Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: 1959 Baseball – Dodgers at White Sox
Air Date: March 22, 2026
Coverage: Game 1, 1959 World Series – Dodgers vs. White Sox
Main Voices: Mel Allen (Lead Broadcaster), Color Commentator/Sports Analyst, Baseball Play-by-Play Announcer

Episode Overview

This episode transports listeners back to October 1, 1959, for Game 1 of the World Series, broadcast from Comiskey Park, Chicago. The Los Angeles Dodgers, fresh off an improbable playoff run, face the "Go-Go" Chicago White Sox—playing in their first World Series since 1919. Broadcasting legend Mel Allen anchors the coverage, joined by a dynamic team of commentators. The episode is filled with rich baseball history, vivid play-by-play, and the electrifying atmosphere of a long-awaited championship showdown. The action-packed game itself features unexpected fireworks from the White Sox, setting records and stunning fans and experts alike.

Key Discussion Points & Game Highlights

1. Historic Context and Scene-Setting

• Comiskey Park’s World Series Return

  • First World Series in Chicago in 40 years (since 1919 for the White Sox, 1945 for the Cubs)
  • “White Sox fans are just as excited as they could possibly be over the dramatic pennant victory of Al Lopez’s men.” (Mel Allen, 01:14)

• Dodgers’ Cinderella Story

  • First West Coast team in the Series
  • Jumped from seventh place in 1958 to first via playoff win
  • “Manager Walt Alston, who twice before has led the Dodgers into World Series competition, did a magnificent job in bringing his team from seventh place last year to first place.” (Mel Allen, 06:37)

• Pitching Matchup

  • Chicago: Early Wynn, 39, 22-game winner, a veteran respected for grit and classic pitching
  • Los Angeles: Roger Craig, making a comeback from arm trouble, on a five-game win streak
  • “Just as has Early Wynn. Last year Roger Craig, after having been demoted by the Dodgers…came up in mid-June and he went on to win 11.” (Mel Allen, 07:26)

2. The Game Unfolds

Lineups Announced (04:00)

• Dodgers: Gilliam (3B), Neal (2B), Moon (LF), Snider (CF), Larker (RF), Hodges (1B), Roseboro (C), Wills (SS), Craig (P)
• White Sox: Aparicio (SS), Fox (2B), Landis (CF), Kluszewski (1B), Lawler (C), Goodman (3B), Smith (LF), Rivera (RF), Wynn (P)

First Inning: Sox Strike First (45:12)

• Key Plays:
  • Walk to Fox, Singles by Landis and Kluszewski (hit-and-run), Sacrifice fly by Lawler
  • Sox take 2–0 lead
  • “And the White Sox lead one to nothing. We’re really getting a taste of how the White Sox win ballgames.” (46:51)
  • “Chicago leads by a score of 2 to nothing.” (52:48)

Third Inning: White Sox Explode (82:04 – 93:11)

• Action:
  • Fox doubles, Landis RBI single, Kluszewski 2-run homer
  • Errors by Dodgers compound the damage — notably, Duke Snider sets a dubious record with two errors in the inning
  • Sox bat around, scoring 7 runs (total 9–0)
  • “A seven run explosion in the third inning for your late tuners in put it away for the White Sox.” (182:45)
  • “The White Sox have breezed out in front five to nothing…” (87:43)
  • “The Go Go Sox have batted around…They lead nine to nothing.” (92:49)

Fourth Inning: Kluszewski’s Second HR (113:34)

• Notable Moment:
  • Ted Kluszewski hits his second home run, two-run shot
  • “The podium breaks loose in Chicago…He hits this ball into the upper deck in right field.” (114:15)
  • “That might be the curtain for young Chuck Churn.” (114:36)
  • By end of 4th: White Sox 11, Dodgers 0

Dodgers’ Bats Stifled, Scoring Drought

• Early Wynn’s Mastery:
  • Wynn throws 7+ shutout innings, only relinquished due to elbow stiffness
  • “At 39, a magnificent pitcher. Still the pitch…He stares you down, never gives in to a hitter.” (147:02)
  • “Early Wynn is the winner. It’s the first time he’s ever won a World Series game.” (191:44)

Relief Appearance and Finishing Touches

• Jerry Staley relieves Wynn in the 8th to close the game
• Final Inning:
  • No rally from the Dodgers; Staley retires Carl Furillo to end the game
  • “And the first game of the World Series is history. The White Sox win it 11 to nothing.” (188:17, 188:27)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

Setting the Stage

• “It’s been a long time in Chicago at Comiskey Park. Forty years—a long wait.” – Mel Allen (01:14)
• “Good afternoon, World Series fans. This is Mel Allen at Comiskey Park in Chicago.” (01:14)

Key Plays & Character

• “You couldn’t ask for a better baseball day.” – Play-by-Play Announcer (19:06)
• “And that ball took off and just got into the seat in deep right…He really showed his power here.” – Sports Commentator on Kluszewski’s homer (83:06)
• “He stares you down, never gives in…one of the greatest competitors in the game.” – On Early Wynn (147:02)

Historical Context

• “The 11 to nothing shutout ties the all-time shutout high which Dizzy Dean hung on the Detroit Tigers in 1934.” – Mel Allen (192:46)

Significant Game Segments & Timestamps

| Segment | Description | Timestamp | |------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Scene Setting & Starting Lineups | Mel Allen introduces the teams, history, and the park | 01:14–05:32 | | First Inning: Sox Take Early Lead | Chicago jumps ahead, key hits, sacrifice fly | 45:12–53:52 | | Third Inning: Sox Score 7 Runs | Explosive rally, errors, Kluszewski HR | 82:04–93:11 | | Fourth Inning: Kluszewski's HR #2 | Second home run, pitching change for Dodgers | 113:34–116:25| | Dodgers Held Scoreless | Wynn’s dominance through middle innings | 130:02–144:24| | Eighth Inning: White Sox Relief | Wynn leaves with big lead, Staley closes | 164:14–172:51| | Ninth Inning: Final Dodgers Threat | Dodgers get two on, Sox secure 11–0 shutout | 179:53–188:27| | Postgame Analysis | Recap, records, stars, historical significance | 191:05–193:47|

Game Stats & Records

• Final Score: White Sox 11, Dodgers 0 (ties the World Series record for largest shutout; Dizzy Dean, 1934)

• Ted Kluszewski:

  • 2 HR, 5 RBI (ties single-game RBI record in the Series)
  • “Kluszewski was a big item, no question about it…His home run in the third inning was into the lower seats…His next home run was a titanic shot that carried into the upper deck.” (193:29–193:36)

• Early Wynn: 7+ shutout innings for the win, first career World Series victory

• Errors: Dodgers committed 3 (2 by Snider in one inning—records for an outfielder)

Thematic Notes & Broadcast Style

• Tone: Classic, excitable, and reverent—documenting history as it happens
• Language: Period-appropriate, with an emphasis on sportsmanship and narrative drama (“America’s greatest sports spectacle” – 14:08)
• Historical Richness: The broadcast intersperses anecdotes about past World Series, tradition, and baseball lore throughout

Concluding Thoughts

The 1959 World Series opener, as broadcast in this episode, delivered both a surprise blowout and a showcase of baseball history in the making. Noted for Ted Kluszewski’s heroics and Early Wynn’s vintage pitching, the game ended with the White Sox drawing thunderous cheers from long-starved fans. The classic radio team, led by Mel Allen, captured it all with vivid play-by-play and period color, making for an unforgettable audio journey into baseball’s golden era.

For a full immersion, listen to the episode to relive Chicago’s spectacular triumph and the colorful tapestry of old time radio sports broadcasting!