EDDIE KENDRICKS * 1973
Category: Flashbacks
50 YEARS AGO! RECALLED: THE YEAR OF THE TIGER, ’68
ERNIE HARWELL and RAY LANE * SIDE 01 * THE YEAR OF THE TIGER ’68
ERNIE HARWELL and RAY LANE * SIDE 02 * THE YEAR OF THE TIGER ’68
THE YEAR OF THE TIGER ’68
The Detroit Tigers Win The American League Pennant
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The Year of the Tiger — 1968? Well, yes. But it was more than that. Far more. It was the year of Detroit . . . when an entire community, an entire city, was caught up in the frenzy of a baseball team trying to win a pennant. Not just any team. Not just any pennant. This was special. This was a stricken city, a worried citizenry, which finally found itself bound together in a common goal.
Corny? Maybe so. We can be pretty cynical. We newspapermen, but there was no doubting the fervor or the fever of the people of our city as they tried mightily to pull the Tigers along to the American League pennant . . . their first pennant in 23 years. That’s a long time, 23 years. You can raise families and send them through college in 23 years. Some can go to war. Some can start raising families of their own. All this happened since the last time the Tigers won the American League pennant.
The mood of our city was anything but gay in the spring of 1968. The summer loomed ominously. The newspaper strike droned on and on . . . but something happened in the middle of 1968. You would pull up to the light at Woodward and Clairmount and the guy in the next car would have his radio tuned up. ” . . . Horton stepping in. Willie’s had two hits tonight.” Or you would pick your way through the mobs at Metropolitan Beach and even though you wouldn’t have a radio, you wouldn’t miss a pitch. ” . . . Stanley leading off second. Northrup off first — here’s the pitch from Katt.” Rouge Park . . . Belle Isle . . . the kitchens of the poshest restaurants in town . . . and those awful moments at the bottom of the Windsor Tunnel when you couldn’t pick up Ernie or Ray — and just when Bill Freehan got around to third base with the tying run. The stirring strains of “Go Get ‘Em, Tigers” everywhere.
A baseball team trying to win a pennant. Men playing a boy’ game. Well, yes. That’s the way it was in The Year of the Tiger — 1968. But it was a year I will never forget. It was a year when an entire community, an entire city, was caught up in the frenzy of a baseball team trying to win a pennant. For a moment I even forgot some of my worries.
— Joe Falls, Sports Editor, Detroit Free Press
ABOUT THIS ALBUM
Authored by Joe Falls, his commentary (as worded verbatim in its entirety here) was printed on the B-side of the LP cover, “The Year Of The Tiger ’68”. The album was presented by the National Bank of Detroit and offered exclusively through their NBD outlets in the Detroit area.
“The Year Of The Tiger ’68” was officially released to the public, Friday, October 11, 1968, the day after the Detroit Tigers won the 1968 World Series.
NBC SPORTS RADIO PRESENTS! THE 1968 WORLD SERIES
THE 1968 WORLD SERIES: GAME 6
Detroit Tigers vs St. Louis Cardinals
Wednesday, October 9, 1968
50 YEARS AGO TODAY. THE NBC RADIO NETWORK
Note: For the game’s complete stats (10/09/1968) click on the Baseball Reference (highlighted) link above.
NBC RADIO SPORTS * Ernie Harwell & Pee Wee Reese * WWJ 950 DETROIT * 10/09/1968
A NOTE ABOUT THESE 1968 WORLD SERIES BROADCASTS
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All seven games of the 1968 World Series aired on Detroit radio NBC affiliate WWJ-AM 950 and also on Detroit CBS affiliate WJR-AM 760.
WJR was the flagship station for the Detroit Tigers baseball broadcasts with Ernie Harwell and Ray Lane calling the games.
The 1968 World Series games was telecast on Detroit CBS WJBK TV (Channel 2) and also on Detroit NBC WWJ TV (Channel 4).
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Motor City Radio Flashbacks features Game 6 of the 1968 World Series — today — the represented date the game actually aired 50 years ago, October 1968.
Game 7: Wednesday, October 10, 2018 Motor City Radio Flashbacks
Above articles courtesy freep.com newspapers archives. Copyright 2018; Newspapers.com
The above featured news prints was clipped, saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
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October 9, 1968: Tigers 13 — Cardinals 1
THE GAMES RESUMES 10/05/18: THE ’68 WORLD SERIES!
THE ’68 WORLD SERIES CONTINUES TOMORROW
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When the ’68 World Series games came home to Detroit!
NBC Sports Radio covers Game 3 of the 1968 World Series — resuming October 5 on Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
Motor City Radio Flashbacks will feature the ’68 World Series’ Game 4 on October 6 and Game 5 on October 7, when the games shifted back to Detroit for a three-game home stand, October 1968.
Above article courtesy freep.com newspapers archives. Copyright 2018; Newspapers.com
The above featured news prints was clipped, saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
A MCRFB Viewing Tip: On your PC? For a larger detailed read CLICK ON ALL IMAGES 2x and open to second window. Click image to return to NORMAL image size.
Click your server’s back button to return to MCRFB home page.
On your mobile device? Tap on image. Open to second window. “Stretch” across the featured article to magnify largest print view.
50th! Reliving the 1968 World Series — as it happened — on Motor City Radio Flashbacks
NBC SPORTS RADIO PRESENTS! THE 1968 WORLD SERIES
THE 1968 WORLD SERIES: GAME 1
Detroit Tigers vs St. Louis Cardinals
Wednesday, October 2, 1968
THE NBC SPORTS RADIO NETWORK. 50 YEARS AGO TODAY
For the game’s complete stats (10/02/1968) click on the Baseball Reference (highlighted) link above.
NBC RADIO SPORTS * Ernie Harwell & Pee Wee Reese * WWJ 950 DETROIT * 10/02/1968
A NOTE ABOUT THESE 1968 WORLD SERIES BROADCASTS
*****
All seven games of the 1968 World Series aired on Detroit radio NBC affiliate WWJ-AM 950 and also on Detroit CBS affiliate WJR-AM 760.
WJR was the flagship station for the Detroit Tigers baseball broadcasts with Ernie Harwell and Ray Lane calling the games.
The 1968 World Series games was telecast on Detroit CBS WJBK TV (Channel 2) and also on Detroit NBC WWJ TV (Channel 4).
*****
Motor City Radio Flashbacks features Game 1 of the 1968 World Series — today — the represented date the game actually aired 50 years ago, October 1968.
Game 2: Tuesday, October 3, 2018 Motor City Radio Flashbacks
Above article courtesy freep.com newspapers archives. Copyright 2018; Newspapers.com
The above featured news prints was clipped, saved, and imaged from the credited source by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
A MCRFB Viewing Tip: On your PC? For a larger detailed read CLICK ON ALL IMAGES 2x and open to second window. Click image to return to NORMAL image size.
Click your server’s back button to return to MCRFB home page.
On your mobile device? Tap on image. Open to second window. “Stretch” across the featured article to magnify largest print view.
October 2, 1968: Cardinals 4 – Tigers 0
ROOSTERTAIL ’66: THE TEMPTS’ LIVE AT THE UPPER DECK!
THE ’68 MAGICAL YEAR THAT WAS! GO GET ‘EM TIGERS
ARTIE FIELDS PRODUCTIONS * “Go Get ‘Em Tigers” * 1968
THE ’68 WORLD SERIES. BEGINNING TOMORROW ON MOTOR CITY RADIO FLASHBACKS!
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In commemorating the 50th anniversary when the Detroit Tigers won it all in October ’68, Motor City Radio Flashbacks will be presenting the complete 7 games of the 1968 World Series.
Look for each respective game to be posted on the represented dates the game actually aired over NBC radio affiliate WWJ 950 in Detroit, October 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 2018.
With each posted game featured, you will find game-day links, next-day newspaper pages and clippings (courtesy of the Detroit Free Press archives) and many photos from the ’68 Series.
This exclusive 1968 World Series presentation will be a memorable commemoration recalling that ’68 magical baseball year the Motor City celebrated fifty years ago. Truly, still remembered as . . . “the year of the Tiger.”
Look for it here. All 7 games of the 1968 World Series. Starting tomorrow, October 2. Only on Motor City Radio Flashbacks
THE ’68 MAGICAL YEAR THAT WAS! GO GET ‘EM TIGERS
ARTIE FIELDS PRODUCTIONS * “Go Get ‘Em Tigers” * 1968
THE ’68 WORLD SERIES. COMING SOON ON MOTOR CITY RADIO FLASHBACKS!
*****
In commemorating the 50th anniversary when the Detroit Tigers won it all in October ’68, Motor City Radio Flashbacks will be presenting the complete 7 games of the 1968 World Series.
Look for each respective game to be posted on the represented dates the game actually aired over NBC radio affiliate WWJ 950 in Detroit, October 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 2018.
With each posted game featured, you will find game-day links, next-day newspaper pages and clippings (courtesy of the Detroit Free Press archives) and many photos from the ’68 Series.
This exclusive 1968 World Series presentation will be a memorable commemoration recalling that ’68 Detroit magical baseball year we celebrated fifty years ago. Truly, still remembered as . . . “the year of the Tiger.”
So look for it here.
Beginning next week, Tuesday, October 2. Only on Motor City Radio Flashbacks!
THE JIMMY LAUNCE SHOW. A THEME RECALLED. ‘GINA’
WJR RADIO 760 * Theme from the Jimmy Launce Show * DON COSTA ORCHESTRA
‘GINA’
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In lieu of Jimmy Launce’s recent passing, August 28, Motor City Radio Flashbacks has received several requests for his designated show theme which Jimmy played for decades on WJR.
“Gina,” was the instrumental version Jimmy Launce had preferenced from the Don Costa 1964 album, “The Golden Touch“.
Beginning 1965, the selection, “Gina,” was heard at the close of his afternoon shows for nearly 30 years on WJR radio.
Motor City Radio Flashbacks remembers.
A SUMMER HIATUS! WEBSITE WILL RESUME ON 09/04/18
HAPPY LABOR DAY, 2018!
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Just a note to inform this website will be taking a short, late-summer break, beginning August 23. But the website is open always. 24/7! 🙂
Motor City Radio Flashbacks will resume its website features and operations, Tuesday, September 4, 2018.
Enjoy . . . have a safe Labor Day holiday weekend!