Woody Erdman
Encyclopedia
Ellis E. "Woody" Erdman was an American sportscaster, television producer, and businessman who served as chairman of Trans-National Communications
, International Trade & Commerce Corporation and Boston Celtics
.
Ellis Erdman was a combat veteran of World War II, having served with the US Army Air Corps from 1944 to the V-J Day. He was a crew member on several B-29s based on the island of Tinian, and received the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. He remained in the Air Force Reserve until after the birth of his third child, and received an Honorable Discharge at the rank of 1st Lieutenant.
Erdman's career in broadcasting began while he was a student at Penn State University in the late 1940s, and worked at several radio stations in central Pennsylvania, where he met his future wife, Phebe Mae Weeks, and they were married in 1948. In 1952 they moved to Elmira, NY where Erdman worked for WELM, a Gannett radio station. In 1956 he co-founded WTKO radio in Ithaca, New York
with Thomas Cassell and a group of investors, and the family moved to Ithaca. On February 1, 1960 Erdman purchased the Rural Radio Network
, an interconnected group of six commercial FM radio stations spread across upstate New York. In addition to owning radio stations, Erdman was also a radio play-by-play announcer for the New York Giants
football team.
Erdman was also involved in the ownership of sports teams. Erdman's Trans-National Communications were the majority owners of the Boston Celtics
of the National Basketball Association
from 1969–71 and the Oakland Seals of the National Hockey League
during the 1969-70 NHL season
. Erdman was also the owner of the Carolina Cardinals of the United States Basketball League
.
A 2000 investigation of Ellis Erdman and his International Trade & Commerce Corporation by the Securities and Exchange Commission revealed Erdman to be a "confidence man" who "passed himself off as a Cornell Law School graduate experienced in taking companies public." As chairman of ITC, Erdman was found to have "orchestrated a classic "pump and dump
" scheme," but died in 1997 before ever tried in court.
Erdman was married to Phebe Weeks Erdman from 1949 until their divorce in 1985. The couple was reunited in 1992 and were together until his death. They had three children. The Erdmans were residents of Ithaca, New York
.
Trans-National Communications
Trans-National Communications, Inc. was a New York City based Holding company that owned the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association and the Oakland Seals of the National Hockey League....
, International Trade & Commerce Corporation and Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
.
Ellis Erdman was a combat veteran of World War II, having served with the US Army Air Corps from 1944 to the V-J Day. He was a crew member on several B-29s based on the island of Tinian, and received the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. He remained in the Air Force Reserve until after the birth of his third child, and received an Honorable Discharge at the rank of 1st Lieutenant.
Erdman's career in broadcasting began while he was a student at Penn State University in the late 1940s, and worked at several radio stations in central Pennsylvania, where he met his future wife, Phebe Mae Weeks, and they were married in 1948. In 1952 they moved to Elmira, NY where Erdman worked for WELM, a Gannett radio station. In 1956 he co-founded WTKO radio in Ithaca, New York
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
with Thomas Cassell and a group of investors, and the family moved to Ithaca. On February 1, 1960 Erdman purchased the Rural Radio Network
Rural Radio Network
The Rural Radio Network was an interconnected group of six commercial FM radio stations spread across upstate New York and operated from Ithaca, NY -- the first all-radio, no-wireline network in the world...
, an interconnected group of six commercial FM radio stations spread across upstate New York. In addition to owning radio stations, Erdman was also a radio play-by-play announcer for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
football team.
Erdman was also involved in the ownership of sports teams. Erdman's Trans-National Communications were the majority owners of the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
from 1969–71 and the Oakland Seals of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
during the 1969-70 NHL season
1969-70 NHL season
The 1969–70 NHL season was the 53rd season of the National Hockey League. For the third straight season, the St. Louis Blues reached the Stanley Cup finals, and for the third straight year, they were swept four games to none...
. Erdman was also the owner of the Carolina Cardinals of the United States Basketball League
United States Basketball League
The United States Basketball League , often abbreviated to the USBL, was a professional men's spring basketball league. The league was formed in 1985. The final champions are the Kansas Cagerz, who won the title game on July 1, 2007.-History:...
.
A 2000 investigation of Ellis Erdman and his International Trade & Commerce Corporation by the Securities and Exchange Commission revealed Erdman to be a "confidence man" who "passed himself off as a Cornell Law School graduate experienced in taking companies public." As chairman of ITC, Erdman was found to have "orchestrated a classic "pump and dump
Pump and dump
"Pump and dump" is a form of microcap stock fraud that involves artificially inflating the price of an owned stock through false and misleading positive statements, in order to sell the cheaply purchased stock at a higher price....
" scheme," but died in 1997 before ever tried in court.
Erdman was married to Phebe Weeks Erdman from 1949 until their divorce in 1985. The couple was reunited in 1992 and were together until his death. They had three children. The Erdmans were residents of Ithaca, New York
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
.