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''Major League Baseball on CBS'' is a former TV Show , that televised Major League Baseball games on the '''Columbia Broadcasting System''' ( CBS ) and was produced by CBS Sports . There have been several variations of the program dating back to the 1950s . The most notable version existed from 1990 - 1993 . ORIGINAL MLB ON CBS PROGRAM On August 11 , 1951 , CBS broadcasted the first baseball game on Color Television . It was the Brooklyn Dodgers vs. Boston Braves from Ebbets Field . By 1955 , Dizzy Dean and the ''Game of the Week'' would move from ABC to CBS. ''"CBS' stakes were higher"'' said Bud 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."'' Also in 1955, NBC would televise the first ever World Series game (in which the Yankees beat the Dodgers 6-5) in color. In 1956 , baseball's owners announced that the players' pension fund will receive 60 percent of World Series and All-Star Game radio and TV revenues. In 1957 , 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 miliion revenue-sharing pact. By 1965 , 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 counting NBC, by 1959 ."'' By 1964 , CBS' Dizzy Dean and Pee Wee Reese worked 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 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. Announcers
1990-1993 VERSION On December 14 , 1988 , CBS (under the guidance of Commissioner Peter Ueberroth ) paid approximately $ 1.2 billion (or $1.06 billion according to some sources) for exclusive television rights 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 suppose to pay each team $10 million a year. 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 ) 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 . Before the previous television contract ( 1983 - 1989 ) with Major League Baseball was signed, 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. Trademarks A trademark of CBS' baseball coverage was its majestic, uplifting, and harmonious theme music. The music was usually set to the opening graphic of an ''. 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 from 1991 . The "Training" cue from ''Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves'' was played against an all slow-motion montage of the entire series. Year-by-Year 1990 presides over the 1990 World Series trophy presentation ceremony.]] 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 . 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 commentary ."'' 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. = 1990 Regular Season Schedule 1991 versus Sid Bream during Game 7 of the 1991 World Series .]] After sustaining huge losses from 1990's abbreviated postseason (which ended with a Cincinnati Reds shockingly sweeping the defending World Champion Oakland Athletics in the World Series ), CBS made serveral 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 . televises the 1991 All-Star Game out of the SkyDome in Toronto .]] As CBS' baseball coverage progressed, they dropped the 8:00 p.m. pregame coverage (in favor of . = 1991 Regular Season Schedule Jack Buck for Sean McDonough interviews Kirby Puckett following Game 7 of the 1991 World Series .]] 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 Tim McCarver run the show.'"'' Buck added ''"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 got into deep trouble with CBS executives (namely, director 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 during the 1991 National League Championship Series in Pittsburgh , Buck criticized Vinton's off-key rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner . What got Buck into trouble was that his pot-shot towards Vinton sounded as if he was making 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. 1992 crosses home plate during the 1992 All-Star Game (broadcasted by CBS ).]] 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 a national broadcast of a World Series . 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 ). = 1992 Regular Season Schedule 1993 = 1993 Regular Season Schedule interviews Joe Carter following Carter's World Series clinching home run in 1993 .]] 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 , but MLB wasn't willing to do this.
Marv Albert , who hosted NBC's studio 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 {Link without Title} 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 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).
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. 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, 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 , when it was a known fact that ABC and NBC were going to pull out of 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 the rights to the postseason. Fox's Current Major League Baseball Contract expires at the end of the 2006 World Series , and its negotiating period expired at the end of 2005 ; it is not known whether Major League Baseball will return to CBS in time for the 2007 baseball season. MISCELLANEOUS QUOTES "Everyone at CBS who cared about baseball felt like they went through Hell with it." "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." Ratings Regular Season (Saturday afternoons: April-September) All-Star Game Television Ratings Breakdown: 1986-1993 American League Championship Series Ratings National League Championship Series Ratings World Series Television Ratings Breakdown: 1986-1993 Memorable Calls "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 !" "That ball is...FAIR!!! Cincinnati 's ahead 2 games to none!!!" " Cincinnati , the champions of baseball for 1990 ...with an improbable sweep over Oakland !!!" "In Atlanta let the celebration begin!!!" "And the Minnesota Twins have gone from the cellar to the penthouse in the American League !" "And we'll see you... TOMORROW NIGHT!" "The play is to Home ! Out there...out there!!!" " Atlanta hasn't scored in ten innings against Jack Morris !" "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!" "Deep to left...and there goes Ron Gant 's first ever Grand Slam " "And a drive hit to right field, Sierra going back, looking up...and this game is tied, Roberto Alomar !" "Line-drive and a base-hit. Justice will score the tying run. Bream to the plate...and he's safe, safe at the plate! The Braves go to the 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...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!" "And the Philadelphia Phillies have won the National League pennant!" " Henderson to the plate with the go-ahead run!!!" "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 !" EXTERNAL LINKS |