The Game of Baseball Has Changed Dramatically Over
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THE GAME OF BASEBALL HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY OVER THE LAST 70 YEARS, BUT THERE HAS BEEN ONE CONSTANT FANS Chicago’s COULD COUNT ON THROUGH IT ALL—THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CUBS AND WGN-TV. THIS SEASON, THAT ENDURING BOND CELEBRATES A SPECIAL MILESTONE. Very Own BY SRI RAMAN COURTESY BOB VORWALD 42 VINE LINE cubs.com/vineline cubs.com/vineline VINE LINE 43 WGN CAMERAS AT WRIGLEY FIELD HARRY CARAY COURTESY BOB VORWALD COURTESY CHICAGO CUBS n a glorious summer day of an illustrious relationship, spanning generations, Kasper, now in his 14th season He happily recalls family came down the road together: Jack [Brickhouse], Vince was that “television, handled with in 1983, the inimitable between a ballclub and a broadcasting entity. The with the club, is effusive in his praise excursions to Cubs games at [Lloyd], Lou [Boudreau], Harry [Caray], Milo Hamilton, imagination and understanding, Jack Brickhouse 2018 season will mark a milestone, as the partnership for all of the contributors, past and Wrigley Field, and, in a sense, he Lloyd Pettit. It’s been a fabulous association of two [would result in] bringing many graciously accepted the between the Chicago Cubs and WGN-TV celebrates its present, who have worked hard to brings that same childhood passion great organizations.” more persons to ball- OFord C. Frick Award, presented 70th anniversary. make the network’s to his current vocation every day. parks to get a close- annually to a broadcaster who For legions of Cubs fans around the Cubs broadcasts He is determined to make sure BRAND BUILDING up, personal view of If you had a has made major contributions globe, WGN-TV has been a trusted unforgettable over the each broadcast is still appointment On April 16, 1948, a mere 11 the dramatic scenes to the national pastime. As the friend in their living room, welcoming paragraph to describe last 70 years. viewing and is keen on finding days after the station’s launch, and colorful charac- Cubs legend stood before the them with open arms, rejoicing with the history of the One such exponent ways to insert fans directly into the a headline in the Chicago Tri- ters they became ac- game’s cognoscenti at the National them during times of jubilation and Chicago Cubs, WGN is Bob Vorwald, heart of the action. bune read: “WGN-TV Will Tele- quainted with.” Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, commiserating through years of would be an essential who has been the “Wrigley Field is the best televi- cast City Series Today.” That Eldon Ham, an at- he paid tribute to the sport’s storied heartbreak. That connecton has only executive producer sion studio,” Vorwald said. “Our big- unassuming blurb belied the torney and sports past. In the midst of his speech, been augmented by the fact that the part of it. Without of WGN Sports since gest goal has always been to take moment’s historic significance, legal analyst who there was one touching moment of network has been home to many WGN, the Cubs 1998. Vorwald’s Cubs the viewer to the game.” for it highlighted the station’s authored the book gratitude that spoke volumes. renowned voices over the years, voices wouldn’t be nearly roots trace back to Another influential cog in the first-ever broadcast of a Cubs Broadcasting Baseball: “It is with the deepest sincerity I so ingrained in Cubs history that fans as popular as they his youth. He fondly seven-decade broadcast partnership game. Fittingly, it was a pre- A History of the Na- thank my company, the WGN Con- are on a first-name basis with them— are today.” remembers tuning has been the esteemed Jack season matchup against the tional Pastime on Radio tinental Broadcasting Company in guys like Jack, Vince, Lou and Harry. into the weekly Rosenberg. During his 45-year run as crosstown White Sox. and Television, said Chicago, for believing in the enter- “If you had a paragraph to describe — LEN KASPER, CUBS TV Sunday night WGN-TV WGN-TV’s sports editor, Rosenberg With the fervent support that William Wrigley BROADCASTER tainment value of baseball on radio the history of the Chicago Cubs, WGN telecasts that would covered everything from Ernie Banks’ of Cubs owner Philip K. Wrig- Jr. had taken a similar COURTESY BOB VORWALD and television,” Brickhouse said. would be an essential part of it,” said Len Kasper, the get picked up in his hometown of rookie year in 1954 to Sammy Sosa’s ley, WGN-TV would carry all approach in bringing That statement was far more current, highly respected member of that broadcasting Bagley, Wisconsin. sensational home run chase of 1998. Cubs home games that season. Other owners, fearing Cubs games to radio, and Philip than an obligatory nod to a fraternity. “Without WGN, the Cubs wouldn’t be nearly “Those games were appointment “[WGN-TV] grew up with the televised broadcasts would cannibalize their ticket was simply following in his fa- longtime employer. It told the tale as popular as they are today.” viewing,” Vorwald said. Cubs,” Rosenberg said. “A lot of us sales, bristled at the move. But Wrigley’s philosophy ther’s footsteps. 44 VINE LINE cubs.com/vineline cubs.com/vineline VINE LINE 45 “Both were doing what we call Brady has been a WGN Sports producer since 1998 and would go on the road, it would be ‘billboarding’ the game,” Ham said. said Harris’ influence is inescapable. 5,000, 6,000, 10,000 people pulling “The more you expose fans to the “We still follow the approach of Arne. The fans are for us in the road stadiums.” THE (INTER) product, the more you make it as big a deal as the players on the field,” Brady said. Caray also made a regular habit available on radio—or, in this case, “We have always tried to bring the fan to the game, to of reading letters from the Cubs’ NATIONAL PASTIME television—the more the fans will the bleachers, to the excitement. They just have to buy far-flung fan base. These days, WGN-TV has been a conduit into the game for come out and participate.” their own beer.” Kasper continues that tradition via generations of Cubs fans. On one memorable occasion, By 1952, WGN-TV had gained Sadly, one of the few times Cubs fans actually got to modern modes of communication. an afternoon affair at the Friendly Confines provided exclusive rights to Cubs telecasts. see and hear Harris was the day after his passing. On “We receive texts, tweets and much of Europe its first glimpse of America’s pastime. Despite some lean years on Oct. 7, 2001, WGN-TV dedicated that day’s Cubs-Pirates Facebook posts from all over the The Telstar satellite revolutionized broadcasting. On the field, the ensuing period broadcast to the legend himself. The gamelong tribute, world,” Kasper said. “The Cubs re- July 23, 1962, 13 days after its launch, the first live saw the emergence of ebullient full of old Harris footage, was handled admirably by ally are a global phenomenon. I’m transatlantic video communication took place. Journal- Cubs superstar Ernie Banks. He Caray’s grandson and successor, Chip Caray. amazed to this day.” ism heavyweights Walter Cronkite and Chet Huntley and fellow Hall of Famers Billy hosted the historic occasion. Eventually, a friendly Williams, Ron Santo and Fergie GLOBAL REACH PIONEERING SPIRIT greeting came from the BBC in Brussels: “Hello, Walter Jenkins were a part of some of Over the years, Rosenberg has enjoyed the same Rosenberg said he feels fortunate Cronkite. Hello, United States.” the most beloved teams WGN-TV exchange with countless Chicagoans. “You know, to have arrived at WGN-TV during During the 20-minute transmission window, choice ever showcased. when I was a kid,” someone will begin. At which what he calls “the embryonic North American visuals were to be shown, beginning For nearly a half-century, the point, Rosenberg interjects, “You would rush home stages of television.” The only hard with President John F. Kennedy’s news conference. franchise also enjoyed two larger- from school and catch the last few innings of the and fast rule back then was to However, with Telstar’s orbit slightly ahead of sched- than-life personalities behind Cubs game on WGN.” disregard all hard and fast rules. ule, Cronkite made the announcement, “We take you the mic in Brickhouse and Caray. Day baseball at Wrigley Field was absolutely That mindset has helped drive a to a baseball game in Chicago instead.” But, in 1960, an equally vital team essential to growing the popularity of WGN-TV’s Cubs spirit of innovation throughout the Thus, among the very first live American images ever member joined WGN Sports, Arne broadcasts and creating a shared history for millions 70-year Cubs-WGN partnership. viewed by millions of Europeans was a Cubs-Phillies game Harris. Harris, who would assume of fans. This became even more pronounced in 1978, An early example of this on WGN-TV, direct from Wrigley Field. By the time the producer-director duties in 1964, when the station took full advantage of cable and didn’t occur at Wrigley Field transmission switched over to the president, viewers from set a new standard not only for satellite advancements and joined the ranks of Ted but, rather, five miles away at London to Rome had witnessed Cubs outfielder George Cubs broadcasts but also for Turner’s WTBS in Atlanta as a national superstation. Thillens Stadium, a popular Altman snaring a fly ball on the right-field warning track.