Alan’s TTIM Stories #2

Ford Christopher Frick accomplished the challenging ascent from sportswriter to Commissioner of Major League Baseball. As a teacher, he influenced young minds. As a sportswriter, he influenced the perception of readers. As Commissioner, he influenced all aspects of the game. With a long, impressive rise to the top of the sports world, he was unprepared to face a short, gray-haired woman with a microphone.   

Frick took over the position as only the third person to hold the job. The first Commissioner, Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis demanded a life-long appointment with absolute power to restore and maintain the integrity of professional baseball after the Black Socks Scandal of 1919. The Cincinnati Reds became the beneficiary of the scandal, winning the World Series – an irony revealed later in the story. Frick understood the power of the position, though his most controversial action during his term was adding an asterisk next to Roger Maris’s home run record of 1961.

Ruth Lyons hid a hand-held microphone in a hand-full of flowers. The soft bouquet hid the persona of a stern, judgmental, opinionated television host –  demanding attention to dominate the airwaves of middle America. The Queen of the Queen City ruled over her court between 1949 and 1967 at the 50/50 Club from WLW in Cincinnati, hawking products in conversational form interspersed with mediocre musical acts. Interviews were unrehearsed leading to spontaneous reactions from startled guests. Her popular Cincinnati show expanded to Dayton, Columbus, and Indianapolis.

Lyons is credited for beginning daytime talk television, appealing to stay-at-home mothers and retirees by projecting the opposite of the quiet, happy homemakers of the 50’s. Her bravado became an affirmation for the worth of every women creating a loyal following and influencing future television stars David Letterman and Phil Donahue.

She started the Ruth Lyons Christmas Fund on the radio in 1939 to provide toys to children in hospitals around the holidays – 27 years before the Jerry Lewis Telethons. Every year she implored her loyal viewers to send whatever they could with the nickels and dimes adding up to millions over the years.    

Also an avid sports fan, she constantly promoted her beloved Cincinnati Reds. She led the audience and home viewers in a rendition of “Rally Round the Reds” sung to the tune of Rally Round the Flag. And we’ll win the pennant in September.

Major League All Star players were chosen by voting from the fans in the 1950’s. In 1957, Lyons conducted an all-out effort to ensure votes for Reds players in a classic example of stuffing the ballot box. To aide her efforts, local newspapers printed pre-marked ballots with the Reds players checked in every position. Burger Beer, a Reds sponsor, distributed 250,000 ballots to local bars. Alcohol-induced bloodshot eyes didn’t need to focus.

The game in St. Louis at Busch Stadium including the National League starting lineup with Reds – Ed Baily, Johnny Temple, Roy McMillan, Don Hoak, Frank Robinson, Gus Bell, and Wally Post – seven of the starting nine. First basemen, Stan Musial beat Reds George Crowe by a narrow margin. Frick could not stand for the injustice. Using powers claimed for himself, he stepped in and replaced Bell and Post with future Hall of Famers – Willie Mays and Hank Aaron.  During the game, Hoak and McMillan had one at bat then replaced by other future Hall of Famers – Eddie Matthews and Ernie Banks.

Through all the controversy – the American League won the game with three runs in the ninth inning.

This national embarrassment changed All Star voting for the next twelve years with players chosen by managers, players, and coaches until 1970.

The little lady from Cincinnati made her mark in broadcasting history and Major League Baseball with the power of one voice.

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Copyright 2024 © Alan Vandervoort

Resources:
Personal observations (I watched the 50/50 Club!)
Bleacher Report
Wikipedia
Baseball Almanac
Redleg Nation

Follow Alan’s TTIM Stories at Facebook.com/alan.vandervoort or Instagram & Threads vandervoort_author or www.alanvandervoort.com. Novels: Sandhills – A Novel and Key Largo Summer are found at Booklocker.com and other online booksellers.