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Debuted #29 for the week of September 6, 1966, “Respect” peaks at #6 (1 week) on the WKNR Music Guide, September 26, 1966. Having charted 6 weeks overall — on its final week on the Keener charts the Cameo single drops out at #10 for the week of October 10, 1966.
Source: The WKNR Music Guides [1966]
Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
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Debuted #29 for the week of August 8, 1966, “96 Tears” peaks at #2 (2 weeks) on the WKNR Music Guide, August 22, 1966. Having charted 6 weeks overall — on its final week on the Keener charts the Cameo Parkway single drops out at #7 for the week of September 12, 1966.
Source: The WKNR Music Guides [1966]
Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
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Debuted #27 for the week of March 30, 1966, “Better Man Than I” peaks at #10 (2 weeks) on the WKNR Music Guide, April 20, 1966. Having charted 5 weeks overall — on its final week on the Keener charts the Lucky Eleven single drops out at #13 for the week of April 27, 1966.
Source: The WKNR Music Guides [1966]
Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
NEW! The featured WWWW Doug Podell audio file, in its original and unrestored form was selected for today’s special aircheck “restoration” presentation.
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Newly restored! This selected audio recording was digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
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DETROIT FREE PRESS Tuesday, September 28, 1999 — The Corner rocked.
Music blared everywhere. So many flashbulbs were popping at times Monday that it seemed as if the Beatles were taking the stage. Strangers talked baseball to strangers.
On the final day at Tiger Stadium, fans staged a festive wake for the old ballpark that featured heavy nostalgia, 65 old-time players and a rooftop grand slam.
The daylong celebration concluded with an emotional ceremony in which groundskeeper Charlie McGee dug up home plate with a pickaxe and took the precious cargo in a motorcade across downtown to the new Comerica Park.
Moments later, a cast of former Tigers took their old positions to loud applause and participated in a ceremonial lowering of the stadium flag.
The evening ended with many of the 43,356 fans standing at their seats, piano music playing over the public address system and the lights slowly going dark for the final time. As some fans daubed tears from their eyes and other beamed wide smiles, beloved announcer Ernie Harwell bid farewell to one of the most historic piece of baseball real estate in America.
“Tonight, we must say goodbye,” Harwell said, “So long old friend. We will remember.”
Cheers for players, stadium
The game highlight was Robert Fick’s based-loaded home run that slammed into the roof in right-field and bounced back into the field. The blast iced the game for the Tigers, and Fick, hardly a household name in the game, was signing autographs well into the night.
After the game, fans grew hoarse cheering for the former Tigers who entered the field from centerfield for the closing ceremony as music from “Braveheart” played. First to appear was Mark “The Bird” Fidrych, the sensation of the mid-1970s who ran to the pitcher’s mound and scooped dirt into a plastic bag.
Players who received some of the loudest cheers were hometown favorites Willie Horton, Kirk Gibson and Ron LeFlore. Fans also screamed for Alan Trammel and Lou Whittaker, Gates Brown and Al Kaline. Some fans seemed stunned to see some long-forgotten heroes as Jim Bunning, Eddie Yost and Charlie (Paw Paw) Maxwell.
“Awesome, just awesome,” gushed Richard Coriaty, 36, a former Detroiter who traveled from Fontana, Calif. for the game.
Coriaty swept his hand toward the field, where the players assembled, dressed in the plain white uniforms with the old English D on their chest. “You know, of all the . . . things that have happened in this city, the one thing we all have in common is those guys out there.”
And the old building that became our field of dreams.
[Note: See Detroit Free Press article below for more. Click over images with mouse, or tap on and stretch article (and all photos and box scores) across your mobile device screen for larger detailed view].
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Jim Price, a former catcher for the Detroit Tigers and a key member of their 1968 championship team, passed away at the age of 81. The Tigers announced his death on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, but no cause was provided.
Price played with the Tigers from 1967 to 1971, primarily as a backup to All-Star catcher Bill Freehan. Over the course of 261 games, he recorded a batting average of .214, with 18 home runs and 71 RBIs, contributing to the team’s 1968 World Series victory.
In 1998, Price began his broadcasting career as a radio analyst for the Tigers, later expanding to their television coverage. Originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he excelled in three sports at Hershey High School before signing with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960, opting out of college football scholarship offers.
Alongside his wife, Lisa, Price co-founded a nonprofit organization called Jack’s Place, named after their son, who has autism, aimed at providing support for individuals and families affected by the disorder.
Jim Price partnered with Ernie Harwell in the Tigers broadcasting booth from 1999 to 2002.
Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
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Before the final game at Tiger Stadium, a ceremony took place, hosted by Ernie Harwell, the current Tiger broadcaster and recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award. Owner Mike Ilitch addressed the crowd, joined by Michigan Governor John Engler, Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer, and Commissioner of Baseball Bud Selig. The event also featured Hall of Famer and longtime Tigers right fielder Al Kaline.
Instead of the usual lineup exchange between managers, both teams designated honorary captains. Al Kaline represented the Tigers, while former MVP and Hall of Fame third baseman George Brett stood for the Royals.
The game concluded at 7:07 PM, after which the grounds crew gathered around home plate. At 7:13 PM, groundskeeper Charlie McGee used a pickaxe to remove home plate, which was then escorted by police and carried to Comerica Park by Tiger pitchers Matt Anderson, Jeff Weaver, and Francisco Cordero.
Ernie Harwell took the stage to recount the history of Tiger Stadium, accompanied by music from *Field of Dreams*. He presented a film featuring legendary Tigers like Ty Cobb, Sam Crawford, Hughie Jennings, and Harry Heilmann, and recognized the Hall of Famers: Heinie Manush, Mickey Cochrane, Charlie Gehringer, Hank Greenberg, Hal Newhouser, and George Kell.
Following speeches from Willie Horton and former manager Sparky Anderson, a group of former players emerged from the center field gate. This included Mark Fidrych, Bill Freehan, Dick McAuliffe, Dave Bergman, Mickey Stanley, Kirk Gibson, Cecil Fielder, Al Kaline, and the duo of Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker, along with Elden Auker. They formed a line from the center field flagpole to home plate, passing the flag that had flown over the stadium during its finale.
After Auker handed the flag to catcher Brad Ausmus, players tossed souvenirs into the stands, while some fans collected dirt from the warning track in plastic bags. At that moment, Harwell delivered his final farewell: “Tonight, we say good-bye… Farewell, old friend Tiger Stadium. We will remember.”
At 8:19 PM, the scoreboard was turned off. A final team photo was taken at 8:45 PM, and by 9 PM, the stands were empty. As the last fans departed, a sign was hung from the iconic right-center field overhang that read: “Today, there is crying in baseball. So long, old friend.”
Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
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NEW! A special THANK YOU to Mark Yurko, of Langhorne, PA., for this CKLW aircheck contribution for our Motor City Radio Flashbacks airchecks repository.
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Newly restored! This selected audio recording was digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
“This month’s personality is Christine Schumacher. She is a five foot, blue-eyed blond from Room 213, the Braille class.
I’m not going to tell you what she’s like but I’m going to tell you what she did! About a month and a half ago, she entered the WKNR Scott Regen‘s ‘Record A Record With The Supremes’ contest. Well, she won, went to Motown Studios, she recorded, “Mother You, Smother You.” It is a hit now and is it ever great.
If you haven’t heard it yet, tune to WKNR, 1300 on your radio, between 7 and 9 at night. What do you know, we’ve got a star in our school!”
Audio digitally remastered by Motor City Radio Flashbacks
In 2015, I was immediately captivated when I came across the second page of Wilson Junior High School’s student newsletter, *The Spotlight*, dated January 27, 1967. This brief article, penned by Debbie Tosoain, was shared by Marilyn V. Harris, a Wilson alumna, in a Facebook post on May 15 within the Wilson Jr. High School group, where I am also a member. The piece evoked a fond memory of a well-known student who was at our school during that time.
In September 1966, I was new to Woodrow Wilson Junior High, having transitioned from Bennett Elementary School. At just 13 years old, like many of us were then, I started my three-year journey at Wilson, located on Lane Street in Southwest Detroit. After reading the Spotlight article, I was instantly reminded of Christine Schumacher, a prominent student who was there during my time at the school, from 1966 to 1969.
Most of us who attended Wilson would probably agree that Christine’s kindness, intelligence, and infectious wit left a lasting impact on everyone at the school. She was always eager to engage in conversations and her smile had a special way of winning over both students and the entire faculty during her time there.
Seeing her at various school events during our school years at the time, this article rekindled a special memory about her from late-1966. Christine, who was also blind, made the long journey from her home in Northwest Detroit (Sussex St.) to attend Wilson’s specialized classes for students with special needs, as was highlighted in the January 27, 1967 Spotlight issue from that time.
[MCRFB Note: Mouse click over (PC) or tap and stretch (mobile screen) over all images for largest digitized read.]
I vividly still recall the thrill that spread through the entire school when it was announced that it was Christine who had won the “Record A Record With The Supremes” contest, sponsored by WKNR and Motown Records. This contest was heavily promoted on Keener 13 for many weeks, late in the fall of 1966, most particularly during Scott Regen’s nightly show from 7 to 10 p.m. on WKNR.
During the course of our discussion about Christine and Motown (2015), a member of the Wilson group commened that she was 62 years old (then, she would be 71 today), and that she was alive and well, living in the east side of Dearborn, on Schaefer Rd., south of Michigan Ave. Post-Wilson, it was also mentioned she had pursued a career as a school teacher, focusing on working with impaired and special needs students throughout the years.
After some time, and as the discussions about Christine Schumacher on the Wilson Junior High School Facebook page (from May 15, 2015) came to a close, I, as a fellow group member, posted my final thoughts on June 5:
“To my fellow Wilson Junior High friends . . . I’ll be sharing more–something very special about Christine, Scott Regen (WKNR), and her recording with Motown on my website, Motor City Radio Flashbacks, soon. It will relate the very moment she was told she was the winner of the WKNR ‘Record A Record With The Supremes’ contest back in November 1966.”
I hope you’ll enjoy this special memory. For this was her remarkable moment, 58-years ago. When, in November 1966, she received the call from WKNR’s Scott Regen, congratulating her as the winner who would record with Motown’s Supremes—the #1 female group in the world at that time.
Wow. Christine Schumacher! While that event may have been a brief but memorable highlight for her (and for us at Wilson) at the time, she is fondly remembered, yet still today . . . our school’s very own Motown star. 🙂
MCRFB Update: We recently reached out to Scottie Regen and he kindly provided some personal recollections about Christine and the ‘Record with the Supremes’ contest which he launched, in conjuction with Motown Records and Barney Ales, while at WKNR in October 1966 . . . from September 24, 2024, Scottie Regen, he writes:
As for Christine being the winner, what happened was the idea struck me one night, and so I reached out to my friend, Barney Ales, the head of promotions at Motown at the time, to see what he thought about it, about the possibilities a contest with Motown records could take place for a lucky WKNR listener to record with the Supremes. He listened to my idea, he thought about it . . .and, he loved it!
I had a great time being present in the studio for that promotion. All the contest finalists (including Christine) were recorded at Golden World on Davison (in early-1966 G.W. became Motown Studio B), and Brian Holland—who produced hits for the Four Tops, the Supremes, and Martha and the Vandellas—managed everything for the contest. I really enjoyed collaborating with him. In hindsight, I think Motown viewed it as a talent search, and I wish they had taken it a bit further. Christine brought a sweet, innocent vibe, and she was truly amazed to have won the contest! –Robert Bernstein (Scottie Regen, WKNR)
NEW! Our first WTAK audio inclusion! A special THANK YOU to our friend, Jim Nuznoff, of Port Charlotte, Florida, for this WTAK 1090 contribution (he personally recorded in 1969) for our Motor City Radio Flashbacks airchecks repository.
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Jim writes (January 9, 2024) — “This track features Paul Winter, as mid-afternoon host on “W-Talk.” The caller’s voice is that of Tom Morkemo, who was 16 years old, and was a former neighbor of mine whose father was transferred by his employer to the Phillipines for several years. Tom, at the time, prided himself as a young history buff and was trying to impress Winter, in this recording, with his knowledge of current affairs and the world of politics.” –Jim Nuznoff
Newly restored! This selected audio recording was digitally restored by Motor City Radio Flashbacks.
