Today is July 1. It marks the implementation of the new “balanced” State budget. It is also the official date that the University of Nebraska becomes part of the BIG 10 conference (which now has 12 schools). Don’t they teach math in college. The NBA (National Basketball Association) is officially on strike. The NFL is on strike. There sure seems to be a lot of tension.
I’ve been reading articles about “old time” baseball players. Several talk about growing up in the 1930’s and 1940’s. There were no TV’s in those days. As kids. these legends of the game would take their small radios and crawl under the covers to listen to broadcast of major league games. The baseball contest would play out in their minds. Ted Williams hitting a homerun. Joe DiMaggio hitting in 56 straight baseball games. Herb Score throwing “bullets” to post another no-hitter. The baseball fantasies were played.
Believe it or not, until I was 13-14 years old, our family did not have a TV. It was in 1954 my Dad bought a new Hoffman black and white TV which required a 20 foot high antenna mounted on top of the City Club for better reception. I grew up having to rely on radio’s for my electronic entertainment. I remember having a radio in my bedroom. I never pulled it under the covers to capture but I found other ways to fully capture a broadcast. The “Shadow” was a favorite. It always began with “who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of man. The Shadow knows”. Then there would be a deep, troubling nasty laugh by the Shadow. The Shadow was always accompanied by his trusty female sidekick, Margo. I always suspected they were an “item” but that was my imagination working. Imagine that!
Radio’s brought me programs like the Lone Ranger, Fibber Magee and Molly, and the Green Hornet. All vivid presentations. All memorable. Under the covers or in a quiet room, the days of radio were special.
Enjoy the 4th of July.
Love,
Dad