NBC Transmitter (Jan-Nov 1945)

14 NBC T ransmitter RECORDING OF WTIC FIGHT PROGRAM SETTLES HARTFORD SPDRTS DISPUTE HARTFORD, CONN. Bob Steele, WTIC sportscaster who does a blow-byblow description of the professional fights at the Hartford Auditorium, assumed the role of an amateur sleuth recently and revealed radio as his chief tool in solving a tough case. Here is how it happened. Willie Pep, featherweight champion of the world, was fighting Charles “Cabey” Lewis, a ranking contender, at the Connecticut City’s jam-packed boxing arena. Pep was winning handily but suddenly, toward the end of the fourth round of their 10-round battle, Lewis floored the champion with a terrific right hand smash to the jaw. Pep hit the canvas and bounced like a golf hall. He was obviously shaken, but he scrambled to one knee and bent an ear to the referee who was tolling off the seconds. But at the count of “six” the bell rang, ending the round. Pep got to his feet, walked to his corner and, after the minute of rest, came out for the next round to carry the fight to his opponent and win the decision by a clear margin. However, next day, back in New York, Lewis’ manager shouted a claim that the round had lasted only two minutes, instead of the regulation three. He implied that the timekeeper had shortened the round to save Pep, a Hartford boy, from a kayo. Sportswriters picked up his charge and it flew over the teletypes to all corners of the sports world. It was a terrific story. And who could deny the charge or prove MATTER OF RECORD -W TICs Sportscaster, Bob Steele, used transcription of his fight report to settle a serious Connecticut boxing dispute. it untrue? Sports experts everywhere were bewildered. The answer was WTIC’s Bob Steele, who had a recording of his broadcast of the fight. But nobody had thought of that, least of all the manager of Lewis. Reading the wire stories, Steele immediately put the stop watch on Round 4, timing the record four times to be positive. He found the time to be 3 minutes ll/o seconds! The State boxing commissioner was called at once and in half an hour the commission had slapped a .$.50 fine on the boxing manager and issued a sharp rebuke. KOA Expands Farm Service; Adds Agricultural Director DENVER. — Recognizing the importance of agriculture to the growth and prosperity of Colorado and adjoining states, KOA has appointed Harley C. Renollet, director of agriculture. KOA’s new agriculture program, the “Mile-Hi Farmer,” broadcast daily, offers the most complete and comprehensive agricultural service in the mountain and plain states region covered by the station. During a special broadcast which inaugurated the “Mile-Hi Farmer,” listeners heard talks by Secretary of Agriculture Claude R. Wickard, of the Department of Agriculture; Frank E. Mullen, NBC vicepresident and general manager, and Roy E. Green, president of Colorado A. & M. Arts College. Each program thereafter has featured a guest speaker covering all phases of agriculture. Musical entertainment is a regular feature of every program. The “Mile-Hi Farmer” program is the backbone of all KOA agriculture service. It is supported by other farm programs heard regularly over KOA. These include “Market Reports,” broadcast every weekday direct from the Denver Union Stockyards; “Farm Question Box,” now in its 19th year, under the supervision of James White, editor of Western Farm Life, and the “Saturday Stock Show,” presented by KOA in cooperation with the Rocky Mountain Radio Council. Renollet. or Hal as his friends call him, was born in a log house on a quarter section of rich farm land in Paulding County. Ohio. He graduated from Brown J’ownship High School. Oakwood, Ohio, in 1922. He’s an alumnus of Ohio State. Renollet ’s first job was that of vocational agriculture insructor at Brookville High School in Montgomery County. Oliio. This was followed, after nine years hv a job as County 4 H Club leader, in the same county, remaining in that capacity until January. 1944. at which time he replaced the county agricultural agent of Butler County, Ohio. KYW LAUNCHES SECOND YEAR OF RADIO WORKSHOP COURSES PHILADELPHIA.— Acquiescing to requests of enthusiastic school teachers and ])rincii)als of the Philadelphia School System who attended the Summer sessions in the KYW studios, the Radio Workshop has inaugurated its second Fall-Winter Series. Under the Westinghouse plan, inaugulated at the Philadelphia station in 1943, carefully developed courses in broadcasting again are presented in order that teachers and principals may he professionally trained in the presentation of educational programs. Gordon Hawkins, program and educational director of Westinghouse Radio .Stations Inc., supervises the courses under the joint auspices of the Philadelphia Board of Education and the Westinghouse transmitters. “Program Production,” the first of the courses to get under way, is under the direction of William C. Galleher. educational director of the station. on the second Tuesday of each month. Guest speakers are utilized from time to lime. Hawkins conducts the script course on the fourth Tuesday of each month. H. C. Renollet