Looking Back: The World Series' radio debut

ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY

On Oct. 5, 1921, a Newark sportswriter arranged for a telephone hookup from the Polo Grounds in Manhattan and phoned in balls and strikes to WJZ Newark, making it the first radio station to broadcast a World Series game.

The 1921 World Series was broadcast from a tiny shack atop the Westinghouse building in Newark at Orange and Plane streets.

WJZ was among four pioneer stations that Westinghouse set up in 1920 and 1921. The idea to broadcast game one of the series came from Tommy Cowan, who started his career working for Thomas Edison in West Orange and came to Westinghouse to learn the new art of broadcasting.

As the New York Giants took the field against their rivals and stadium mates, the New York Yankees, Cowan hustled to the little shack on the roof of the Westinghouse building at Orange and Plane streets and pressed a telephone to his ear.

His man at the Polo Grounds -- Harry Nash of The Sunday Call -- delivered the play-by-play, and Cowan repeated it into the microphone. ''Ball one,'' said Nash; ''Ball one,''' echoed Cowan, and so on, through the game.

The Yankees won the game 3-0, but the Giants took the series 5-3. The pinstripes moved to Yankee Stadium two years later.

- The New Jersey Historical Commission contributed to this report.