Deceased Inductees

DECEASED INDUCTEES BIOS
By Steve Elman
ROGER ALLAN
Roger Allan [Bump] (born Brockton, 1930 2008) – male, radio, white, Boston – reporter,
news director, and news and public affairs
director for WRKO, where he worked for 29
years (1961 – 1990); also worked at stations in
Brockton and Marlborough; professor at Curry
College for 30 years (1978 - 2008); beloved
mentor to many radio professionals, including
WBZ’s Jordan Rich.
A reminiscence from Jordan: “Roger was my
teacher at Curry from day one throughout my
entire college career. As a professor,
he covered all of the mechanics as well as
anyone – from how to react when a
microphone went live, to how to pronounce
key words such as ‘February’ and ‘scallop,’ to
how to keep composure on the air. He did so
without the aid of a text. Roger was a working broadcaster and brought his experience to class daily. “Along with all of the practical training, which was invaluable, Roger taught me and my colleagues about life. Since
broadcasting was his life, he would craft wise stories about people and situations that molded me and my thinking to
this day. Roger focused on the old-fashioned values of hard work, respect for superiors, peers, and listeners, and an
effort to live up to the creed which instructed us to broadcast in the ‘public interest, convenience and necessity.’
“He did more than simply lead us in class. He worked with us at the school station and helped many, including me,
land our first professional jobs in radio and television. He knew nearly everyone in the business and believed in
lasting relationships. His great joy was in seeing his students succeed as broadcasters. Nothing seemed to
bring ‘Uncle Rog’ more pleasure than ‘connecting’ folks and seeing those connections lead to successful careers. And
there were many hundreds of professional careers launched by this caring and loving man.
“Finally, Roger Allan loved to laugh and always strived to make others smile. His unique sense of humor was
infectious in and out of the classroom. He cared for so many, which is why so many still care for him.”
KEN COLEMAN
Ken Coleman (born Quincy, 1925 - 2003) – male, deceased, radio / TV, white, Boston / South Shore – One of the
great masters of sports play-by-play. As a boy, he heard Fred Hoey
calling Red Sox games in the 1930s; Hoey’s work fired Coleman’s
ambition to become a sportscaster, but he was initially frightened
by the prospect of speaking to large crowds.
He served in WWII, China-Burma-India theater; graduated Curry
College, where he overcame his fear of public speaking. He got his
first broadcast work doing play-by-play for the Rutland Royals of
the Northern League in Rutland VT (on Rutland’s WSYB) in late
1940s - early 1950s.
His first important broadcast work was in Cleveland, where he
called football play-by-play on radio and TV for the Browns (1952
- 1966?, WJW-TV, WWWE-AM); and baseball play-by-play on TV
for Cleveland Indians (1954 - 1963, WXEL-TV, WJW-TV, WEWSTV).
In 1966, he replaced Curt Gowdy as play-by-play announcer for
the Boston Red Sox (WHDH, 1966 - 1971, and WHDH-TV, 1966
- 1974), including the “Impossible Dream” season (1967). He
assisted in NBC-TV and radio coverage of the Sox’ appearance in
Photo courtesy of Boston Public Library
the 1967 World Series. During this period, he also called college
football games. In 1967, he co-founded the Red Sox Booster Club
(later known as the BoSox Club), “the most successful professional sports booster club in America” (per Red Sox Hall
of Fame site).
In the early 1970s, he left Boston to call NFL games for NBC-TV. From 1974? until 1978?, he called television playby-play for the Cincinnati Reds.
He returned to Boston to call Red Sox games on radio for ten years (1979 - 1989), after which he retired. Stations:
WITS (1979 - 1982); WRKO & WPLM (1983 - 89). During this period, he was also Chairman of the Jimmy Fund
(1978 - 1984), during which time he traveled around New England hosting many broadcast fundraisers for the
organization on affiliate stations of the Red Sox radio network.
Among his memorable calls: Cleveland Browns NFL championship over Baltimore Colts (1964); Early Wynn’s 300th
victory; Rocky Colavito’s four-home-run game (6/10/59).
He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2000. He died August 21, 2003.
“BIG BROTHER BOB” EMERY
[Claire Robert] “Big Brother Bob” Emery (born Abington, 1897 – 1982) – male, deceased, TV, white, Boston –
hosted The Small Fry Club, a five-day-a-week national show, for the DuMont network, 1947 - 51; hosted his own kids’
program on WBZ-TV from November 1952 until 1968; His show was wholesome to say the least – he offered on-air
“toasts” to Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson, and his
studio set sported a picture of the sitting Massachusetts governor.
Emery was one of the Bay State’s first professional radio
announcers, debuting on WGI, Medford, in 1921. He was also
instrumental in creating radio for children in Massachusetts – he
hosted the Big Brother Club on WEEI, beginning in 1924 and
continuing through the 1930s.
Affectionately called "Big Brother" by his kindergarten age
viewers, Bob Emery hosted one of network television's first
successful children's program The Small Fry Club broadcast daily in
New York (five days a week in 1950) on the Dumont network
from 1947-51.
The program, which debuted on March 11, 1947 under the title of
Movies For Small Fry, was a continuation of Emery's radio format
he established in 1921 in Medford, Massachusetts that taught his
viewers manners and to respect their parent's wishes.
Dressed in a business suit and wearing dark-rimmed glasses, Big
Brother Bob entertained his youngsters with silent films, cartoons,
songs, skits and puppet characters like Honey the Bunny, Peggy
Penguin, Mr. Mischief the Panda and Trina the Kitten.
He opened up the program with the theme song "The Grass is always Greener" (a popular 1924 song) and closed
each show with ``So long small fry, it's time to say goodbye . . .''
Bob Emery's early success in children's programming helped plant the seeds of inspiration for the many children's
shows to follow on the new medium of television.
Emery began his career at radio station 1XE (later known as WGI) where he read stories and answered kids' letters to
Santa under the guise of a man named "Big Brother."
A few years later he started the Big Brother Club, complete with membership card, pin and a pledge to do good.
In November of 1952, he negotiated a contract with WBZ-TV and spent the remainder of his TV career in Boston
where he entertained generations of children until he retired in 1968.
Over the years, his program was shifted around and retitled: Clubhouse 4, Big Brother and Flash, and Big Brother's World,
but the quality of the programming and the devotion to his viewers never waned.
Born Claire Robert Emery in Abington, Massachusetts, he died in July of 1982, at the age of 85.
ROBERT J. LURTSEMA
Robert J. Lurtsema (1931 - 2000) – male, radio, white, all
of Massachusetts – arguably, the most recognizable
classical music voice in New England broadcast history,
still remembered nearly ten years after his death; his
idiosyncratic style of DJing and “news reporting” became
a major factor in the establishment of WGBH as an
important radio station in Boston; Morning pro Musica,
his radio show, ran for nearly thirty years (1971 - 2000);
for 23 of those years, he was on the air seven mornings a
week, five hours a day; during much of this time, his
program was syndicated widely in New England and
could be heard throughout the state.
JOHNNY MOST
Johnny Most (1923 – 1993) – male, mostly radio / some TV, white, Boston – iconic gravel-voiced signature sound of
the Boston Celtics.
He had a very brief run on WHDH-TV, but is mostly
remembered for 37 years of radio play-by-play on WHDH
and WBZ (1953 - 1990). During the early to mid Nineteen
Fifties, the Celtics and the NBA itself were fighting for
their very existence. It was Johnny who helped fill the
Boston Garden and Boston Arena through his broadcasts.
TV broadcasts were few and far between, so everyone
interested in the Celtics got their information from Johnny
Most via radio He was our eyes and our ears and it was
through Johnny that we gained pictures in our minds of
the players, the coaches, the arenas, etc. Also, because
money was scarce, Johnny worked alone on the air for
many of the early years, calling the entire game without
any assistance. Many times, in his effort to convey the
excitement to the listeners his voice would go hoarse, but
he’d endure. Johnny never hid his loyalty and love for the
Celtics on air. He was their fan as well as their announcer.
And when referees made questionable calls or opposing
players made questionable moves, he came down on them
unsparingly. A particular early target was referee Mendy
Rudolph who Johnny often inferred was biased toward
the New York Knickerbockers.
He was with them
throughout the Bill Russell years and all the
championships. He was and remains an icon for all New
Englanders. His “Havlicek stole the ball!” call, from the
1965 Eastern Conference Finals between the Celtics and the
Philadelphia 76ers, is one of the most recognized audio clips in the history of broadcast sports. NBA.com declares
unequivocally, “It is the most famous radio call in basketball history.”
(http://www.nba.com/history/havliceksteal_moments.html)
HARRY WHEELER
Harry Wheeler (born Revere, 1909 – 1997) – male, deceased,
radio / television, white, Boston – the founder and president of
the now-defunct New England Broadcasters Association; began
his career in Boston as a lawyer; salesman for WCOP; was Sales
Manager for WHDH in the mid-1940s; founded NEBA in 1948
(as Executive Club of Boston?) and headed the organization until
his death in 1997. An effective lobbyist for Massachusetts
broadcasters; possibly secured an exemption from sales tax for
broadcasters’ purchase of equipment (per Ed Perry); fostered ad
agency contacts – may have been instrumental in giving
broadcasting equal footing with print in the minds of local ad
agency personnel (must confirm). (NONA KIRBY may be able to
provide more info)