14 Master Broadcasts Dated Across Don Drysdale Bullpen, Sonja Henie, Whitey Ford, and Bill Herbert at Caen
This update dates 14 historically significant broadcasts across mid-century sports history, Hollywood cinematic premieres, frontline WWII battlefield reportage, theatrical drama, and unique acoustic musical arts: Hall of Fame pitcher Don…
Forensic Discoveries
This update dates 14 historically significant broadcasts across mid-century sports history, Hollywood cinematic premieres, frontline WWII battlefield reportage, theatrical drama, and unique acoustic musical arts: Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale hosting three episodes of Don Drysdale's Bullpen exploring Cleveland Browns star Dub Jones' 6-touchdown game (1958), the tragic 1949 Superga air disaster claiming the legendary Torino football team, and Olympic sprint icon Helen Stephens; 20th Century Fox's promotional radio previews of Olympic figure skating queen Sonja Henie in One in a Million (1936) and Alice Faye in Sing, Baby, Sing (1936); blind musical prodigy Fred Lowery demonstrating his virtuosic four-octave whistling technique on 'The Whistler and His Dog' (1945); CBC combat correspondent Bill Herbert's gripping eyewitness report under heavy artillery and Allied air bombardment at the Battle for Caen during the Normandy Campaign (July 8, 1944); New York Yankees ace Whitey Ford and Giants manager Bill Rigney on Tops in Sports (1957); the incredible story of Charles 'Gabby' Street catching a baseball dropped 555 feet from the top of the Washington Monument (1951); Eugene O'Neill's nostalgic comedy Ah, Wilderness! starring Charles Coburn on NBC (1948); and dramatic poetic readings by actress Edith Barrett on Words with Music (1945).
1. Don Drysdale's Bullpen: 1958 Sports Lore
| Title | Verified Airdate | Sports Context |
|---|---|---|
| "Don Drysdale's Bullpen: 'Dub Jones Didn't Quit' - NFL 6-Touchdown Record" | 1958-05-14 | Don Drysdale profiling Dub Jones' historic 1951 record tying Ernie Nevers with 6 touchdowns in one game. |
| "Don Drysdale's Bullpen: 'The Superga Air Disaster & Torino Football Club'" | 1958-05-21 | Moving tribute to the Grande Torino team lost on the hillside of Superga in 1949. |
| "Don Drysdale's Bullpen: 'Helen Stephens 1936 Berlin Olympic Gold Sprint'" | 1958-05-28 | The 'Fulton Flash' Helen Stephens winning double gold in the 100 meters at the 1936 Olympic Games. |
2. 20th Century Fox Previews (Sonja Henie & Alice Faye) & Fred Lowery
| Title | Verified Airdate | Performance / Film Context |
|---|---|---|
| "20th Century Fox Presents: 'Sing, Baby, Sing' Preview (Alice Faye & Adolphe Menjou)" | 1936-08-14 | Musical romance trailer featuring Alice Faye, The Ritz Brothers, and Ted Fio Rito's Orchestra. |
| "20th Century Fox Presents: 'One in a Million' Preview (Sonja Henie & Don Ameche)" | 1936-12-24 | Three-time Olympic figure skating champion Sonja Henie's sensational Hollywood feature film debut. |
| "The New Fred Lowery Show: 'The Whistler and His Dog' (Blind Whistling Virtuoso)" | 1945-09-22 | Renowned Horace Heidt featured artist Fred Lowery performing his million-selling signature theme. |
3. Bill Herbert at Caen (1944), Whitey Ford, Gabby Street, & Charles Coburn
| Title | Verified Airdate | Historical / Production Details |
|---|---|---|
| "European War News: CBC Correspondent Bill Herbert at the Bombing of Caen, Normandy" | 1944-07-08 | Authentic battlefield audio of 460 RAF heavy bombers attacking German strongpoints around Caen. |
| "Tops in Sports: The Whitey Ford Story - New York Yankees Ace Pitcher Interview" | 1957-06-15 | 'The Chairman of the Board' Whitey Ford discussing his curveball and World Series strategy. |
| "Tops in Sports: Bill Rigney on Managing the New York / SF Giants" | 1957-06-22 | Bill Rigney reflecting on managing Willie Mays and the Giants' final season in New York. |
| "Heartbeats in Sports Headlines: Gabby Street Catching Ball from Washington Monument" | 1951-04-18 | The legendary August 21, 1908 stunt where catcher Gabby Street caught a ball dropped 555 feet. |
| "Heartbeats in Sports Headlines: The Charles 'Gabby' Street Story Part 2" | 1951-04-25 | Gabby Street managing the 1931 World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals 'Gashouse Gang' precursors. |
| "NBC Presents: Eugene O'Neill's 'Ah, Wilderness!' Starring Charles Coburn" | 1948-10-03 | Charles Coburn starring as Nat Miller in O'Neill's tender Connecticut Fourth of July domestic comedy. |
| "Words with Music: Actress Edith Barrett Reading Poetry with String Ensemble" | 1945-03-14 | Stage actress Edith Barrett reciting lyrical verse against classical string quartet arrangements. |
| "Words with Music: 'For Joy' - Poetic Recitations with Orchestral Accompaniment" | 1945-03-21 | Inspirational spoken word program produced during the final months of World War II. |