Ty Tyson
Encyclopedia
Edwin L. "Ty" Tyson was an American
sports broadcaster and radio
play-by-play announcer.
. While acting in a play, he met another young man from Tyrone, Fred Waring
. The two became fast friends. Tyson spent his early years jumping from job to job, including stints in the coal, wallpaper, and papermaking industries, a time in stationery with his father, and as mercantile appraiser. In addition, he spent two years of World War I in the Army, including 11 months of that time overseas.
Fred Waring, meanwhile, formed his famous orchestra, the Pennsylvanians, and began touring the country. After playing at the University of Michigan in 1922, Waring was invited to perform on WWJ
in Detroit, then a radio station just a few months old. Bill Holiday, the station manager and nation's first radio announcer, was looking for someone to replace him. Waring suggested Tyson, and Holiday immediately telegraphed a job offer. Tyson accepted.
and the opening of the Ambassador Bridge
and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. What he is best known for, however, is his pioneering work on play-by-play of live sports broadcasts for the station.
In 1924, Tyson broadcast the first University of Michigan
football game aired on the radio. Fielding H. Yost had given WWJ permission to broadcast the game against Wisconsin only because the game had been sold out. He was afraid broadcasting would hurt sales, but before the next home game Michigan was inundated with ticket requests. Sensing a good thing, Yost agreed to more broadcasts.
On April 19, 1927, Tyson called his first Detroit Tigers
game, inaugurating the first full season of radio broadcasts for a Major League Baseball
team. He quickly became a popular figure with the team's fans. When the Tigers reached the World Series
in 1934
, baseball's then-commissioner, Kenesaw Mountain Landis
, barred Tyson from appearing on any of the network radio coverage, citing the risk of partiality in his commentary. After Tiger fans sent more than 600,000 letters of protest, Landis compromised by allowing Tyson to announce the Series locally on WWJ. Tyson went on to call the 1935
and 1936
Series nationally for NBC.
Tyson continued broadcasting Tigers games on WWJ through 1942; the following year, the team granted exclusive broadcast rights to rival station WXYZ, with Harry Heilmann
announcing. For the previous eight years, the Tigers had employed an unusual arrangement for their broadcasts, with Tyson broadcasting to metro Detroit while Heilmann's broadcasts anchored a network that stretched across Michigan. Tyson returned to call the Tigers' television broadcasts in 1947, and shifted back to radio in 1951 after Heilmann developed lung cancer. Tyson founded the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association in 1948 after what was considered "second-class treatment" for the broadcasters (by the baseball writers) in the Briggs Stadium pressbox in Detroit.
Tyson also did Detroit Lions
radio for one season (1951); broadcast the Gold Cup powerboat races, boxing, and other sporting events in Detroit; and founded the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association in 1948 and was its first president. Tyson retired from broadcasting in 1953. On Father's Day
in 1965, he was invited by the Tigers' then-current radio announcer, Ernie Harwell
, to return to the booth as a guest commentator. In 2000, the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association established an annual Ty Tyson Award for Excellence in Sports Broadcasting. Among its recipients are former Tigers announcers Ernie Harwell, Ray Lane, Josh Lewin and Frank Beckmann, and current announcer Dan Dickerson.
Tyson died December 12, 1968 at Cottage Hospital in Grosse Pointe Farms
, from an arterial ailment. He was 80 years old.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sports broadcaster and radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
play-by-play announcer.
Early life
Tyson was born in Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania and he attended Penn State University. As a young man, he played ball and acted in nearby Tyrone, PennsylvaniaTyrone, Pennsylvania
Tyrone is a borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Altoona, on the Little Juniata River. Tyrone was of considerable commercial importance in the twentieth century. It was an outlet for the Clearfield coal fields, and it was noted for the manufacture of paper products. There were...
. While acting in a play, he met another young man from Tyrone, Fred Waring
Fred Waring
Fredrick Malcolm Waring was a popular musician, bandleader and radio-television personality, sometimes referred to as "America's Singing Master" and "The Man Who Taught America How to Sing." He was also a promoter, financial backer and namesake of the Waring Blendor, the first modern electric...
. The two became fast friends. Tyson spent his early years jumping from job to job, including stints in the coal, wallpaper, and papermaking industries, a time in stationery with his father, and as mercantile appraiser. In addition, he spent two years of World War I in the Army, including 11 months of that time overseas.
Fred Waring, meanwhile, formed his famous orchestra, the Pennsylvanians, and began touring the country. After playing at the University of Michigan in 1922, Waring was invited to perform on WWJ
WWJ (AM)
WWJ is Detroit, Michigan's only 24-hour all-news radio station. Broadcasting at 950 kHz, the station is owned and operated by CBS Corporation subsidiary CBS Radio. The station first went on the air on August 20, 1920 with the call sign 8MK...
in Detroit, then a radio station just a few months old. Bill Holiday, the station manager and nation's first radio announcer, was looking for someone to replace him. Waring suggested Tyson, and Holiday immediately telegraphed a job offer. Tyson accepted.
Radio career
Tyson handled announcing chores for various events at WWJ, including broadcasting the Detroit Symphony OrchestraDetroit Symphony Orchestra
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Detroit, Michigan. Its main performance center is Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood...
and the opening of the Ambassador Bridge
Ambassador Bridge
The Ambassador Bridge is a suspension bridge that connects Detroit, Michigan, in the United States, with Windsor, Ontario, in Canada. It is the busiest international border crossing in North America in terms of trade volume: more than 25 percent of all merchandise trade between the United States...
and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. What he is best known for, however, is his pioneering work on play-by-play of live sports broadcasts for the station.
In 1924, Tyson broadcast the first University of Michigan
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
football game aired on the radio. Fielding H. Yost had given WWJ permission to broadcast the game against Wisconsin only because the game had been sold out. He was afraid broadcasting would hurt sales, but before the next home game Michigan was inundated with ticket requests. Sensing a good thing, Yost agreed to more broadcasts.
On April 19, 1927, Tyson called his first Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
game, inaugurating the first full season of radio broadcasts for a Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
team. He quickly became a popular figure with the team's fans. When the Tigers reached the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
in 1934
1934 World Series
The 1934 World Series matched the St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Cardinals' "Gashouse Gang" winning in seven games for their third championship in nine years....
, baseball's then-commissioner, Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis was an American jurist who served as a federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and as the first Commissioner of Baseball from 1920 until his death...
, barred Tyson from appearing on any of the network radio coverage, citing the risk of partiality in his commentary. After Tiger fans sent more than 600,000 letters of protest, Landis compromised by allowing Tyson to announce the Series locally on WWJ. Tyson went on to call the 1935
1935 World Series
The 1935 World Series featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five Series appearances. They had lost in , , , and ....
and 1936
1936 World Series
The 1936 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the New York Giants, with the Yankees winning in six games to earn their fifth championship....
Series nationally for NBC.
Tyson continued broadcasting Tigers games on WWJ through 1942; the following year, the team granted exclusive broadcast rights to rival station WXYZ, with Harry Heilmann
Harry Heilmann
Harry Edwin Heilmann , nicknamed “Slug,” was a Major League Baseball player who played 17 seasons with the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1952.Heilmann was a line drive hitter who won four American League batting crowns: in 1921, 1923, 1925 and...
announcing. For the previous eight years, the Tigers had employed an unusual arrangement for their broadcasts, with Tyson broadcasting to metro Detroit while Heilmann's broadcasts anchored a network that stretched across Michigan. Tyson returned to call the Tigers' television broadcasts in 1947, and shifted back to radio in 1951 after Heilmann developed lung cancer. Tyson founded the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association in 1948 after what was considered "second-class treatment" for the broadcasters (by the baseball writers) in the Briggs Stadium pressbox in Detroit.
Tyson also did Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
radio for one season (1951); broadcast the Gold Cup powerboat races, boxing, and other sporting events in Detroit; and founded the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association in 1948 and was its first president. Tyson retired from broadcasting in 1953. On Father's Day
Father's Day
Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Many countries celebrate it on the third Sunday of June but it is also celebrated widely on other days...
in 1965, he was invited by the Tigers' then-current radio announcer, Ernie Harwell
Ernie Harwell
William Earnest "Ernie" Harwell was an American sportscaster, known for his long career calling play-by-play of Major League Baseball games. For 55 years, 42 of them with the Detroit Tigers, Harwell called the action on radio and/or television...
, to return to the booth as a guest commentator. In 2000, the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association established an annual Ty Tyson Award for Excellence in Sports Broadcasting. Among its recipients are former Tigers announcers Ernie Harwell, Ray Lane, Josh Lewin and Frank Beckmann, and current announcer Dan Dickerson.
Tyson died December 12, 1968 at Cottage Hospital in Grosse Pointe Farms
Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan
Grosse Pointe Farms is a suburban city bordering Detroit located in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It ranks as the 76th highest-income city in America. The population was 9,479 at the 2010 census. It is bordered by Grosse Pointe on the west, Detroit on the north, Grosse Pointe Woods...
, from an arterial ailment. He was 80 years old.
External links
- Detroit News article
- Tyson announcing a game September 20, 1934 NY Yankees Vs Detroit Tigers
- Michigan Sports Hall of Fame