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WWPB 1450 AM

S

samcbradley

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My name is Sam Bradley and I am young filmmaker looking for some info on the old WWPB 1450. Essentially, I am looking for info on the announcers of the broadcast they used to run for the Florida International League minor league games. The Herald lists the station as playing them, but that is about all the info I can get. I am attempting to get more info for a documentary I am looking to produce about the 1952 season and the pennant race b/w the Miami Sun Sox and the Miami Beach Flamingos.
Of course an Air Check would be out of this world, but I am not getting my hopes up too much on that front. However, if anyone knows the names of the announcers or has any info on next of kin for Paul Brake it would greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance and I promise not to clog up this forum w/ much baseball talk
-sam
 
I was not around during this....however, this is all the help I can give you----

The following website from the Palm Beach post has archived over 95% or so of old Miami News issues. Te Miami News was the Herald's competitor for many years, then moved into the Herald building, then went outta business at the end of 1988.

http://www2.palmbeachpost.com/archi...earchTerms=miami+news&submit.x=37&submit.y=13

It's a bit hard to maneuver, and, you cannot print articles from it. I snap photos of the PC screen on digital camera---it can "print" that way, but it won't be great. Anyway, there are certainly a lotta 1952 issues. I myself like to look at the old TV ads (promos), logos & such. They have an extensive radio section.

Hope it's some help.

cd
 
Thanks. This will be a help, I'm sure. I talked w/ some folks over at WLYF and was told that Paul Brake passed away in the 1980s in the Melbourne Beach area. His wife passed some time in the 1990s. I am still looking for a next of kin. Not sure if they would be of any help, but possibly have some of the old radio files somewhere.
A friend of mine's grandfather ran the old WLRS in Louisville. We went to visit him once or twice and he had all sorts of great memorabilia, transcripts, etc. I think it was overwhelming to the family when he passed. Not sure what they ended up doing w/ most of it.
Oh, well. Thanks again and anyone out there w/ additional info on this would be greatly appreciated.
-sam
 
Sam, if you could find out the date that PB passed away, then you can go to the archives, and see if there is an article on the next day or two, who are his survivors. Then maybe you can Google the names. You must respect their privacy, of course; they may not supply any info (but again, they just might).

Not sure which months the minor league schedule was in 1952, but keep checking those Miami News Radio/TV sections (of course, radio was still king in Miami in '52).

Too bad that Sonny Hirsch is no longer with us; he *was* sports in Miami! Joe Zagacki (voice of U-Miami Hurricanes Sports) knew Sonny. Maybe he can help you...I make no guarantees, though.

I never even heard of these teams, and I have lived here 48 of my 52 years! I wish you well.

(I myself would like any pre-rock-era 50s airchecks myself of Miami radio; also 1960s Miami MOR stuff....there's enough top-40 stuff out there.)

cd
 
Sam:

I know you spoke with at least one person here at LITE FM as part of your search. A few clarifications from the research we did as part of our ongoing efforts to fatten our station archives:

Paul Brake died in 1973 in Miami. Mrs. Brake survived him another 22 years, and from what we know, she was living in Cocoa Beach at the time of her passing. The local newspaper there ('Florida Today') would likely be a good place to start, but their online archives only go back to 2002. A Brevard County or Cocoa Beach city library could have back issues of the paper available.

Elizabeth Martin Brake: Oct. 24, 1904 - June 4, 1995. Obit would likely mention her husband Paul E. Brake.

If you're successful in locating any family members -- and discover that they have any memorabilia from Mr. Brake's days of operating WWPB-FM ... we at WLYF would be very interested in speaking with them. Please let us know. (As you found out, we've got no information regarding the AM station ... since ownership of that property wasn't in tandem with the FM very long.)

Good luck in your research, Sam ... and thanks!

--Rob Sidney, Program Director, 101.5 LITE FM
[email protected]
 
Thanks for the tips- I haven't been successful in located Paul Brake's family yet, but I did have something interesting turn up. I have an old interview w/ Billy Harris, the Miami Sun Sox pitcher who posted a 0.83 ERA in the 1952 season.
The interviewer mentions something about being a Canadian (in reference to Harris' own ancestry). What are the odds? The tape cuts off mid-question, so the interviewer doesn't identify himself. Any ideas? Canadian South Florida sports reporter.
Thanks and I'll let you know what I find out
-sam
 
samcbradley said:
Thanks for the tips- I haven't been successful in located Paul Brake's family yet, but I did have something interesting turn up. I have an old interview w/ Billy Harris, the Miami Sun Sox pitcher who posted a 0.83 ERA in the 1952 season.
The interviewer mentions something about being a Canadian (in reference to Harris' own ancestry). What are the odds? The tape cuts off mid-question, so the interviewer doesn't identify himself. Any ideas? Canadian South Florida sports reporter.
Thanks and I'll let you know what I find out
-sam
Click to expand...

Sam,

Good work....how about contacting the radio program Canada Calling, which is a seasonal radio show for Florida and the South (there's even a Bahamas affiliate!) made especially for Canadians who bunk here in winter?

http://www.canadacalling.com/

cd
 
Just to add, WWPB-AM 1450 was sold (I can't recall the date) to the O'Neils, I believe they had something to do with RKO...Call letters were changed to WSKP.

Later, WSKP was sold to Ed Winton and renamed WOCN, with a Beautiful Music format (mid-60s)...Went Spanish sometime in the mid-late 70s. Still Spanish (although brokered) and still has the WOCN calls.
 
Wow, you guys go a lot further back than I.
Somewhere along the line, WWPB wound up on 101.5 from the same freestanding 1450 stick in downtown Miami.
Eventually, 1450 moved to the original 1220 (now 1210 and at a different location) stick on NE 71'st street.
 
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