Major League Baseball television contracts

NBC's Game of the Week

In 1966, NBC took over the rights to the Game of the Week with Curt Gowdy as the star announcer from 1966-1975. NBC, replacing CBS traded a circus for a seminar. Pee Wee Reese said "Curt Gowdy was its guy, and didn't want Dean - too overpowering. Curt was nice, but worried about mistakes. Diz and I just laughed." Other announcers to be featured on NBC's television coverage of Major League Baseball since 1947 include:

Related Topics:
1966 - Curt Gowdy - CBS - Circus - Pee Wee Reese - Dean - 1947

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• Marv Albert (1979-1989)
• Mel Allen (1951-1953; 1955-1958; 1960-1963)
• Red Barber (1948 World Series and 1952 World Series)
• Buddy Blattner (1964; 1969)
• Marty Brennaman (1975 World Series and 1976 World Series)
• Jack Brickhouse (1954 World Series, 1959 World Series, and 1951-1953 All-Star Games)
• Jack Buck (1965 All-Star Game)
• Ken Coleman and Harry Caray (1967 World Series)
• Bob Costas (1982-1989)
• Gene Elston (1968 All-Star Game)
• Dick Enberg (1982)
• Joe Garagiola (1961-1964; 1976-1988)
• Gayle Gardner (1989)
• Bryant Gumbel (1976-1981)
• Al Helfer (1955-1958 All-Star Games and 1957 World Series)
• Russ Hodges (1951 World Series, 1954 World Series, and 1962 World Series, 2nd 1959 All-Star Game, and 1st 1961 All-Star Game)
• George Kell (1962 National League playoff, 2nd 1962 All-Star Game, and 1968 World Series)
• Sandy Koufax (1967-1972)
• Tony Kubek (1965-1989)
• Merle Harmon (1980-1981)
• Bill Macatee (1982-1989)
• Ned Martin and Dick Stockton (1975 World Series)
• Tim McCarver (1980)
• Al Michaels (1972 World Series)
• Jon Miller (1986-1989)
• Joe Morgan (1986-1987)
• Monte Moore (1972-1974 World Series and Game of the Week announcer from 1978-1980; 1983)
• Lindsey Nelson (1957-1961; 1964 All-Star Game, 1969 World Series, and 1973 World Series)
• Bill O'Donnell (1969-1976)
• Van Patrick (1948 World Series)
• Pee Wee Reese (1966-1968)
• Phil Rizzuto (1964 World Series and 1976 World Series)
• Ted Robinson (1986-1989)
• Ray Scott (1960; 1965 World Series)
• Vin Scully (2nd 1959 All-Star Game, 2nd 1962 All-Star Game, 1963 All-Star Game, 1953 World Series, 1955-1956 World Series, 1963 World Series, 1965-1966 World Series, and 1974 World Series ;1983-1989)
• Tom Seaver (postseason telecasts only from 1978-1984 and Game of the Week announcer in 1989)
• Jim Simpson (1966-1975)
• Duke Snider (1983 National League Championship Series)
• Don Sutton (pre and post-game analyst for NBC's coverage of the 1987 League Championship Series)
• Chuck Thompson (1959-1960; 1966 World Series, and 1970-1971 World Series)
• Maury Wills (1973-1975)
• Bob Wolff (1962-1964)
• Jim Woods (1957)

1960s

Before 1966, local announcers called the World Series. Typically, Gillette, the Commissioner of Baseball, and NBC television would chose the announcers. The announcers represented each of the teams that were in the World Series for the respective year. For the 1966 World Series, Curt Gowdy aired half of each set to while in Los Angeles and Baltimore, got Vin Scully and Chuck Thompson, respectively, did the rest. Scully wasn't satisified with the arrangement as he said "What about the road? My fans won't be able to hear me." In Game 1 of the 1966 World Series, Vin Scully called the first 4 1/2 inning. When Curt Gowdy inherited the announcing reigns, Scully was so upset that he refused to say another word.

Related Topics:
Gillette - Commissioner of Baseball - 1966 World Series - Los Angeles - Baltimore - Chuck Thompson

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In April 1966 in New York City, about fifty baseball, network, and ad officials discussed NBC's first year with the Game of the Week. Ironically, New York couldn't get a primary match-up between the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees with Curt Gowdy and Pee Wee Reese calling the action because of local blackout rules. Instead, New York got a backup game (or "'B' game") featuring Tony Kubek and Jim Simpson calling a game between the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs.

Related Topics:
April 1966 - New York City - Detroit Tigers - New York Yankees - Jim Simpson

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1970s

Joe Garagiola was pushed to the succeed Curt Gowdy as NBC's #1 play-by-play announcer (and team with color commentator Tony Kubek) in 1976. NBC hoped that Garagiola's charm and unorthodox dwelling on the personal would stop the a decade-long ratings dive for the Game of the Week. Instead, the ratings bobbed from 6.7 (1977) via 7.5 (1978) to 6.3 (1981-1982). "Saturday had a constituency but it didn't swell" said NBC Sports executive producer Scotty Connal. Some believed that millions missed Dizzy Dean while local-team TV split the audience.

Related Topics:
Color commentator - 1976 - Ratings - 1977 - 1978 - 1981 - Scotty Connal

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In late 1979, Milwaukee Brewers announcer Merle Harmon left Milwaukee completely in favor of a multi-year pact with NBC. Harmon saw the NBC deal as a perfect oppurtunity since according to The Milwaukee Journal he would make more money, get more exposure, and do les travelling. At NBC, Harmon did SportsWorld, the backup Game of the Week, and served as a field reporter for the 1980 World Series. Harmon most of all, had hoped to cover the American boycotted 1980 Summer Olympics from Moscow. After NBC pulled out of their scheduled coverage of the 1980 Summer Olympics, Harmon considered it to being "A great letdown." To add insult to injury, NBC fired Harmon in 1982 in favor of Bob Costas. Incidentally, long time NBC Game of the Week announcer Curt Gowdy replaced Harmon, who was working with ABC a year earlier.

Related Topics:
1979 - Milwaukee Brewers - Merle Harmon - SportsWorld - 1980 World Series - 1980 Summer Olympics - Moscow - 1982 - ABC

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1980s

By 1983, Joe Garagiola had stepped aside from the play-by-play duties for Vin Scully while Tony Kubek was paired with Bob Costas on NBC telecasts. The New York Times observed the performance of the team of Scully and Garagiola by saying "The duo of Scully and Garagiola is very good, and often even great, is no longer in dispute."

Related Topics:
1983 - New York Times

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When NBC inked a $550 million contract for six years in the fall of 1982, a return on the investment so to speak demanded Vin Scully to be their star baseball announcer. Vin Scully reportedly made $2 milllion a year during his time with NBC in the 1980s. NBC Sports head Thomas Watson said about Scully "He is baseball's best announcer. Why shouldn't he be ours?" Dick Enberg, who did the Game of the Week the year prior to Vin Scully's hiring mused "No room for me. Game had enough for two teams a week."

Related Topics:
1982 - 1980s - NBC Sports

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The legendary Scully had to wait over 15 years to get his shot at calling the Game of the Week. Prior to 1983, Scully only announced the 1966 and 1974 World Series for NBC (during the time-frame of NBC having the Game of the Week) since they both involved Scully's Dodgers. Henry Hecht once wrote "NBC's Curt Gowdy, Tony Kubek, and Monte Moore sounded like college radio rejects vs. Scully."

Related Topics:
1966 - 1974 World Series - Henry Hecht

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When Tony Kubek first teamed with Bob Costas in 1983, Kubek said "I'm not crazy about being assigned to the backup game, but it's no big ego deal." Costas said about working with Kubek "I think my homor loosened Tony, and his knowledge improved me."

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The End of an Era

After calling the 1988 World Series with Vin Scully, Joe Garagiola resigned from NBC Sports. NBC was on the verge of losing the television rights to cover Major League Baseball to CBS. Garagiola claimed that NBC left him "twisting" while he was trying to renegotiate his deal.

Related Topics:
1988 World Series - NBC Sports - CBS

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NBC's final edition of the Game of the Week was televised on October 9, 1989; Game 5 of the National League Championship Series between the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs from Candlestick Park. Vin Scully said "It's a passing of a great American tradition. It is sad. I really and truly feel that. It will leave a vast window, to use a Washington word, where people will not get Major League Baseball and I think that's a tragedy." Scully added that "It's a staple that's gone. I feel for people who come to me and say how they miss it, and I hope me."

Related Topics:
October 9 - 1989 - National League Championship Series - San Francisco Giants - Chicago Cubs - Candlestick Park - American - Washington

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Bob Costas said "Who thought baseball'd kill its best way to reach the public? It coulda kept us and CBS-we'd have kept the Game-but it only cared about cash." Costas added that he would rather do a Game of the Week that got a 5 rating than host a Super Bowl. "Whatever else I did, I'd never have left Game of the Week" Costas claimed.

Related Topics:
Rating - Super Bowl

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The final regular season edition of NBC's Game of the Week by the way, was televised on September 30, 1989. That game featured the Toronto Blue Jays beating Baltimore Orioles 4-3 to clinch the AL East title from the SkyDome. It was the 981st edition of NBC's Game of the Week overall. Tony Kubek, who teamed with Bob Costas since 1983, said "I can't believe it" when the subject came about NBC losing baseball for the first time since 1947. Coincidently, from 1977-1989, Tony Kubek (in addition to his NBC duties) worked as a commentator for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Related Topics:
September 30 - Toronto Blue Jays - Baltimore Orioles - SkyDome - 1947

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