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Garagiola, Joe

Joe Garagiola – Legacy

​Joe Garagiola began his broadcast career in St. Louis after a nine year run as a major league baseball catcher.

​A native of The Hill neighborhood in St. Louis, Garagiola signed on to do color for Cardinals’ radio broadcasts.

​He said he had prepared for the job by practicing play-by-play announcing and accepting every speaking request he got. “I went to more meetings in Protestant churches and Jewish temples than any Catholic in history.”

​His five years on the air on KMOX and doing Cardinals’ booth work began in the 1955 season. He also handled reports from Spring Training in Florida, but NBC made an offer he couldn’t refuse and he was doing the network’s Game of the Week in 1961. He spent over 40 years in various capacities at NBC in radio and television.
​Joe Garagiola is a broadcast member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

By STLMHF, ago

Fender, Harry

Harry Fender – Legacy

​Harry Fender’s radio work in St. Louis was at KXOK, for a brief period, and KMOX for over 20 years. The former star of the Ziegfeld Follies also was remembered for his “Captain 11” character on a children’s television program in the 1960s.

He began his radio career as a news commentator, later taking a stint as a talk personality on KXOK, and he moved to KMOX in 1954, where he was host of a program that aired live from the Chase Hotel six nights a week.

The program ran until 1975, and it became an automatic stop for any celebrities who were visiting the St. Louis area.

Fender used his earlier show business experience as a basis for his interviews with entertainers, many of whom had known or worked with him. In addition, in the early 50s, Fender was often called on to host “Saturday At the Chase,” a live big band program that was fed to the CBS network.

After his retirement from the daily radio grind he was frequently a guest on the Jack Carney Show.

By STLMHF, ago

Elz, Ron

Ron Elz – Legacy

Ron Elz had radio in his blood, which accounts for his longevity in the business.

His first on-air gig was in 1954 on WTMV. He was 15 years old, and he brokered his time, selling the ads and doing the announcing work. After high school graduation he bounced around, landing the evening slot at the Storz St. Louis property, KXOK, where he took the air name “Johnny Rabbitt.”

He went to WIL in 1965 and later to WRTH.

He managed KSHE when the station switched to its progressive rock format, for which it became nationally known, and also consulted KADI when it changed from jazz to rock. In his position at WRTH, Elz is the morning drive host and also serves as operations manager.

Elz was honored as a recipient the AIR Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. ​

By STLMHF, ago

Eidelman, Harry

Harry Eidelman – Legacy

​Harry Eidelman was truly a radio pioneer on the St. Louis FM scene. He put KCFM on the air in 1953, and working over the ensuing years with engineer Ed Bench, he built several transmitters as well as his own multiplexing unit for stereo broadcasts.

KCFM was initially a classical music station staffed by volunteers, but no one wanted to advertise on FM in the early 50s, so Eidelman used profit from his hi-fi shop to continue the station’s operation.

The format gradually evolved into easy listening with a paid staff. He tells the story of a broadcast technology that had not fully evolved and commercial transmitters that would heat up and arc constantly. A fire knocked the station off the air for a week in 1960, but perseverance and dedication prevailed.

Staffers say working at KCFM was like being part of a family, and Eidelman has fond memories of loyal staffers and listeners who went out of their way to ensure the station’s success.

By STLMHF, ago

Dixon, Dave

Dave Dixon – Legacy

​Dave Dixon, a native St. Louisan, was the first African-American vice president of Laclede Broadcasting, the owner/operator of KATZ, and, in a related field, the first African-American promoter for Regal Sports, a concert and sports production agency. He had started with the company as a disc jockey in 1958 and was closely associated with most of the station’s early remote broadcasts.

In addition to being a local producer and promoter of live music shows, Dixon was the popular host of KATZ’s “Night Beat Down Rhythm Street,” which originated from various lounges in the St. Louis area.

He served as president of NATRA, the African-American organization of television and radio announcers.

By STLMHF, ago

Davis, Rex

Rex Davis – Legacy

​Rex Davis began his career in Cincinnati as Frank Zwygart (his real name), but management there awarded him the nom de air of Rex Davis, and that’s how he came to St. Louis in 1946. He was immediately thrown into action here as an aggressive newsman at KMOX.

His biggest success, in terms of ratings, came in 1974 when station manager Robert Hyland teamed Davis up with Bob Hardy for a two-person morning drive program called “Total Information AM,” a show that, during its peak, pulled a 33 average share of the listening audience.

He was the consummate newsman, felt by many listeners to be the true “Voice of St. Louis,” which was the motto associated with the station since its inception.

Davis also had a humorous side, which began to come out in 1973 with his regular appearances on the Jack Carney Show, another KMOX ratings phenomenon. Carney would regularly set up Davis, alternately giving him the punch lines or making him the target of jokes. Listeners responded with delight, hearing their authoritative newsman as a human being.
Rex Davis retired from KMOX in 1981.

By STLMHF, ago

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