Liberty Broadcasting System

TheLiberty Broadcasting Systemwas a U.S.radio networkof the late 1940s and early 1950s founded byGordon McLendon,which mainly broadcast live recreations ofMajor League Baseballgames, by following the action via Western Union ticker reports. The sound effects were very realistic, and many listeners were not aware the broadcasters were not announcing the action live. At that time some major league teams and almost all minor league baseball clubs used recreations of their road games as an economy measure.

Availability

Founded in 1948, the network was mainly inTexasand thesouthwestbut did have nineaffiliatesinOregon,an outlet inLos Angeles,Seattle, and as of September 29, 1950,WHAVin Haverhill, Massachusetts. At one time, it had about 500 radio stations on the line, being second in size only to theMutual Broadcasting System.

Major League Baseball

1950 network advertisement.

It carried various types of programs (for instance, late night band remotes were another feature carried by Liberty) but McLendon, known as the "Old Scotchman", and his daily ball game recreations off theWestern Unionticker provided the big money maker. The recreations used himself and future sportscasting stars such asLindsey NelsonandJerry Doggett.

It was a live, not recreated, game that provided McLendon and Liberty with their greatest career moment. The Scotchman himself was behind the Liberty mic at thePolo Groundsin New York on October 3, 1951, for the finale of the three-gameNational Leagueplay-off series between theNew York GiantsandBrooklyn Dodgers).

Radio was still the more popular nationwide medium then. WithRuss Hodges' famous radio call limited to the Giants' network, McLendon's call is how most Americans heard the NL clincher, including GiantBobby Thomson's ninth-inning three-run homer into the left-field stands to win it for New York. Excerpts of the McLendon broadcast were highlighted in the 2001HBOdocumentaryShot Heard 'Round the World.

See also:Shot Heard 'Round the World (baseball) § The broadcasts

Rights fees

According toTimemagazinearticles of the era, McLendon only paid Major League Baseball$1,000.00 per year for the rights to broadcast the games, but in 1951, the leagues raised the price to $250,000.00 per year, and prohibited broadcasts in any city which had aminor leaguefranchise and in thenortheasternandmidwestern United States.

Liberty baseball commentators

• Bud Blattner(1950–1951)
• Jerry Doggett(1950–1951)
• Gordon McLendon(1949–1952)
• Lindsey Nelson(1950–1951)
• Don Wells
• Wes Wise

See also:Major League Baseball Game of the Week

Demise

Sports were the lifeblood of Liberty. Restrictions on Major League Baseball broadcasts in minor league franchise areas, as well as bans onNational Football Leaguebroadcasts within a 75-mile range of league cities, were the one-two blow which ended the network. Since the baseball games were a major draw for both listeners and affiliates, theblackoutwas a disaster for the fledgling company, which had only posted modest profits during its first few years of operation. More than 100 stations left the network, and, faced with mounting debts, on May 16, 1952, the network ceased broadcasting.

National Basketball Association

Liberty also broadcastNBAgames from roughly, the1950-51through1951-52 seasons.

Commentators

• Hilliard Gates
• Marty Glickman
• Johnny Most

Liberty Broadcasting System today

In the mid-2000s, aSpokane, Washington-based broadcaster, the Mutual Broadcasting System (not related tothe former network), began using the Mutual and Liberty names on its two stations,KTRWAM 970 Spokane; andKTACFM 93.9Ephrata, Washington.These stations have no connections with the original network, but present adult standards, nostalgia, and some Christian programming, using these names as part of the nostalgia-style branding.

External links

• Gordon McLendon Papers, 1917-1978, in the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library at Texas Tech University
• Liberty Broadcasting System—Western States Museum of Broadcasting