Major League Baseball on CBS From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Major League Baseball on CBS The opening graphic for Game 4 of the 1993 National League Championship Series Format Sports Created by CBS Sports Starring Sean McDonough Jack Buck Tim McCarver Jim Kaat Dick Stockton Greg Gumbel Pat O'Brien Jim Gray Andrea Joyce Lesley Visser Country of origin United States No. of episodes 118 regular season broadcasts (approximate number)[1][2] Production Running time 180 minutes or until game ends Broadcast Original channel CBS Original run April 14, 1990 – October 23, 1993 External links Official website Major League Baseball on CBS is the name of the former TV show that televised Major League Baseball games on the American television network CBS (legally known as the Columbia Broadcasting System from 1928 to 1974). Produced by CBS Sports, there have been several variations of the program dating back to the 1950s. The most notable version existed from 1990 to 1993. Contents [hide] 1 August 11, 1951 2 Original Major League Baseball on CBS program 2.1 1955–1958 2.2 1959–1963 2.3 1964–1966 2.4 Announcers 3 1990–1993 version 3.1 Trademarks 3.2 Year-by-year 3.2.1 1990[18][19] 3.2.2 1991[20][21] 3.3 Sean McDonough replaces Jack Buck 3.3.1 1992[22][23] 3.3.2 1993[24][25] 3.4 Reasons for CBS losing so much money may include: 3.5 The end of Major League Baseball on CBS 4 Miscellaneous quotes 5 Ratings 6 Memorable calls 7 References 8 External links 9 See also [edit] August 11, 1951 On August 11, 1951, WCBS-TV in New York (CBS' flagship station) broadcast the first baseball game on color television. It was the Brooklyn Dodgers vs. Boston Braves from Ebbets Field. The Braves beat the Dodgers 8–1. See also: Baseball broadcasting firsts [edit] Original Major League Baseball on CBS program [edit] 1955–1958 By 1955[3], Dizzy Dean and the Game of the Week would move from ABC to CBS. "CBS' stakes were higher" said Buddy Blattner, who left Mutual to rejoin Dean. Ron Powers wrote about the reteaming of Dean and Blattner "They wanted someone who'd known Diz, could bring him out." In 1957[4], CBS added a Sunday Game of the Week. ABC's Edgar Scherick said "In '53, no one wanted us. Now teams begged for "Game"'s cash." That year, the NFL began a $14.1 million revenue-sharing pact. By 1965[5], Major League Baseball ended the big-city blackout, got $6.5 miliion for exclusivity, and split the pot. With CBS now carrying the Game of the Week, outlets in Phoenix, Little Rock, and Cedar Rapids were finally receiving the Game of the Week. Bud Blattner said "America had never had TV network ball. Now you're getting two games a week [four, counting NBC, by 1959]." [edit] 1959–1963 Jack Whitaker and Frankie Frisch did the backup games from 1959 to 1961. They usually did games that took place in Philadelphia, New York, Washington, D.C., or Baltimore. Whitaker once said in three years, he would only broadcast three innings because CBS wouldn't switch away from Dizzy Dean. However, he said that he learned a lot of baseball just sitting next to Frisch. CBS had other backup crews for games featuring the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, and Cincinnati Reds. In these cases, Bob Finnegan would handle the play-by-play duties with various analysts depending on the city. CBS did not have Game of the Week rights from any other ballparks in those years. Pee Wee Reese replaced Blattner as Dean's partner in 1960. [edit] 1964–1966 By 1964[6], CBS' Dean and Reese called games from Yankee Stadium, Wrigley Field, St. Louis, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. New York got $550,000 of CBS' $895,000. Six clubs that exclusively played nationally televised games on NBC got $1.2 million. See also: 1964 New York Yankees season, 1965 New York Yankees season, 1964 Chicago Cubs season, 1965 Chicago Cubs season, 1964 St. Louis Cardinals season, 1965 St. Louis Cardinals season, 1964 Philadelphia Phillies season, 1965 Philadelphia Phillies season, 1964 Baltimore Orioles season, and 1965 Baltimore Orioles season In 1966, the New York Yankees, who in the year prior played 21 Games of the Week for CBS, joined NBC's television package. The new package under NBC called for 28 games compared to 1960's three-network 123. [edit] Announcers Bud Blattner (1955–1959) Jerry Coleman (1960) Dizzy Dean (1955–1964; 1965 (Yankee Baseball)) Bob Finnegan (1959–1961) Frankie Frisch (1959–1961) George Kell (1958) Pee Wee Reese (1960–1964; 1965 (Yankee Baseball)) Jack Whitaker (1959–1961) [edit] 1990–1993 version See also: Major League Baseball_on_NBC#The_end_of_an_era and Major League Baseball_on_ABC#1989 On December 14, 1988[7][8], CBS (under the guidance of Commissioner Peter Ueberroth[9], Major League Baseball's broadcast director Bryan Burns[10], CBS Inc. CEO Laurence Tisch as well as CBS Sports executives Neil Pilson and Eddie Einhorn) paid approximately $1.8 billion[11] for exclusive over-the-air television rights[12] for over four years (beginning in 1990). CBS paid about $265 million each year for the World Series, League Championship Series, All-Star Game, and the Saturday Game of the Week. It was one of the largest agreements (to date) between the sport of baseball and the business of broadcasting. The deal with CBS was also intended to pay each team (26 in 1990 and then, 28 by 1993) $10 million a year. They also would be paying an estimated $7.1 million per game or $790,000 per inning, and $132,000 per out. A separate deal with cable TV would bring each team an additional $4 million. Each team could also cut its own deal with local TV. For example, the New York Yankees signed with a cable network (MSG[13]) that would pay the team $41 million annually for 12 years. Radio broadcast rights can bring in additional money. Reportedly, after the huge TV contracts with CBS and ESPN were signed, ballclubs spent their excess millions on free agents[14]. Before the previous television contract (1984–1989[15]) with Major League Baseball was signed[16], CBS was at one point, interested in a pact which would have called for three interleague games every Thursday night (only). The proposed deal with CBS involved the American League East teams playing the National League East and the American League West playing the National League West respectively. [edit] Trademarks A trademark of CBS' baseball coverage was its majestic, uplifting, and harmonious theme music[17]. The music was usually set to the opening graphic of an opaque rendition of the CBS Eye entering a big, waving red, white, and blue bunting and then a smaller, unfolding red, white, and blue bunting (over a white diamond) and floating blue banner (which usually featured an indicating year like "1991 World Series" for instance) complete with dark red Old English text. Pat O'Brien anchored the World Series and All-Star Game telecasts while usually delivering the prologue (normally set against the live scenery over the theme music). A recurring theme during CBS' coverage of the postseason was the usage of Michael Kamen's "Overture" from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. From start to finish, an audio montage of baseball's most memorable moments played on top, followed by a video and music only (no narration) recap of both League Championship Series and the World Series from 1991 to 1993. The "Training" cue from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was played against an all slow-motion montage of the entire series. As Tim McCarver recapped the first six games of the 1991 World Series before Game 7, CBS used Hans Zimmer's "Fighting 17th" from the movie Backdraft for the soundtrack. During the 1993 All-Star Game and postseason, highlights of past All-Star Games and postseason moments were scored using the John Williams composed theme from the movie Jurassic Park. [edit] Year-by-year [edit] 1990[18][19] Major League Baseball's four year tenure with CBS (1990–1993) was marred by turmoil and shortcomings throughout. For starters, Brent Musburger, who was originally slated to be the #1 play-by-play announcer for baseball telecasts (thus, having the tasks of calling the All-Star Game, National League Championship Series, and World Series) was fired by CBS on April Fools Day of 1990. For more details on Brent_Musburger#Dismissal_from_CBS, see Brent_Musburger#CBS_power_shift. Jack Buck was bumped to the top play-by-play spot with just weeks before CBS' first baseball telecast. With Buck now the #1 play-by-play man (with ABC baseball alumnus Tim McCarver as his partner), his original back-up spot was filled in by CBS' top NBA announcer Dick Stockton (with Jim Kaat as

Stockton's partner). Studio host Greg Gumbel took over for Stockton in 1993, who in return would be replaced by Andrea Joyce. On the teaming of Buck and McCarver, Broadcasting magazine wrote "The network has exclusivity, much rides on them." Meanwhile, Jim Kaat earned rave reviews for his role as CBS' backup analyst (which flashed a considerable "good-guy air"). Ron Bergman wrote of Kaat's performance during the 1990 ALCS "This was a night for pitchers to excel. Dave Stewart. Roger Clemens. Jim Kaat [on commentary]." Despite the rave reviews, Jim Kaat admitted that he was frustrated. He felt that at that point and time, the idea of figuring out what to talk about during a three-hour broadcast had become intimidating. As a result, Kaat would bring notes into the booth, but in the process, found himself providing too much detail. He ultimately confided in his broadcasting partner, Dick Stockton, that he wanted to work without notes. So Stockton hooked Kaat up with then-lead NFL on CBS color man, John Madden for a telephone seminar. Madden said if he brought notes into the booth he felt compelled to use them and would "force" something into a telecast. On his seminar with John Madden, Jim Kaat said "Then John told me if he did his homework it would be stored in his memory bank. And if it is important it will come out. If it doesn't, it probably wasn't that important." A mildly notorious moment came during CBS' coverage of the 1990 All-Star Game from Wrigley Field in Chicago. In a game that was marred by rain delays for a combined 85 minutes (including a 68 minute monsoon during the 7th inning), CBS annoyed many diehard fans by airing the William Shatner hosted reality series Rescue 911 during the delay. [edit] 1991[20][21] After sustaining huge losses from 1990's abbreviated postseason (which ended with the Cincinnati Reds shockingly sweeping the defending World Champion Oakland Athletics in the World Series), CBS made several notable adjustments for 1991. Regular season telecasts had been reduced to a meager handful. In return, pregame shows during the League Championship Series were entirely eliminated, to minimize the ratings damage. The 1991 season was perhaps most noteworthy for CBS having the opportunity of covering of the now legendary World Series between the Minnesota Twins and Atlanta Braves. Earlier in the postseason, CBS' coverage of the ALCS meant that they could not carry the live testimony of Clarence Thomas, whose confirmation to the United States Supreme Court was put into question because of charges of sexual harassment from former staffer Anita Hill. Meanwhile, ABC, NBC, CNN and PBS all carried the testimony. As CBS' baseball coverage progressed, they dropped the 8:00 p.m. pregame coverage (in favor of sitcoms such as Evening Shade), before finally starting their coverage at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The first pitch would generally arrive at approximately 8:45 p.m. Perhaps as a result, Joe Carter's World Series clinching home run off Mitch Williams in 1993, occurred at 12:00 a.m. on the East Coast. [edit] Sean McDonough replaces Jack Buck After two years of calling baseball telecasts for CBS, Jack Buck was dismissed in December 1991. According to the radio veteran Buck, he had a hard time adjusting to the demands of a more constricting television production. CBS felt that Buck should've done more to make himself appear to be a set-up man for lead analyst Tim McCarver. Jack Buck's son Joe tried to rationalize his father's on-air problems by saying "My dad was brought up in the golden age of radio, I think he had his hands tied somewhat, being accustomed to the freedom of radio. I'm more used to acquiescing to what the producer wants to do, what the director wants to do." Jack Buck himself sized up CBS' handling of the announcers by saying "CBS never got that baseball play-by-play draws word-pictures. All they knew was that football stars analysts. So they said, 'Let [analyst Tim] McCarver run the show.' In television, all they want you to do is shut up. I'm not very good at shutting up." Buck though, would add that although he knew Tim McCarver well, they never developed a good relationship with each other on the air despite high hopes to the contrary. Phil Mushnick added insult to injury to Buck by accusing him of "Trying to predict plays, as if to prove he was still on top." “ My biggest problem was understanding my role. They wanted him to dominate the broadcast and have me be the mechanic and stay out of the way. I didn't want to broadcast that way. I guess I should have accepted it, but relying on my experience on GrandStand (NBC's NFL pregame show that Buck hosted in 1975) when I had not challenged anyone, I couldn't let others make all the decisions that put me in a position where I couldn't perform at all. — Jack Buck in his autobiography That's a Winner. ” Jack Buck got into deep trouble with CBS executives (namely, executive producer Ted Shaker, who approached Buck in the hotel lobby to tell him that he was in trouble) over questionable comments made towards singer Bobby Vinton. While on air prior to Game 4 of the 1990 National League Championship Series in Pittsburgh, Buck criticized Vinton's off-key rendition of the "Star-Spangled Banner". Buck got into trouble because his pot-shot towards Vinton sounded like a prejudicial remark centered on Vinton's Polish heritage. Joe Buck believed that the Bobby Vinton situation was ironic because his father was "trying to help the guy." Legend has it, that Buck soon received death threats from Pirate fans and discovered a footprint on his pillow once he returned to his hotel room. [edit] 1992[22][23] Jack Buck was soon replaced by Boston Red Sox announcer Sean McDonough. Ted Shaker called McDonough about his interests for the top

announcing job. After McDonough hung up the telephone, he claimed that he didn't want to act like a 10 year old, but he jumped so high that he put a hole in his ceiling. In 1992, McDonough at 30 years of age, became the youngest man to call all nine innings of national broadcast of a World Series, while working as a full-time network employee. Also in 1992, Tim McCarver ran afoul of Atlanta Braves outfielder Deion Sanders while in the Braves' clubhouse following Game 7 of the NLCS. Sanders dumped a bucket of ice water on McCarver as retaliation for McCarver's on-air comments that criticized Sanders' life as a two-sport athlete (the other sport being as a member of the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL). Speaking of Tim McCarver, during the 1992 postseason, Norman Chad criticized McCarver in Sports Illustrated by saying that he's someone who 'when you ask him the time, will tell you how a watch works.' Chad's critique of McCarver was a reference to McCarver's supposed habit of overanalyzing. Chad went further by saying "What's the difference between Tim McCarver and appendicitis? Appendicitis is covered by most health plans." McCarver was also known to make many gaffes from time to time. One of his more amusing miscues came during the 1992 National League Championship Series when he repeatedly referred to Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Tim Wakefield as "Bill Wakefield." He finally explained that Bill Wakefield was one of his old minor-league teammates, and he laughed at himself because "I forgot my own name!"' During the 1992 postseason, CBS missed covering one of the three debates among U.S. presidential candidates George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and H. Ross Perot. The network had planned to join other broadcast and cable networks in the telecast; however, Game 4 of the ALCS between the Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland Athletics did not end until 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time, about the time the debate ended. The Blue Jays won the game 7-6 in 11 innings. The other networks reported very good ratings for the debate, part of one of the more compelling election campaigns in recent times. [edit] 1993[24][25] See also: Skycam During CBS' coverage of the 1993 World Series, umpires were upset with the overhead replays being televised by CBS. Dave Phillips, the crew chief, said just prior to Game 2 that the umpires want "CBS to be fair with their approach." Rick Gentile, the senior vice president for production of CBS Sports, said that Richie Phillips, the lawyer for the Major League Umpires Association, tried to call the broadcast booth during Saturday's game, but the call was not put through. Richie Phillips apparently was upset when Dave Phillips called the Philadelphia Phillies' Ricky Jordan out on strikes in the fourth inning, and a replay showed the pitch to be about 6 inches outside. National League President Bill White, while using a CBS headset in the broadcast booth during Game 1, was overheard telling Gentile and the producer Bob Dekas: “ You guys keep using that camera the way you want. Don't let Phillips intimidate you. ” [edit] Reasons for CBS losing so much money may include: In the end, CBS wound up losing approximately half a billion dollars from their television contract with Major League Baseball. CBS repeatedly asked Major League Baseball for a rebate[26][27], but Major League Baseball wasn't willing to do this. According to Curt Smith's book The Voice - Mel Allen's Untold Story, one CBS executive wore a St. Louis Cardinals cap at a 1988 Christmas party. However, by 1992, pining to shed baseball, that same executive wore a cap styled "One More Year." CBS alienated and confused fans with their sporadic treatment of regular season telecasts[28]. With a sense of true continuity destroyed, fans eventually figured that they couldn't count on CBS to satisfy their needs (thus poor ratings were a result). CBS televised about 16 regular season Saturday afternoon games (not counting back-up telecasts) which was 14 less than what NBC televised during the previous contract. According to Commissioner Peter Ueberroth, the reason for the cut back in regular season telecasts was in order for teams to sell them locally in order to make a direct profit[29]. CBS used the strategy of broadcasting only a select amount of games in order to build a demand in response to supposedly sagging ratings. In response to this, NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol grinned "I assume [its] baseball strategy has to be a big disappointment." Counting the All-Star Game, both League Championship Series, and the World Series, CBS would've televised just 38 games. This comes on the account of both League Championship Series and the World Series going to a full seven games. In their first year in 1990, CBS Sports had a pretty loaded schedule (much came at the expense of the regular season baseball coverage): the NBA Playoffs (the 1989–90 season marked CBS' final year with the NBA before the over-the-air package moved over to NBC), College World Series, and college football (like the NBA, CBS would lose the CFA package soon after winning the Major League Baseball contract). CBS never scheduled baseball on Masters weekend, and seldom on other weekends when they had a PGA Tour event. It was around this time that CBS started expanding their weekend coverage from two hours to three on weekends when there was no baseball, generally from 3 to 6 p.m. ET. Most of their baseball dates landed on weeks when other

networks covered golf. Marv Albert, who hosted NBC's baseball pregame show for many years said about CBS' baseball coverage "You wouldn't see a game for a month. Then you didn't know when CBS came back on." Sports Illustrated joked that CBS stood for Covers Baseball Sporadically. USA Today added that Jack Buck and Tim McCarver "may have to have a reunion before [their] telecast." Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News took it a step further by calling CBS' baseball deal "The Vietnam of sports television." NBC play-by-play man Bob Costas believed that a large bulk of the regular season coverage beginning in the 1990s to cable (namely, ESPN) because CBS, the network that was taking over from NBC the television rights beginning in 1990 didn't really want the Saturday Game of the Week. Many fans who didn't appreciate CBS' approach to scheduling regular season baseball games[30] believed that they were only truly after the marquee events (i.e. All-Star Game, League Championship Series, and the World Series) in order to sell advertising space (especially the fall entertainment television schedule[31][32][33]). The Toronto Blue Jays were in back-to-back World Series from 1992 to 1993. CBS' telecasts were simulcasted on CTV in Canada, and got very high ratings north of the border. Unfortunately, Canada does not factor in the Nielsen Ratings so as a consequence, CBS got the lowest ratings[34] in over 20 years for a World Series (not counting the earthquake interrupted 1989 World Series that was televised by ABC). In any other World Series, viewership would be higher since two American teams would be involved, to say nothing of spikes to off-the-chart ratings shares in the two competing cities (especially in 1991 when CBS was fortunate to cover the riveting, ultra intense, seven-game battle between the Minnesota Twins and Atlanta Braves). Another reasoning behind the poor ratings likely has to do with the gradual attrition of the audience for almost all network programming. The country at the time was going through a recession[35]. CBS couldn't properly maximize the deal because the Division Series wasn't created yet (thus automatically giving CBS more games to carry) and they didn't have a cable outlet like FOX's Fox Sports Net. In reality, they were competing with ESPN and local broadcasts outside of CBS' broadcast window. More postseason games could've increased the advertising inventory[36]. It should be noted that both ABC and NBC lost money on their in-season games the last three years they carried baseball (1987–1989). CBS simply made way too high of a bid[37][38] (especially for a network that wound up frustrating fans with its lack of regular season coverage) and substained a shortfall in advertising revenue[39][40]. In 1991, it cost CBS $4.8 million per game in venue productions alone to show the National League Championship Series. This doesn't include studio backup operations or the satellite time needed to transmit the game to New York for broadcast on their network frequencies. The American League Championship Series (between the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays) was another problem because of the tariffs and labor laws they had to endure going into Canada. CBS averaged $1.9–$2.4 million per regular season game. In return, it was typical for the production cost to double come playoff time. [edit] The end of Major League Baseball on CBS The final Major League Baseball game that CBS has televised to date, was Game 6 of the 1993 World Series on October 23. Before Major League Baseball decided to seek the services of other networks[41], CBS offered $120 million in annual rights fees over a two-year period, as well as advertising revenues in excess of $150 million a season. In October 1995[42], when it was a known fact that ABC and NBC were going to end their television deal/joint venture with Major League Baseball, preliminary talks rose about CBS returning. It was rumored that CBS would show Thursday night games while FOX would show Saturday afternoon games. CBS and FOX were also rumored to share rights to the postseason. In the end however, CBS' involvement did not come to pass. See also: The Baseball Network and Major League Baseball on FOX [edit] Miscellaneous quotes “ Everyone at CBS who cared about baseball felt like they went through hell with it. — CBS Sports producer Ed Goren ” “ The overall revenues of the game have more than doubled since the early 1990s. The problem isn't that the game has insufficient popularity or revenues, the problem is that the game has an imperfect economic system, which often renders any amount of revenue, in the long run, inadequate. You know, they get another source of revenue and they flush it right down the drain. Look what happened when NBC lost baseball in the late 1980s. CBS comes in with this enormous deal for baseball, so the revenues are exponentially increased, but they frittered it all away immediately when the salary structure just immediately exploded right after that. At that time the top paid player made about $2 million a year. Within a couple of years you had dozens and dozens of players making $5 million a year. — Bob

Costas[43] ” [edit] Ratings Main article: Ratings for Major League Baseball on CBS telecasts [edit] Memorable calls “ If you're Polish and you're from Pittsburgh, you can do anything you want with the words. — Jack Buck in response to Bobby Vinton's less-than-perfect rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" prior to Game 4 of the 1990 National League Championship Series. ” “ Fly ball into deep, deep center field, McGee going back...it's going to go!!! You would think they had just won the World Series! — Jack Buck calling Eric Davis' home run off Dave Stewart in Game 1 of the 1990 World Series. ” “ That ball is...FAIR!!! Cincinnati's ahead two games to none!!! — Jack Buck calling Joe Oliver's game winning base hit in Game 2 of the 1990 World Series. ” “ (Billy) Hatcher flies to right field and (José) Canseco can't get it! It's off his glove...Hatcher's gonna end up at third! — Jack Buck, calling Billy Hatcher's seventh consecutive hit in the 1990 World Series. ” “ Cincinnati, the champions of baseball for 1990...with an improbable sweep over Oakland!!! — Jack Buck calling the final out in Game 4 of the 1990 World Series. ” “ Robby Thompson gets to it...In Atlanta let the celebration begin!!! — Jack Buck informing the viewers that the Atlanta Braves have clinched the 1991 Western Division title in the National League. This was ensured immediately after the Los Angeles Dodgers lost a game against the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park. ” “ And the Minnesota Twins have gone from the cellar to the penthouse in the American League! — Dick Stockton calling the final out in Game 5 of the 1991 American League Championship Series. ” “ And John Smoltz has pitched Atlanta into the World Series! — Jack Buck at the conclusion of Game 7 of the 1991 National League Championship Series. ” “ That's going to be a winner for Atlanta!!! The runner tags at third, here's the throw from Mack, here's Lemke...he is out..safe, safe, safe!!! They called him safe! Atlanta wins and they're going to say that Harper did not tag him! — Jack Buck calling Jerry Willard's game winning sacrifice fly in Game 4 of the 1991 World Series. ” “ Into deep left-center, for Mitchell...and we'll see you...TOMORROW NIGHT! — Jack Buck, announcing Minnesota Twins center fielder Kirby Puckett's game winning 11th inning walk-off home run in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series against Charlie Leibrandt. On the original telecast, Jack Buck confused left field (where Puckett hit the ball) with right field. Soon afterwards, CBS forced Buck to redub his call for subsequent highlight packages. ” “ The play is to home! Out there...out there!!! — Jack Buck calling Atlanta Brave Sid Bream hitting into a top of the 8th inning ending double play in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series. ” “ Atlanta hasn't scored in ten innings against Jack Morris! — Jack Buck calling the end of the top of the 10th inning in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series. ” “ The Twins are going to win the World Series!!! The Twins have won it! It's a base hit! It's a 1-0 10th inning victory! — Jack Buck calling Gene Larkin's game winning bloop single in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series. ” “ Deep to left...and there goes Ron Gant's first ever grand slam! — Sean McDonough calling Ron Gant's home run off Bob Walk in Game 2 of the 1992 National League Championship Series. ” “ And a drive hit to right field, Sierra going back, looking up...and this game is tied, Roberto Alomar! — Dick Stockton calling Roberto Alomar's top of the 9th inning home run off Dennis Eckersley in Game 4 of the 1992 American League Championship Series. ” “ Line-drive and a base-hit!!! Justice has scored the tying run, Bream to the plate...and he's safe, safe at the plate!!! The Braves go to the World Series! The unlikeliest of heroes wins the National League Championship Series for the Atlanta Braves. Francisco Cabrera, who had only ten at-bats in the major leagues during the regular season, singled through the left side, scoring Sid Bream from second base with the winning run. Bream, who’s had five knee operations in his lifetime, just beat the tag from his ex-mate Mike LaValliere, and Atlanta pulls out Game 7 with three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. This place is bedlam. There will be no second nightmare for Bobby Cox. The final score in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series: the Braves 3 and the Pirates 2. — Sean McDonough calling Francisco Cabrera's dramatic game winning base hit in Game 7 of the 1992 National League Championship Series. ” “ Well hit to left field...home run Ed Sprague! Off the bench with a pinch hit two run homer off Jeff Reardon and the Blue Jays lead 5-4! – Sean McDonough during Game 4 of the 1992 World Series. ” “ The runners go on the 3-and-2 to Winfield...down the line, a base hit into the left-field corner! One run is in, Alomar comes around...The ball gets away from Gant...It's a two-run double for Dave Winfield, and a 4-2 Toronto lead! – Sean McDonough calling Dave Winfield's 1992 World Series winning double. ” “ Timlin...Nixon bunts, Timlin on it, throws to first...for the first time in history, the World Championship banner will fly north of the border! The Toronto Blue Jays are baseball's best in 1992! — Sean McDonough calling the final out of Game 6 of the 1992

World Series. ” “ Fair ball, into the left field corner! Kruk around to score and Kim Batiste goes from goat to hero in a matter of minutes! — Sean McDonough calling Phillies infielder Kim Batiste's 10th-inninng game-winning single in Game 1 of the 1993 National League Championship Series. Batiste had committed a 9th-inning error to allow the Atlanta Braves to tie the score and force extra innings. ” “ And the Philadelphia Phillies have won the National League pennant! — Sean McDonough calling the final out of Game 6 of the 1993 National League Championship Series. ” “ Henderson to the plate with the go-ahead run!!! — Sean McDonough responding to the Toronto Blue Jays regaining the lead in what turned out to be a wild 15-14 contest in Game 4 of the 1993 World Series. ” “ In Canada, when you say PM they think of Prime Minister, but now they might start thinking Paul Molitor! — Tim McCarver during Game 6 of the 1993 World Series. ” “ Well-hit down the left-field line! Way back and gone! Joe Carter with a three-run homer! The winners and still world champions, the Toronto Blue Jays! - Sean McDonough calling Joe Carter's dramatic World Series home run off Mitch Williams. ” [edit] References ^ CBS' 1990–1993 Major League Baseball Schedule Retrived ^ Regular season baseball games to air on CBS ^ The New York Times - 1955 ^ The New York Times - 1957 ^ The New York Times - 1965 ^ The New York Times - 1964 ^ The New York Times - 1988 ^ A Whole New Game: Two megabuck TV deals may change the face of baseball for good, or not so good ^ It's reminiscent of the quick-cash Peter Ueberroth days. In 1989, MLB sold exclusive national rights to CBS, even knowing that CBS planned to provide far less baseball than NBC had before it. ^ The contract was negotiated over the last two months primarily by Mr. Ueberroth's deputy for broadcasting, Bryan Burns, who said that the three networks were asked only this week to submit their dollar offers after weeks of discussing other factors. The decision was made by Mr. Ueberroth and confirmed unanimously by the club owners. He indicated that one network, presumably NBC, had come close to the CBS offer. But he declined to discuss the amounts involved. Mr. Burns said only Peter has seen the figures. ^ A Billion-Dollar Bid By CBS Wins Rights To Baseball Games ^ By the late 1980s the advertising industry was announcing that the era of megabuck sports TV packages was over because advertisers no longer had enough money to pay for them. What the ad pundits didn't realize was that network TV saw value in televising the League Championship Series and the World Series-prime vehicles for introducing their new fall programming lineups. When time came to renegotiate a national TV package, NBC (which had carried the Saturday Game of the Week for years) and ABC (which had carried some Monday night games and had alternated the League Championship Series and World Series with NBC) were both outslugged at the bargaining table by third-rated CBS. ^ With a larger consumer base for both streams, teams in big markets cleaned up and the revenue disparity between the haves and have-nots reached new heights (see Yankees/MSG deal). ^ CBS' deal for a handful of Saturday games plus all postseason play was for $1.1 billion over four years. When ESPN kicked in another $400 million for the same period of time, each team became instantly richer to the tune of $14 million a year. The result was felt immediately on the field. Free agency reached new heights, as the "$3 Million Man" was created, then surpassed. When the owners tried to claim poverty at the 1990 labor negotiations, the players scoffed. The average player increased his annual wealth by $70,000 overnight ^ The New York Times - 1989 ^ The New York Times - 1983 ^ CBS Major League Baseball (1990 - 1993).wma ^ The New York Times - 1990 ^ Major League Baseball on CBS - January 01, 1990 to December 31, 1990 ^ The New York Times - 1991 ^ Major League Baseball on CBS - January 01, 1991 to December 31, 1991 ^ The New York Times - 1992 ^ Major League Baseball on CBS - January 01, 1992 to December 31, 1992 ^ The New York Times - 1993 ^ Major League Baseball on CBS - January 01, 1993 to December 31, 1993 ^ Before long CBS and ESPN were doubting the wisdom of their profligate ways. Viewership had not risen enough to pay the higher tab, and both networks claimed huge losses. Even though CBS admitted the postseason had helped its new lineup, it asked for (and was refused) rebates from baseball. ^ In 1990, when the owners kept spring training camps closed and delayed the start of the season, CBS asked for an adjustment on its payments to baseball, but was rebuffed. ^ VIEWS OF SPORT; Fight Baseball's TV Fadeout ^ There were two surprises in yesterday's announcement, but the bottom line was not one of them. One surprise was the small number of weekly games involved. For the last 13 years, NBC has televised as many as 32 games every season, usually on Saturday afternoons and sometimes on Sunday, and ABC has done eight Monday night games a season. The reason for the cutback to 12 games, Mr. Ueberroth said with a laugh, was simple. The teams sell them locally and get a lot of money, he said. The prime example was the recent sale of television rights by the Yankees, who will collect $500 million over a 12-year period from the Madison Square Garden

cable network for as many as 150 games a season by 1991. The 12 others are reserved for the national television package, now owned by CBS. The Yankees thereby became the first baseball team to award its local broadcast package entirely to cable television, which could set the pattern for other teams in the future. ^ * This contract abandons the network whose baseball reverence is perhaps TV's worst-kept secret; NBC, which has covered the pastime since 1947, wanted to broadcast a 1990 Game each Saturday. In contrast, CBS's sports head, Neal Pilson, flaunts his network's baseball nescience by saying, The emphasis on baseball will now be on the post-season. (Bart Giamatti often said, Of all sports, baseball's regular season matters most.) Giamatti, like Vincent, knew that baseball and any network need a healthy regular season for the post-season to prosper. Like readers deprived of a novel's first six chapters, October viewers will have to watch something they know little of from April to September. ^ 'For years, said Howard Stringer, the president of the CBS Broadcast Group, we watched the baseball playoffs and World Series give our rivals a clear edge in the fall program ratings. We always had to catch up. Fewer Games Will Be Shown ^ Negotiating the contract, Ueberroth lured $1.1 billion from CBS for the entire package, and for the simplest reason. Only CBS needed baseball's post-season games so desperately - to lift October audiences, and promote its flagging prime-time schedule -that it would pay anything to gain exclusivity. Baseball was something to be used, not loved. That CBS wouldn't telecast a weekly Game didn't trouble Ueberroth. Nor does it Pilson, today. ^ But the factors that induced CBS to outbid NBC by $380 million to get the current deal are not at play anymore. CBS's losses mean that no network will enter the talks wishing to merely break even. Or, as CBS envisioned, to use baseball as a loss-leader platform, enabling it to gain exposure for prime-time programs in October. ^ The 1992 and 1993 World Series received two of the three all-time lowest TV ratings for a Series. This was due in part to Canadian viewership not being counted in the ratings. During the 1992 Series ESPN announced it was willing to pay a $13 million penalty to forego its option to carry 1994–95 games for $250 million. Owners, afraid that their glory days of network TV billions were gone, decided to reopen negotiations on the Basic Agreement a year early. Had the owners' century-old fear of "giving the game away" finally come true? Had baseball fans finally seen enough? No, and no. ^ In 1990 CBS, like other companies dependent on advertising, saw its income drop precipitously as the country remained stuck in a recession, and prospects for an economic recovery seemed bleak as a war in the Persian Gulf threatened to erupt. Also contributing to the poor fiscal performance that year were the huge hits CBS took on major sports contracts, particularly on professional baseball: the company was forced to swallow $171.2 million in losses. ^ *An additional playoff series would create more advertising time to sell, a daunting prospect for any network. But the idea is fancied by Bill Giles, the owner of the Philadelphia Phillies and a member of the TV committee. "This September tells me we need to create more interest in more cities," Giles said, referring to the lack of stirring pennant races. ^ By far Tisch's worst decision was not in selling but in spending $1.4 billion in 1989 for Major League Baseball, a grandstand effort to boost programming that struck out. How much did CBS overpay? In 1990 and 1991 the company wrote off some $600 million in total for baseball and a National Football League deal. CBS made only a smidgen of profit in 1990 and had a loss in 1991. It was not our finest hour, admits Stringer, but it showed that Larry was prepared to spend money, which people doubted at the time. It told our 216 affiliates we were determined to be competitive. ^ As in 1990, the company racked up huge losses in its sports divisions, proving to some observers what had always been suspected: the network had grossly overpaid for its baseball and football contracts, which were to expire after their respective 1993 seasons. ^ DBSForums Discussion Forums — View Single Post — TBS signs on to air LCS games ^ In 1993, cash flows from operating activities were lower than in 1992. This was primarily caused by the excess of payments for baseball and football program rights over their related revenues, the rights fee paid for the 1994 Olympic Winter Games, and a higher level of year-end accounts receivable, due to increased sales in the fourth quarter. ^ The New York Times - 1994 ^ The New York Times - 1995 ^ [1][dead link] [edit] External links MLB Baseball — CBS SportsLine.com Baseball's Best — 1990s 1990 World Series |Game 4 1991 World Series |Game 6 1991 World Series |Game 7 1992 NLCS |Game 7 1992 World Series |Game 6 1993 World Series |Game 6 Major League Baseball History : History : All-Star Game Recaps — 1993: The Curious At-Bat MLB on CBS - Television Dictionary and Research Guide Fantasy Baseball Move Makers [edit] See also Major League Baseball on CBS Radio [show]v • d • eMajor League Baseball on CBS Related programs Major League Baseball Game of the Week · Major League Baseball on CBS Radio Related articles Ratings for CBS telecasts · World Series television ratings · Television contracts · 1965 New York Yankees season Commentators All-Star Game · ALCS · NLCS · World Series Key figures Buddy Blattner · Jack Buck · Jerry Coleman · Dizzy Dean · Frankie Frisch · Jim Gray · Greg Gumbel · Jim Kaat · George Kell · Tim McCarver · Sean McDonough · Pat O'Brien · Pee Wee Reese · Dick Stockton · Lesley Visser · Jack Whitaker Lore "Nasty Boys" League Championship Series 1990

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