Gary Allyn's RadiOpinion
UNDER THE INFLUENCE
It's always very flattering when someone who worked with or for you; or someone who was just
a listener perhaps, comes up to you and mentions what an influence you had on them. I like that, for
at some time in Life, we are all influenced by someone or some event. Sometimes for the good,
a listener perhaps, comes up to you and mentions what an influence you had on them. I like that, for
at some time in Life, we are all influenced by someone or some event. Sometimes for the good,
sometimes for the not so good. Most of the time it's your
parents, an athlete, an entertainer, a
family member, a good friend, or some special inspiring
event. As for me, it was Bill Stern the great
Sportscaster. Thinking back, "The Bill Stern Sports
Reel" probably influenced more than I realized.
Bill was thought by many to be the greatest sports
broadcaster of all time. I can't refute that claim.
Now, Bill Stern was also known to "make up" a few
"facts" and stories, but I didn't care. No one on the air had the flair or pizazz of delivery Bill had. I was
probably 8 or 9 years old when I could not miss his nightly "Sports Reel" on NBC. I listened to WLW at
the time. This was the early to mid forties, and we all could use some relief from World War II. Bill provided
it to me-and how. I even remember he was sponsored by Colgate Shaving Cream...I still remember the
singing jingle:
Bill Stern the Colgate Shave Cream man is on the air!
Bill Stern the Colgate Shave Cream man with stories rare!
Take his advice and you'll look nice,
Your face will feel as cool as ice,
With Colgate shaves you'll be a fan!
Bill Stern the Colgate Shave Cream man with stories rare!
Take his advice and you'll look nice,
Your face will feel as cool as ice,
With Colgate shaves you'll be a fan!
Funny, I still use
a lot of Colgate products to this day. I know advertising works. That's
Influence!
Well, Bill would
always...always end his heart tugging story with: "..and that's the
three-uh, mark for
tonight". What
did he say? Was it three-ooh mark? Or was it the thrill mark for tonight? I
could never
understand what he
was saying, I never heard that before. I remember when the end of the program
was nearing, I
would ask everyone in the living room to "shush", shhhh! Quiet, I
have to hear this!" Then I would press my
ear tightly to the woven fabric speaker screen on the front of our
Stromberg-Carlson console radio.
"here it comes". he's about to say it! "....."and that's the
three-old mark for tonight". No, that's not
right...what was Bill saying there? My parents were no help either. Alas!
So several years go by, I'm in a senior high school Journalism class when teacher Ms. Van Tress was mentioning some journalism terms used in newspaper writing. She said that at the end of a written or typed story one used the term or numbers: 30(thirty). It meant "The End". Zap!!! BINGO!!!
Something akin to a lightening bolt
shot through my brain and I loudly
exclaimed: "Ohhhh!" like I had been hit by a baseball bat! Ms. Van
Tress asked if I was all right.
I replied that I was...I had just thought of something. Yes I did alright.
THAT'S what Bill Stern
meant.."That's the three-oh mark for the night", meant it was
"Thirty" or "The End". WOW! What a relief
that I finally figured it out. Now I realize, how much Radio can influence
you. Thank you Bill
Stern for influencing me. You not only gave me a love of sports, but less than
a year later I was a D.J.
on WING in Dayton, Ohio. You, Bill, gave me a love of Radio. All because I
listened to the
"magic" you communicated to me through the air waves. I WAS indeed,
UNDER THE INFLUENCE! " and that's the three-oh mark for now".
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