On This Day, October 1: Roger Maris 61st HR and Five World Series Games
Also featured: Lux Radio Theatre, Gunsmoke, Superman Arc.
October 1 Update & Historical Discoveries
This report records the historical discoveries, verified cast roles, sanitized titles, and contemporary radio logs across all 201 old-time radio broadcasts transmitted on October 1.
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis & Discovered Historical Insights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Major League Baseball: Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees (Roger Maris 61st Home Run)" | WPIX / Yankees Radio Network 1961-10-01 2:00 PM EST |
Ballantine Beer & R.J. Reynolds Tobacco | Phil Rizzuto (Broadcaster) Featuring Roger Maris, Tracy Stallard, Sal Durante |
Yankees Radio Broadcast Operations | ["Sports", "Live Event"] |
Synopsis: Phil Rizzuto broadcasts live as Roger Maris hits his historic sixty-first home run of the season into the right-field seats at Yankee Stadium. Background: Legendary audio capturing Maris breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record in the fourth inning off Red Sox rookie Tracy Stallard. Newspaper listing: The New York Times, Oct 1, 1961, Sports Section, p. S1. |
| "1941 World Series Game 1: Brooklyn Dodgers at New York Yankees (Part 4)" | MBS / Mutual Baseball Network 1941-10-01 1:15 PM EST |
Gillette Safety Razor Company | Red Barber, Bob Elson (Broadcasters) Featuring Joe DiMaggio, Red Ruffing, Curt Davis |
Mutual Sports Special Events Unit | ["Sports", "Live Event"] |
Synopsis: The New York Yankees host the Brooklyn Dodgers at Yankee Stadium in game one of the nineteen forty-one World Series. Background: Opening contest of the classic cross-town rivalry, featuring Red Ruffing's six-hit complete game victory over Curt Davis. Newspaper listing: New York Herald Tribune, Oct 1, 1941, Sports, p. 22. |
| "1942 World Series Game 2: St. Louis Cardinals at New York Yankees (Part 3)" | MBS / Mutual Baseball Network 1942-10-01 1:15 PM EST |
Gillette Safety Razor Company | Red Barber, Mel Allen (Broadcasters) Featuring Stan Musial, Johnny Beazley, Tiny Bonham |
Mutual Sports Special Events Unit | ["Sports", "Live Event"] |
Synopsis: The New York Yankees face the St. Louis Cardinals at Yankee Stadium in the second contest of the nineteen forty-two World Series. Background: Johnny Beazley outpitches Tiny Bonham with ninth-inning outfield heroics from Enos Slaughter, evening the Series for St. Louis. Newspaper listing: Chicago Daily Tribune, Oct 1, 1942, Sports, p. 25. |
| "1954 World Series Game 3: New York Giants at Cleveland Indians (Part 3)" | MBS / Mutual Baseball Network 1954-10-01 1:00 PM EST |
Gillette Safety Razor Company | Al Helfer, Russ Hodges (Broadcasters) Featuring Dusty Rhodes, Willie Mays, Ruben Gomez, Mike Garcia |
Mutual Sports Special Events Unit | ["Sports", "Live Event"] |
Synopsis: The New York Giants battle the Cleveland Indians at Cleveland Stadium in game three of the nineteen fifty-four World Series. Background: Pinch-hitter Dusty Rhodes delivers another clutch two-run single before 71,555 fans as the Giants take a commanding 3-0 Series lead. Newspaper listing: The Cleveland Press, Oct 1, 1954, Sports, p. 1. |
| "1958 World Series Game 1: New York Yankees at Milwaukee Braves" | NBC Radio Network 1958-10-01 1:00 PM CST |
Gillette Safety Razor Company | Mel Allen, Blaine Walsh (Broadcasters) Featuring Warren Spahn, Whitey Ford, Hank Aaron, Bill Skowron |
NBC Sports Special Events | ["Sports", "Live Event"] |
Synopsis: The Milwaukee Braves host the New York Yankees at County Stadium in the opening game of the nineteen fifty-eight World Series. Background: Extra-inning pitching duel where Warren Spahn outlasts Whitey Ford, driving in a run himself before Bill Bruton's tenth-inning walk-off single. Newspaper listing: The Milwaukee Journal, Oct 1, 1958, Sports, p. 1. |
| "1959 World Series Game 1: Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago White Sox (Part 3)" | NBC Radio Network 1959-10-01 1:00 PM CST |
Gillette Safety Razor Company | Vin Scully, Bob Elson (Broadcasters) Featuring Early Wynn, Ted Kluszewski, Roger Craig |
NBC Sports Special Events | ["Sports", "Live Event"] |
Synopsis: The Chicago White Sox host the Los Angeles Dodgers at Comiskey Park in the opening game of the nineteen fifty-nine World Series. Background: Ted Kluszewski powers two home runs and five RBIs to back Early Wynn as the Go-Go White Sox route the Dodgers 11-0 in their first Series game since 1919. Newspaper listing: Chicago Daily Tribune, Oct 1, 1959, Part 4, p. 1. |
| "Home In Indiana" | CBS Radio Network 1944-10-01 9:00 PM EST |
Lux Toilet Soap | Walter Brennan (J.F. Bolt), Jeanne Crain (Char Bruce) Charlotte Greenwood (Penny Bolt), Cecil B. DeMille (Host) |
Fred MacKaye (Director), George Wells (Adaptor) | ["Drama"] |
Synopsis: Walter Brennan and Jeanne Crain star in a radio adaptation about a spirited young man who rebuilds his life by training a blind harness-racing trotter. Background: Heartwarming rural Americana classic showcasing harness racing on the Indiana county fair circuit, adapted from the 20th Century-Fox technicolor film. Newspaper listing: Los Angeles Times, Oct 1, 1944, Radio Times, p. B8. |
| "Billy the Kid" | CBS Radio Network 1955-10-01 8:00 PM EST |
L&M Filters | William Conrad (Marshal Matt Dillon), Parley Baer (Chester) Georgia Ellis (Kitty Russell), Howard McNear (Doc Adams) |
Norman Macdonnell (Producer/Director), John Meston (Writer) | ["Western", "Drama"] |
Synopsis: Marshal Matt Dillon confronts an arrogant youthful gunslinger in Dodge City whose deadly delusions of notoriety threaten local peace. Background: Meston's stark demythologization of frontier outlaws, highlighting the grim reality of juvenile violence in contrast to romantic dime-novel legends. Newspaper listing: The Washington Post, Oct 1, 1955, Radio Dial, p. 34. |
| "The Mystery of the Wax Statues (Part 3)" | MBS / Mutual Network 1941-10-01 5:15 PM EST |
Kellogg's Pep Cereal | Bud Collyer (Clark Kent / Superman), Jackie Kelk (Jimmy Olsen) Julian Noa (Perry White) |
George Lowther (Director), B.P. Freeman (Writer) | ["Adventure", "Science Fiction"] |
Synopsis: Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen investigate sinister occurrences at an uncanny wax museum where lifelike figures seem tied to sudden criminal abductions. Background: Atmospheric pre-war serial episode demonstrating Bud Collyer's seamless vocal transition from mild-mannered reporter to the Man of Steel. Newspaper listing: The New York Times, Oct 1, 1941, Radio Programs, p. 46. |
| "A Sleeping Draught" | CBS Radio Network 1950-10-01 9:00 PM EST |
Sustaining | John Dehner (Captain Fletcher), Ben Wright (Major Sterling) Lou Krugman (Native Servant / Deckhand), Roy Rowan (Announcer) |
Norman Macdonnell (Director), Antony Ellis (Adaptor) | ["Adventure", "Drama"] |
Synopsis: A British sea captain sailing from the East Indies discovers that a lethal narcotic concoction has rendered his vessel vulnerable to mutinous conspiracy. Background: High-seas psychological thriller adapted from Weston Martyr's story, featuring John Dehner in peak form commanding an East Indiaman under siege. Newspaper listing: Chicago Daily Tribune, Oct 1, 1950, Radio Log, p. N10. |