the City Series at Chicago against the Cubs and probably is still going. He can hit that ball when he gets a hold of it.
52:21
So it's come on Tommy now at Yankee Stadium as Ewell Blackwell gets that again.
52:26
Strike a curve ball. 2-2. Ball two and strike two for Tommy Byrne.
52:40
Blackwell faces Campwell, knocks his forehead with his left sleeve.
52:51
Tommy Byrne getting ready as a 2-2 count on Byrne. The bases are loaded. There are two out here in the ninth.
52:57
Here's a swing and there goes the drive. Way back at the home run of Graham Slam.
53:09
A 3-hour run up. A box of right-hour cigars. Tommy Byrne just to the Graham Slam homer at New York.
53:25
The entire Stocks team is out in the field to greet him. Tommy Byrne just to the Graham Slam homer at New York.
53:43
I bet you can hear me over this pin at Yankee Stadium. What a drive. Way back into the lower stands.
53:51
Byrne has just homered and the White Sox have scored five runs in the ninth.
53:58
Here's Lollard and there's a ball low. Ewell Blackwell whips in a sidearm curve ball and the last time we saw it, it was way up in the right field stand.
54:09
A Graham Slam home run. Here's Lollard. A ball is low. White Sox has come out the floor again.
54:22
Boy, they're giving these New Yorkers an eyeful, I want to tell you. Here's the pitch and it's a ball.
54:29
Cleveland came in here and rolled over and played dead in two ball games and all the writers have been writing about the White Sox
54:36
and their dash and spirit and never give up. Byrne just hit a homer with the bases loaded for the Docks with two outs. White gets in around his knees.
54:50
Well, Tommy has earned his pay for the year with that drive into the right field stand.
54:59
Ball three and strike one to Lollard. Ball four. He walks. That's all for Blackwell.
55:08
Harrisgelt hit a grand slammer against the Boston Red Sox and I Byrne hits a pinch grand slammer against the mighty Yankees in Yankee fifth.
55:25
Boy, I want to tell you, when he kicked that ball, it almost fell off the chair here.
55:30
You can see right away that it was going all the way, way up into the right field stand.
55:40
So Tommy said hello to his old teammates here in great fashion.
55:48
I think that drive almost cured my Lauren Garter.
55:59
Well, it's a great thrill anyway, especially when it happens against this powerful team. These White Sox, boy, they just never quit.
56:12
Here is Tito Carasquale now to face Corsada.
56:22
Bob Corsada has no wins or losses. She's appeared in three games as a par strike.
56:30
She's missed three innings and given up no runs or hits.
56:35
Carasquale didn't like that. You wouldn't either unless you had a nine iron in your hand.
56:43
Looks like it was going to hit him in the foot.
56:47
Tito is arguing. Now he's done. There's a strike in around the knee. That was a good one.
56:54
Two strikes on Carasquale. Left-hander Bob Corsada.
57:03
White Sox are leading five to three. Five runs, five hits, no errors. Three runs, nine hits, one error for New York.
57:17
And that's a blast by Tommy Burns. Way back into the right field stand.
57:23
The bases were loaded. Here's a swing and a miss. And a 15-year ball and he's stuck in.
57:33
That's five runs, five hits, no errors. The Yankees three runs, ten hits, and one error.
57:40
The winning pitcher was Louis Oloma and the loser, Vic Wrench.
57:44
So this is Bob Olson saying goodbye.