WFLD Channel 32 - Chicago Black Hawks Vs. Boston Bruins (Excerpts, 1976)

Here are some selected excerpts of the Chicago Black Hawks / Boston Bruins game on WFLD Channel 32, played at Boston Garden in Boston, MA. This was from an original 2" Quad master tape, and though the "recorded date" says 3-31-76, this game was broadcast on 3-25-76. I think someone, perhaps Don Shannon (who directed this telecast) made this compilation of excerpts from the original tape(s) on the 31st (or perhaps it was done live? That wouldn't account for the 3-31-76 date though) In any case, it's too bad he didn't save the entire telecast, but at least we have a nice overview.

The announcer for this game, as for all Black Hawks games in the 1975-76 hockey season, was Lloyd Pettit. (The Bruins defeated the Black Hawks, 4-2.) All through the feed from Boston, there is the 100 Hz - 5 kHz telco audio which was heard on all remote transmissions through the end of January 1978. Also featuring Brad Palmer (best known from his time doing sports on WLS Channel 7 News, A.K.A., "The Professor") doing some interviews from the WFLD studios.

Highlights include:

Opening segment with sponsor information (voiceover Bud Kelly) - sponsors for tonight's game given as:
- Anheuser-Busch, Inc. ("Brewers of Busch, Budweiser and Michelob") (fades out at end of this plug)

Lloyd Pettit on camera, announcing his hope the Black Hawks can end their recent losing streak, and noting that the Bruins have had a 15-game winning streak up to this point

WFLD Chicago Black Hawks bumper (set in the same Avant Garde font, and overall layout, as the bumper for "The Jack Benny Show" used in the 1974-75 season; notice that throughout Channel 32's Kaiser Broadcasting era, and first the 12 months after Field Communications resumed control in August 1977, there was no hyphen between the call letters and "TV" suffix, as was the protocol for all Kaiser stations at the time - besides WFLD TV, there was also WLVI TV in Boston [however, the Bruins' home station at the time was WSBK Channel 38], WKBS TV in Philadelphia, WKBD TV in Detroit, and KBHK TV in San Francisco)

Brief snippet of car repair commercial, with lady announcing how she hates taking her car in for service

Portion of game where, at the point of this clip, the Black Hawks have taken a 1-0 lead; shown afterwards is the same segment in slow motion - among the players referred to are Cliff Koroll, Dennis Hull and Hubert "Pit" Martin, of the Black Hawks, and Gerry Cheevers of the Bruins

Lloyd Pettit at tail end of 2nd period, announcing the score as Boston 3, Chicago 1 - leading into 2nd intermission and analysis by Brad Palmer at the WFLD studios; Palmer advises as to the Black Hawks' remaining games

Brad Palmer in the studio, interviewing defense Dale Tallon (#19; his segment is filmed)

Interview with Black Hawks organist, explaining and showing some samples of his craft on the legendary Barton organ that was a fixture at the old Chicago Stadium

Filmed interview with trainer Lou Varga, explaining the make of the hockey shoes and their function

Excerpt of 3rd period play with references to the Hawks' John Marks, Ivan Bordilev, Dale Tallon, Bob Murray, J.P. Bordeleau and Gilles Villemure, and the Bruins' Bobby Schmautz, Barry Smith, Gregg Sheppard, Wayne Cashman and Jean Ratelle

Segment of some Black Hawks playing against selected "Sesame Street" muppets such as Big Bird, Ernie and Bert, Grover, and Cookie Monster; to the tune of the "Sesame Street" theme from the LP of the same name (Columbia CS 1069, 1970) (was this a commercial, or joke, or what?)

Excerpt of in-studio interview with linesman Neil Armstrong (not to be confused with the same-named Apollo 11 astronaut of "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" fame)

Pre-filmed interview with Marilyn Esposito, wife of Black Hawks goaltender Tony Esposito (it was in the 1975-76 hockey season that Tony's brother, centre Phil Esposito, was traded from the Bruins to the New York Rangers); also seen is their 4-year-old son Jason, seen on the ice practicing

Announcement of how the announcers for this telecast were selected by the Blackhawks and WFLD (voiceover by Bud Kelly)

This aired on local Chicago TV on Thursday, March 25th 1976 during the 6:30pm to 9:00pm timeframe.

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