June 9, 2025 • 23 mins
We're serving up a delightful portion of nostalgia with an exciting installment of Bill Stern's Sports Newsreel from August 19, 1949. This episode features the legendary baseball pitcher Dizzy Dean, whose larger-than-life personality and unforgettable stories will captivate you. Listen in as Bill Stern recounts the incredible tale of a double knockout in boxing history between Ad Wolgast and Joe Rivers, a fight so extraordinary it has become the stuff of legends. And then a story about Rudolph Valentino and boxing.
Subscribe to the Old Time Radio Snack Wagon at https://www.snackwagon.net
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/old-time-radio-snack-wagon-rare-historic-radio-programs--5919985/support.
Subscribe to the Old Time Radio Snack Wagon at https://www.snackwagon.net
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/old-time-radio-snack-wagon-rare-historic-radio-programs--5919985/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Excuse me, are you Adam Graham?
Speaker 2 (00:02):
The very same? And this is my old time radio snackwagon.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Welcome to the Old Time Radio snack Wagon, where we
serve up a bite sized portion of old time radio.
And now here's your snack wagon host Adam Graham.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Today we're serving up an installment of one of the
Golden Age of radio's most popular programs. We're bringing you
an episode of Bill Stern's Sports Newsreel, which was sponsored
by Colgate for most of its run, but in later
years by Budweiser. Stern was a sports broadcaster, but he
(00:45):
was also the narrator of the news of the day,
newsreels and theaters for MGM. The radio show lasted for
seventeen years, from nineteen thirty nine to nineteen fifty six.
It often featured guest spots by various celebrities with sports
related stories, and rather than choosing one featuring some Hollywood celebrity,
(01:07):
I chose one with a real sports legend. So let's
listen to Bill stern Sports Newsreel from August nineteenth, nineteen
forty nine, with guest Dizzy Dean.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, This is Phill Stern with
a Colgate Shaved Creams sports newsreel.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Coolgehap Man Stern is on the cold get HP store.
Bill's advising you and the King. You'll have a faceless
Molgan teen Colge Shafman Bill.
Speaker 5 (01:34):
Stern five hundred and twelve edition of the Colgate Shaved
Dreams Sports newsreel featuring America's most famous collector of yards
and stories. Some legends, some hearsay, but also interesting. We'd
like to pass them along to you. I had to
do this. Here is radio's number one sports recorder, Bill Stern.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Hello everybody. First, I want to thank all the great stars,
Bill Powell, Frank Sinatra, Pad O'Brien, Ronnie Reagan, Texan Jinks.
All of you pinch it for me while I was away.
You did a wonderful job, and I'm deeply grateful to
every one of you. Our guest tonight is one of
the greatest baseball players of all time, Dizzy Dean. But
before you meet Dizzy Dean, here is real one for
courage and determination. No sports star tops Lubrissy, the sensational
(02:21):
young pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics. Although forced to wear
a heavy brace to support his left leg, which was
shattered by a shell burst during the war. Lou has
become in just two seasons, one of the leading pitchers
in the major leagues. Lubrissy has licked his shaving problem too.
He's a brush and lather man like many of you,
and he chooses Coldgate lather shaving cream. And here's what
he writes.
Speaker 5 (02:42):
Dear Bille, My whiskers are plenty tough and used to
give me some rough innings with the razor, but Colgate
lather shaving cream gets them so soft, so fast. My
razor shaves me close and clean the first time over,
not a trace of pull or scrape. You call Colgate
lather the shaved cream of champions, but in my book,
it's the MP and leather cream for comfortable shaves that
(03:02):
are always slick and smooth. Thanks for tipping me off
to this perfect answer to the old stubble trouble, and.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Thank you, Lou Brissey. I know every man will agree
when he tries cold Gate leather shaving cream. And here's why.
Coldgate lather is light and it's fine textured. It completely
surrounds and softens each bristle. Yes, sir, that rich stain
oist lather supports the whiskers, so your razor doesn't pull
or skid. Instead, it cuts through clean and smooth. That
leaves your face feeling cool and relaxed.
Speaker 6 (03:29):
So try it.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Men. For really clean, cool, comfortable shaves, get Coldgate lather
shaving cream. The lather shaved Cream of Champions. Real two
portrait of the strangest fight on record.
Speaker 6 (03:45):
We've told you.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
On many strange stories about boxing. This story of boxing
is unlike any that you've ever heard before. Every word
of this story is true.
Speaker 6 (03:54):
Yeah, it's so.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Incredible that you may find it hard to believe. So listen, then,
ladies and gentlemen, listen to the strange star of what
might be the most amazing fight of all time. This
fight took place back in the year of nineteen twelve,
when the lightweight champion of the world was our rough,
tough fighter named ad Wolgast ad Waalgast, who battled his
(04:16):
way to the top fight, beating all opposition to become
the world's champion. That is, ad Walgast had beaten everybody
but one man. That one man was another great fighter,
a Mexican named Joe Rivers. That's why when these two
fighters finally did meet. The guys of the entire sporting
world were on ad Wolgast as he prepared to defend
(04:37):
his title against Mexican Joe Rivers. The fight took place
on July the fourth of nineteen twelve, and for the
first twelve rounds, the crowd saw the dirtiest, the most
vicious fight that's ever been fought. Then and came the
thirteenth round. The thirteenth round, with a lightweight championship of
the world at stake, suddenly, suddenly, it happened. Both fighters
(04:58):
lashed out with vicious rights. At the same time, each
man struck the other man right on the chin. At
the same instance, each fighter dropped down to the canvas.
It was a double knockout. Both Ad Walgast and Joe
Rivers were knocked out cold at the same moment. It
was the only double knockout ever scored in a world
championship fight. However, that's not the end of this story.
(05:24):
Exactly eleven years later, in nineteen twenty three, had you
been in the receiving room of a Los Angeles hospital
one evening, you would have seen brought into that hospital
a former lightweight champion of the world, add Walgast. A
few seconds later, another man was brought into the same
hospital room. This second man was Mexican Joe Rivers. So
(05:50):
eleven years after these two men had wound up on
their backs stretched out side by side and a championship fight,
these same two men were on their backs stretched out
side by side, this time in a hospital. Wait a minute,
Wait a minute, there's still more to this absolutely true story.
(06:14):
This in Mexican Joe Rivers met once again. This year
Joe Rivers came to see Ad Walgas. Yeah, this year
Joe Rivers did come to see Ad Walgas, even though
now now Ad Walgas, the former lightweight champion of the world,
is in an insane asylum. Real three Profile of a
(06:47):
strange Man. This is the story of a man who
was born in Lucas, Arkansas. This man was also born
in Hold in Oklahoma. This man was also born in Bond, Mississippi.
How can one man be born in three different states,
Ladies and gentlemen, I do not know, but this man
(07:08):
says that he was. So then let's listen to the
incredible story of a strange man who says he was
born in three different states. He began his baseball career
in the Western Association in Houston, Texas, he fell in
love with a pretty girl. He asked her to marry
him in one of the strangest proposals of marriage ever made.
Speaker 7 (07:27):
For he said, anyway, you say we get married in
the baseball park at home plate.
Speaker 6 (07:32):
I'll marry all right, but not at home plate.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Next he joined the Saint Louis Cardinals. With those Saint
Louis Cardinals, he became the most famous pitcher in baseball.
And as fast as this young pitcher come up, he
went down. Just as fast, ladies and gentlemen, everything I
told you about this man actually did happen. His name,
His name was Dizzy Dan. Here he is speaking in person,
the most famous baseball pitcher of yesteryear.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
The import this.
Speaker 8 (08:00):
Ead good evening, bell and good evening, folks. I ain't
a ballplayer anymore. I ain't a baseball broadcast either, but
I used to be, and a good one. What if
I did say, slid into third he was throwed out anyway?
Besides word, folks, get off criticized my grammar. Chucks. I
only went to the second grade. If I'd have gone
up to the third, I had to pass my old man.
(08:22):
I guess you wonder how I was born in three
different places? Like Bell just said, I was well. One day,
three newspaper men came to me and asked me where
I was born. I didn't want to have them all
print the same story, so I told one I was
born in Arkansas, another I was born in Mississippi, and
the third I was born in Oklahoma. I ain't so
sure about my birthday either. Always thought it was January
(08:43):
the sixteenth, but my dad says it was August the
twenty second. But I figured I ought to know best,
since I was the one who was being born. But
getting back to broadcasting, I like working in a broadcasting booth.
You know what a broadcasting booth is. That's a hog
pin with Venetian blinds. You ought to know, Bill, you've
been in plenty. You're so right, Tiz, Thanks so much,
(09:04):
good luck, and good night, Dizzy Dean. I'll be back
in just a moment with a strange story of a
dead man. But first, here's real four Bob Warren, good.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
Brush and lather. Shaves depend upon two things, good blades
and good shaving cream. If your blades satisfied, but your
shaves don't, mister. You try Colgate Lather shaving cream. You'll
see Colgate Lather takes the roughness and irritation out of
shaving gives you the smooth, cool, comfortable shaves you're after, right, Bille,
It sure does.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Coldgate Leather shaving cream has a light, fine texture that
gets down to the base of your whiskers, sets and
it stays rich and moist on your face. It doesn't
dry out. The result is your razor doesn't drag or pull. Instead,
it cuts through, clean and smooth, and you get a
slick shave. A cool shave leaves your face happy all
day long. Champions in every sport have discovered Coldgate leather
(09:52):
shaving cream.
Speaker 6 (09:52):
So why don't you.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
Write for shaving comfort, shaving smoothness. Use the right cream,
the light cream by Colgate Lather Shaving Cream, the lather
shave of champion.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Real five Portrait of a dead man. That's what I said.
This is the story of a dead man. Wait a minute,
let's go back and begin this story at the beginning.
This dead man was once a boy, an Italian boy
who'd been born in a little town in Italy, and
(10:24):
like most little boys, he was athletic only this Italian
boy was a good athlete. When he was very young,
he took up the sport of fencing, and he soon
became an expert fencer. However, there's another side to the
life of this young Italian athlete. Where as a youngster,
he was always getting himself into trouble. In fact, he
got himself into so much trouble and finally, in desperation,
(10:47):
his parents paid his passage to the United States to
keep him from disgracing the family name. So this young
Italian boy left Italy and he came to America. When
he landed in New York City, he was broke, so
broke that he had to take a job as a dishwasher.
But even in New York, he still managed to get
(11:07):
himself into trouble. This time he got in trouble with
a New York police. However, he was not put in jail. No, no, no, no,
he wasn't put in jail, for he finally had made
up his mind to keep out of trouble. That is,
he made up his mind to keep out of trouble
after his girlfriend had told him, look.
Speaker 6 (11:25):
Will you listen to me, Why can't you behave yourself.
Why must you always be in trouble? I'm getting sick
of hearing about all the fights you get into. If
you're such a great fighter, why don't you fight professionally?
At least you get paid for it that way.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Okay, So he'd be a boxer, and he did become
a boxer, a good boxer, so good that he held
his own with such great fighters as Jack Dempsey and
Gene Tunney. However, this young Italian did not make boxing
his career, even though he could have been a great boxer.
First train, Jesus. It seems this man who could have
been a great boxer loved to write poetry, and he
(12:06):
wrote good poetry too, For it was this rough, tough
prize fighter who wrote the following lines.
Speaker 7 (12:13):
That beloved blossom, a baby's face seems to be love's
resting place, and a million kisses tenderly linger in nextasy. Yeah,
a rough.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Tough prize fighter wrote those beautiful lines. But he gained
no fame as a poetry, nor did he gain fame
as a prize fighter. But he did make a living
as a dancer. That is, he made a living as
a dancer until one day when he went broke in
San Francisco. Because he was broken San Francisco, he went
to a friend for help, a friend who gave him help.
(12:47):
This friend bought this young Italian a railroad ticket to
Los Angeles, and it was in Los Angeles that he
got his big break. For a short time afterwards, this
young Italian was making a minion dollars a year. That's right,
he was making a million dollars a year, but not
(13:08):
as a boxer and not as a poet. No, in
Los Angeles, he became the greatest lover that the screen
has ever known. Where you see this former Italian boxer
and poet was Rudolph Valentino.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
I'm machi.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
That's the incredible story of Rudolph Valentino. Maybe you'd like
to know the name of Rudolph Valentino's friend, That friend
who got in that railroad ticket from San Francisco to
Los Angeles, the friend who enabled Rudolph Valentino to get
his big break. That friend was famous then and he's
still more famous today. Yeah, he is famous for This
man who was responsible for giving Rudolph Valentino his first
(13:50):
big break was Al Jolson. That's ladies and gentlemen, is
the three O mark for tonight. Next Friday Night will
(14:10):
be back, same time, same stations, when our guests will
be the famous baseball star Jackie Robinson. See you then,
I'm till then I'll be seeing you on the screen
in the news of the day, news reels. It's a
favorite lows or associated theaters. Now the next Friday night,
at this very same time, this is Bill Stern wishing
you all a good good night.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
Ogi spere it Bill's advice, and you the King, You'll
have a Facebook The Queen Olgi Shaperyman Billster seeg.
Speaker 9 (14:40):
Eight at last, a good tasting way to help prevent
tooth decay.
Speaker 7 (14:48):
That's new Colgate.
Speaker 9 (14:49):
I'm only ate A tooth powder created in Colgate three
Search Laboratory. Contains the revolutionary dental discovery that helps prevent
new cavities, plus Colgate's exclusive foamy cleaning action and the
refreshing minty flavor you'll enjoy Get Colgate Emoniate a twoth
potter today economical four outsize only forty three cents. We'll
(15:10):
make the nineteen forty nine All American Football Team raid
Bell Stern's pre season choice. In the September issue of
Sport magazine on your new stand today. Bill reveals inside
tips on the football greats of the coming season that
every fan should know. Read them in Sport, the Outstanding
Picture and Story magazine about champions in every field of sport.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
September issue out today. Portions of the Bell Sterns Show
Tonight were transcribed and came to you from New York.
Speaker 7 (15:37):
This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Welcome back. Great to hear Dizzy Dean. He was a
legend for the Saint Louis Cardinals, part of the gas
House Gang team that won the World Series in nineteen
thirty four, when Dean also won the MVP. Any incredible
five seasons wretch where he averaged three hundred and six
(16:04):
innings per season and finished in the top ten in
MVP voting each year, and then injury slowed him down
and he was done with Big League baseball in nineteen
forty one at the age of thirty one. He went
into the broadcast booth for a lot of teams and
(16:24):
was a broadcaster for a time with the Saint Louis Browns,
and as was often the case, the Browns were not
very good. They had an awful pitching staff, and Dane
said on the air that he could go out and
pitch better than the pitching staff for the Browns, and
(16:47):
this got the pitcher's wives angry. They complained, and the team, though,
saw an opportunity, like, let's sell some tickets, so they
had him start the game of the season. And he
went out and he pitched four innings, didn't give up
a run, and actually got a base hit in his
(17:09):
only at bat, but he pulled a hamstring. So for
a guy who hadn't pitched in six years, that was impressive,
you know. And he was such a character. He did
end up going into the Hall of Fame as a
player a few years after this, in nineteen fifty three,
although if he hadn't have, he probably would have gone
(17:32):
in as an announcer because his career wasn't over. In fact, oh,
he hadn't been a broadcaster at the time this episode aired.
He got hired by the Yankees in nineteen fifty and
then in nineteen fifty two became a big voice in
baseball on national broadcast till nineteen sixty five before finishing
(17:57):
his broadcast career with the Brakes. And he was an
incredible character. So many stories about him, and most of
the things about him were true and probably more true
than most of what was heard on Bill Stern's sports
news Reem. One of Stern's former writers, Bill Davidson, wrote
(18:19):
a piece for TV Guide in the nineteen seventies where
he said that he and another writer would quote unquote
unabashedly make up so called true sports stories, mostly about
historical figures Mike Rudolph Volentino, who couldn't say anything. He
(18:41):
says that he made up one about Abraham Lincoln, who,
having been assassinated in four theaters in Washington, regained consciousness
just long enough to say to Secretary of War Stanton.
Speaker 10 (18:56):
Tilt General Abner Diltbilde, not to let me baseball dye.
And he says after that whopper, NBC ordered Stern to
label his dramatization sports Legends. So apparently mister Davidson pushed
the show a little bit too far. As to the
stories here, there's at least a sort of grain of
(19:19):
truth about both of the major stories. The double knockout
between in the fight between Woolgast and Rivers happened, but
it wasn't quite as clean as Stern wrote. In fact,
(19:40):
what happened is the referee helped Wolgas get up and
while he was counting Rivers out. In addition to that,
many witnesses said that Wolgas committed a flagrant foul with
a rabbit punch that probably should have gotten in disqualified.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
But it was true that Wolgas did end up spending
the rest of his days in a mental hospital. He
was committed in nineteen twenty seven, and it is possible
that Joe Rivers visited him there. As to Rudolph Valentino,
he was not really a boxer. He didn't fight Jack Dempsey,
(20:23):
but he took boxing lessons from him. The only boxing
match he ever fought was a grudge fight. He fought
against a balding, out of shape sports reporter who decided
to stand in for the reporter. Valentino challenge to the match,
and Valentino promptly flattened him in one punch. So I
(20:46):
don't know if Valentino had the potential of a pro
boxing career.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Now.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
It is true that Valentino was associated with Jolson, and
I did find one article stating Jolson was key to
bringing Valentino to Los Angeles, but there was no explanation
as to what Jolie did which was key to that happening.
How one views stern Sports Newsreel in historical contexts for
(21:13):
each listeners to decide. Some might view it as harmless,
maybe white lies, maybe tall tales that help build our
nation's enthusiasm for sports. Others might view it as opening
the door to future sensationalists and being a step in
(21:33):
an evolution that led to the sort of outrageous slanders
many t V biopics and latter posthumous hit jobs did
on famous people, which is actually the point of Davidson's
article back in the seventies and critiquing many TV biopics
(21:55):
of the day, and to all the invented facts on
the Internet. But for the original listeners back during the
golden age of radio, I think it's safe to say
that Bill Stern Sports Newsreel wasn't about education. It was
just entertainment. It's time for me to close up the
(22:16):
old snackwagon. But don't worry, We'll be back with another
serving of old time radio goodness before you know it.
If you want to enjoy some of our longer form podcast,
you can feast away at my website at Great Detectives
dot net. Your emails are also welcome at Adam at
snackwagon dot net.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
The Old Time Radio Snackwagon comes to you from Boise, Idaho.
Your host is Adam Graham. Sound production is by Ryn's
Media LLC. You can listen to past episodes of the
Old Time Radio Snackwagon as well as connect on social
media at our website at snackwagon dot net. Email suggestions
(22:57):
for episodes to Adam at snowwagon dot net. This has
been the Old Time Radio snack Wagon.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Until next time. Goodbye,
Excuse me, are you Adam Graham?
Speaker 2 (00:02):
The very same? And this is my old time radio snackwagon.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Welcome to the Old Time Radio snack Wagon, where we
serve up a bite sized portion of old time radio.
And now here's your snack wagon host Adam Graham.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Today we're serving up an installment of one of the
Golden Age of radio's most popular programs. We're bringing you
an episode of Bill Stern's Sports Newsreel, which was sponsored
by Colgate for most of its run, but in later
years by Budweiser. Stern was a sports broadcaster, but he
(00:45):
was also the narrator of the news of the day,
newsreels and theaters for MGM. The radio show lasted for
seventeen years, from nineteen thirty nine to nineteen fifty six.
It often featured guest spots by various celebrities with sports
related stories, and rather than choosing one featuring some Hollywood celebrity,
(01:07):
I chose one with a real sports legend. So let's
listen to Bill stern Sports Newsreel from August nineteenth, nineteen
forty nine, with guest Dizzy Dean.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, This is Phill Stern with
a Colgate Shaved Creams sports newsreel.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Coolgehap Man Stern is on the cold get HP store.
Bill's advising you and the King. You'll have a faceless
Molgan teen Colge Shafman Bill.
Speaker 5 (01:34):
Stern five hundred and twelve edition of the Colgate Shaved
Dreams Sports newsreel featuring America's most famous collector of yards
and stories. Some legends, some hearsay, but also interesting. We'd
like to pass them along to you. I had to
do this. Here is radio's number one sports recorder, Bill Stern.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Hello everybody. First, I want to thank all the great stars,
Bill Powell, Frank Sinatra, Pad O'Brien, Ronnie Reagan, Texan Jinks.
All of you pinch it for me while I was away.
You did a wonderful job, and I'm deeply grateful to
every one of you. Our guest tonight is one of
the greatest baseball players of all time, Dizzy Dean. But
before you meet Dizzy Dean, here is real one for
courage and determination. No sports star tops Lubrissy, the sensational
(02:21):
young pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics. Although forced to wear
a heavy brace to support his left leg, which was
shattered by a shell burst during the war. Lou has
become in just two seasons, one of the leading pitchers
in the major leagues. Lubrissy has licked his shaving problem too.
He's a brush and lather man like many of you,
and he chooses Coldgate lather shaving cream. And here's what
he writes.
Speaker 5 (02:42):
Dear Bille, My whiskers are plenty tough and used to
give me some rough innings with the razor, but Colgate
lather shaving cream gets them so soft, so fast. My
razor shaves me close and clean the first time over,
not a trace of pull or scrape. You call Colgate
lather the shaved cream of champions, but in my book,
it's the MP and leather cream for comfortable shaves that
(03:02):
are always slick and smooth. Thanks for tipping me off
to this perfect answer to the old stubble trouble, and.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Thank you, Lou Brissey. I know every man will agree
when he tries cold Gate leather shaving cream. And here's why.
Coldgate lather is light and it's fine textured. It completely
surrounds and softens each bristle. Yes, sir, that rich stain
oist lather supports the whiskers, so your razor doesn't pull
or skid. Instead, it cuts through clean and smooth. That
leaves your face feeling cool and relaxed.
Speaker 6 (03:29):
So try it.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Men. For really clean, cool, comfortable shaves, get Coldgate lather
shaving cream. The lather shaved Cream of Champions. Real two
portrait of the strangest fight on record.
Speaker 6 (03:45):
We've told you.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
On many strange stories about boxing. This story of boxing
is unlike any that you've ever heard before. Every word
of this story is true.
Speaker 6 (03:54):
Yeah, it's so.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Incredible that you may find it hard to believe. So listen, then,
ladies and gentlemen, listen to the strange star of what
might be the most amazing fight of all time. This
fight took place back in the year of nineteen twelve,
when the lightweight champion of the world was our rough,
tough fighter named ad Wolgast ad Waalgast, who battled his
(04:16):
way to the top fight, beating all opposition to become
the world's champion. That is, ad Walgast had beaten everybody
but one man. That one man was another great fighter,
a Mexican named Joe Rivers. That's why when these two
fighters finally did meet. The guys of the entire sporting
world were on ad Wolgast as he prepared to defend
(04:37):
his title against Mexican Joe Rivers. The fight took place
on July the fourth of nineteen twelve, and for the
first twelve rounds, the crowd saw the dirtiest, the most
vicious fight that's ever been fought. Then and came the
thirteenth round. The thirteenth round, with a lightweight championship of
the world at stake, suddenly, suddenly, it happened. Both fighters
(04:58):
lashed out with vicious rights. At the same time, each
man struck the other man right on the chin. At
the same instance, each fighter dropped down to the canvas.
It was a double knockout. Both Ad Walgast and Joe
Rivers were knocked out cold at the same moment. It
was the only double knockout ever scored in a world
championship fight. However, that's not the end of this story.
(05:24):
Exactly eleven years later, in nineteen twenty three, had you
been in the receiving room of a Los Angeles hospital
one evening, you would have seen brought into that hospital
a former lightweight champion of the world, add Walgast. A
few seconds later, another man was brought into the same
hospital room. This second man was Mexican Joe Rivers. So
(05:50):
eleven years after these two men had wound up on
their backs stretched out side by side and a championship fight,
these same two men were on their backs stretched out
side by side, this time in a hospital. Wait a minute,
Wait a minute, there's still more to this absolutely true story.
(06:14):
This in Mexican Joe Rivers met once again. This year
Joe Rivers came to see Ad Walgas. Yeah, this year
Joe Rivers did come to see Ad Walgas, even though
now now Ad Walgas, the former lightweight champion of the world,
is in an insane asylum. Real three Profile of a
(06:47):
strange Man. This is the story of a man who
was born in Lucas, Arkansas. This man was also born
in Hold in Oklahoma. This man was also born in Bond, Mississippi.
How can one man be born in three different states,
Ladies and gentlemen, I do not know, but this man
(07:08):
says that he was. So then let's listen to the
incredible story of a strange man who says he was
born in three different states. He began his baseball career
in the Western Association in Houston, Texas, he fell in
love with a pretty girl. He asked her to marry
him in one of the strangest proposals of marriage ever made.
Speaker 7 (07:27):
For he said, anyway, you say we get married in
the baseball park at home plate.
Speaker 6 (07:32):
I'll marry all right, but not at home plate.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Next he joined the Saint Louis Cardinals. With those Saint
Louis Cardinals, he became the most famous pitcher in baseball.
And as fast as this young pitcher come up, he
went down. Just as fast, ladies and gentlemen, everything I
told you about this man actually did happen. His name,
His name was Dizzy Dan. Here he is speaking in person,
the most famous baseball pitcher of yesteryear.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
The import this.
Speaker 8 (08:00):
Ead good evening, bell and good evening, folks. I ain't
a ballplayer anymore. I ain't a baseball broadcast either, but
I used to be, and a good one. What if
I did say, slid into third he was throwed out anyway?
Besides word, folks, get off criticized my grammar. Chucks. I
only went to the second grade. If I'd have gone
up to the third, I had to pass my old man.
(08:22):
I guess you wonder how I was born in three
different places? Like Bell just said, I was well. One day,
three newspaper men came to me and asked me where
I was born. I didn't want to have them all
print the same story, so I told one I was
born in Arkansas, another I was born in Mississippi, and
the third I was born in Oklahoma. I ain't so
sure about my birthday either. Always thought it was January
(08:43):
the sixteenth, but my dad says it was August the
twenty second. But I figured I ought to know best,
since I was the one who was being born. But
getting back to broadcasting, I like working in a broadcasting booth.
You know what a broadcasting booth is. That's a hog
pin with Venetian blinds. You ought to know, Bill, you've
been in plenty. You're so right, Tiz, Thanks so much,
(09:04):
good luck, and good night, Dizzy Dean. I'll be back
in just a moment with a strange story of a
dead man. But first, here's real four Bob Warren, good.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
Brush and lather. Shaves depend upon two things, good blades
and good shaving cream. If your blades satisfied, but your
shaves don't, mister. You try Colgate Lather shaving cream. You'll
see Colgate Lather takes the roughness and irritation out of
shaving gives you the smooth, cool, comfortable shaves you're after, right, Bille,
It sure does.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Coldgate Leather shaving cream has a light, fine texture that
gets down to the base of your whiskers, sets and
it stays rich and moist on your face. It doesn't
dry out. The result is your razor doesn't drag or pull. Instead,
it cuts through, clean and smooth, and you get a
slick shave. A cool shave leaves your face happy all
day long. Champions in every sport have discovered Coldgate leather
(09:52):
shaving cream.
Speaker 6 (09:52):
So why don't you.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
Write for shaving comfort, shaving smoothness. Use the right cream,
the light cream by Colgate Lather Shaving Cream, the lather
shave of champion.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Real five Portrait of a dead man. That's what I said.
This is the story of a dead man. Wait a minute,
let's go back and begin this story at the beginning.
This dead man was once a boy, an Italian boy
who'd been born in a little town in Italy, and
(10:24):
like most little boys, he was athletic only this Italian
boy was a good athlete. When he was very young,
he took up the sport of fencing, and he soon
became an expert fencer. However, there's another side to the
life of this young Italian athlete. Where as a youngster,
he was always getting himself into trouble. In fact, he
got himself into so much trouble and finally, in desperation,
(10:47):
his parents paid his passage to the United States to
keep him from disgracing the family name. So this young
Italian boy left Italy and he came to America. When
he landed in New York City, he was broke, so
broke that he had to take a job as a dishwasher.
But even in New York, he still managed to get
(11:07):
himself into trouble. This time he got in trouble with
a New York police. However, he was not put in jail. No, no, no, no,
he wasn't put in jail, for he finally had made
up his mind to keep out of trouble. That is,
he made up his mind to keep out of trouble
after his girlfriend had told him, look.
Speaker 6 (11:25):
Will you listen to me, Why can't you behave yourself.
Why must you always be in trouble? I'm getting sick
of hearing about all the fights you get into. If
you're such a great fighter, why don't you fight professionally?
At least you get paid for it that way.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Okay, So he'd be a boxer, and he did become
a boxer, a good boxer, so good that he held
his own with such great fighters as Jack Dempsey and
Gene Tunney. However, this young Italian did not make boxing
his career, even though he could have been a great boxer.
First train, Jesus. It seems this man who could have
been a great boxer loved to write poetry, and he
(12:06):
wrote good poetry too, For it was this rough, tough
prize fighter who wrote the following lines.
Speaker 7 (12:13):
That beloved blossom, a baby's face seems to be love's
resting place, and a million kisses tenderly linger in nextasy. Yeah,
a rough.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Tough prize fighter wrote those beautiful lines. But he gained
no fame as a poetry, nor did he gain fame
as a prize fighter. But he did make a living
as a dancer. That is, he made a living as
a dancer until one day when he went broke in
San Francisco. Because he was broken San Francisco, he went
to a friend for help, a friend who gave him help.
(12:47):
This friend bought this young Italian a railroad ticket to
Los Angeles, and it was in Los Angeles that he
got his big break. For a short time afterwards, this
young Italian was making a minion dollars a year. That's right,
he was making a million dollars a year, but not
(13:08):
as a boxer and not as a poet. No, in
Los Angeles, he became the greatest lover that the screen
has ever known. Where you see this former Italian boxer
and poet was Rudolph Valentino.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
I'm machi.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
That's the incredible story of Rudolph Valentino. Maybe you'd like
to know the name of Rudolph Valentino's friend, That friend
who got in that railroad ticket from San Francisco to
Los Angeles, the friend who enabled Rudolph Valentino to get
his big break. That friend was famous then and he's
still more famous today. Yeah, he is famous for This
man who was responsible for giving Rudolph Valentino his first
(13:50):
big break was Al Jolson. That's ladies and gentlemen, is
the three O mark for tonight. Next Friday Night will
(14:10):
be back, same time, same stations, when our guests will
be the famous baseball star Jackie Robinson. See you then,
I'm till then I'll be seeing you on the screen
in the news of the day, news reels. It's a
favorite lows or associated theaters. Now the next Friday night,
at this very same time, this is Bill Stern wishing
you all a good good night.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
Ogi spere it Bill's advice, and you the King, You'll
have a Facebook The Queen Olgi Shaperyman Billster seeg.
Speaker 9 (14:40):
Eight at last, a good tasting way to help prevent
tooth decay.
Speaker 7 (14:48):
That's new Colgate.
Speaker 9 (14:49):
I'm only ate A tooth powder created in Colgate three
Search Laboratory. Contains the revolutionary dental discovery that helps prevent
new cavities, plus Colgate's exclusive foamy cleaning action and the
refreshing minty flavor you'll enjoy Get Colgate Emoniate a twoth
potter today economical four outsize only forty three cents. We'll
(15:10):
make the nineteen forty nine All American Football Team raid
Bell Stern's pre season choice. In the September issue of
Sport magazine on your new stand today. Bill reveals inside
tips on the football greats of the coming season that
every fan should know. Read them in Sport, the Outstanding
Picture and Story magazine about champions in every field of sport.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
September issue out today. Portions of the Bell Sterns Show
Tonight were transcribed and came to you from New York.
Speaker 7 (15:37):
This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Welcome back. Great to hear Dizzy Dean. He was a
legend for the Saint Louis Cardinals, part of the gas
House Gang team that won the World Series in nineteen
thirty four, when Dean also won the MVP. Any incredible
five seasons wretch where he averaged three hundred and six
(16:04):
innings per season and finished in the top ten in
MVP voting each year, and then injury slowed him down
and he was done with Big League baseball in nineteen
forty one at the age of thirty one. He went
into the broadcast booth for a lot of teams and
(16:24):
was a broadcaster for a time with the Saint Louis Browns,
and as was often the case, the Browns were not
very good. They had an awful pitching staff, and Dane
said on the air that he could go out and
pitch better than the pitching staff for the Browns, and
(16:47):
this got the pitcher's wives angry. They complained, and the team, though,
saw an opportunity, like, let's sell some tickets, so they
had him start the game of the season. And he
went out and he pitched four innings, didn't give up
a run, and actually got a base hit in his
(17:09):
only at bat, but he pulled a hamstring. So for
a guy who hadn't pitched in six years, that was impressive,
you know. And he was such a character. He did
end up going into the Hall of Fame as a
player a few years after this, in nineteen fifty three,
although if he hadn't have, he probably would have gone
(17:32):
in as an announcer because his career wasn't over. In fact, oh,
he hadn't been a broadcaster at the time this episode aired.
He got hired by the Yankees in nineteen fifty and
then in nineteen fifty two became a big voice in
baseball on national broadcast till nineteen sixty five before finishing
(17:57):
his broadcast career with the Brakes. And he was an
incredible character. So many stories about him, and most of
the things about him were true and probably more true
than most of what was heard on Bill Stern's sports
news Reem. One of Stern's former writers, Bill Davidson, wrote
(18:19):
a piece for TV Guide in the nineteen seventies where
he said that he and another writer would quote unquote
unabashedly make up so called true sports stories, mostly about
historical figures Mike Rudolph Volentino, who couldn't say anything. He
(18:41):
says that he made up one about Abraham Lincoln, who,
having been assassinated in four theaters in Washington, regained consciousness
just long enough to say to Secretary of War Stanton.
Speaker 10 (18:56):
Tilt General Abner Diltbilde, not to let me baseball dye.
And he says after that whopper, NBC ordered Stern to
label his dramatization sports Legends. So apparently mister Davidson pushed
the show a little bit too far. As to the
stories here, there's at least a sort of grain of
(19:19):
truth about both of the major stories. The double knockout
between in the fight between Woolgast and Rivers happened, but
it wasn't quite as clean as Stern wrote. In fact,
(19:40):
what happened is the referee helped Wolgas get up and
while he was counting Rivers out. In addition to that,
many witnesses said that Wolgas committed a flagrant foul with
a rabbit punch that probably should have gotten in disqualified.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
But it was true that Wolgas did end up spending
the rest of his days in a mental hospital. He
was committed in nineteen twenty seven, and it is possible
that Joe Rivers visited him there. As to Rudolph Valentino,
he was not really a boxer. He didn't fight Jack Dempsey,
(20:23):
but he took boxing lessons from him. The only boxing
match he ever fought was a grudge fight. He fought
against a balding, out of shape sports reporter who decided
to stand in for the reporter. Valentino challenge to the match,
and Valentino promptly flattened him in one punch. So I
(20:46):
don't know if Valentino had the potential of a pro
boxing career.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Now.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
It is true that Valentino was associated with Jolson, and
I did find one article stating Jolson was key to
bringing Valentino to Los Angeles, but there was no explanation
as to what Jolie did which was key to that happening.
How one views stern Sports Newsreel in historical contexts for
(21:13):
each listeners to decide. Some might view it as harmless,
maybe white lies, maybe tall tales that help build our
nation's enthusiasm for sports. Others might view it as opening
the door to future sensationalists and being a step in
(21:33):
an evolution that led to the sort of outrageous slanders
many t V biopics and latter posthumous hit jobs did
on famous people, which is actually the point of Davidson's
article back in the seventies and critiquing many TV biopics
(21:55):
of the day, and to all the invented facts on
the Internet. But for the original listeners back during the
golden age of radio, I think it's safe to say
that Bill Stern Sports Newsreel wasn't about education. It was
just entertainment. It's time for me to close up the
(22:16):
old snackwagon. But don't worry, We'll be back with another
serving of old time radio goodness before you know it.
If you want to enjoy some of our longer form podcast,
you can feast away at my website at Great Detectives
dot net. Your emails are also welcome at Adam at
snackwagon dot net.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
The Old Time Radio Snackwagon comes to you from Boise, Idaho.
Your host is Adam Graham. Sound production is by Ryn's
Media LLC. You can listen to past episodes of the
Old Time Radio Snackwagon as well as connect on social
media at our website at snackwagon dot net. Email suggestions
(22:57):
for episodes to Adam at snowwagon dot net. This has
been the Old Time Radio snack Wagon.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Until next time. Goodbye,
Popular Podcasts
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com