Classic Radio 10-07-26 - Wheelchair Killing, Galvanized Yankee, and the Gambler

Wyatt Cox (0:10)

Now, the greatest radio shows of all time.

SPEAKER_2 (0:14)

Suspense, The Shadow Node, Washington Calling, David Harding, Counter Spy, Classic Radio Theater, The Great Gildersleeve, Fibber McGee and Molly, Dragnet, Gunsmoke, The Lone Ranger.

Wyatt Cox (0:29)

Now, step back into a time machine with your host, Wyatt Cox.

SPEAKER_3 (0:34)

Good evening, friends of the NSXN.

Wyatt Cox (0:39)

West turns on this Wednesday, episodes of Tales of the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McCrea, Fort Laramie, starring Raymond Burr, Gunsmoke, starring William Conrad, and we'll have Lum and Abner and Claudia. That's all straight ahead on this Wednesday. This is the seventh day of October, 280th day of the year, 85 days left in 2026 Christopher Columbus missed Florida when he changed course on this date in 1492 Explorer Cabrillo discovered Catalina Island off the California coast in 1542 In 1765, the Stamp Act Congress convened in New York.

Americans beat the British in the Battle of the Second Saratoga and the Battle of Venice Heights in 1777 in the Revolutionary War.

Three years later, the Battle of King's Mountain, American Patriot Militia defeated loyalist irregulars led by British Colonel Patrick Ferguson in South Carolina. In 1816, the first double-deck steamboat, the Washington, arrived in New Orleans. In 1864, the Battle of Darby Town Road in the American Civil War, the Confederate forces attempted to regain ground that had been lost around Richmond thwarted. In 1868, Cornell University held Opening Day Ceremonies, initial student enrollment 412, the most at any American university to that date. In 1922, WNJ in Newark, New Jersey and WGY Schenectady linked up for the World Series on this date in 1922

Germany demanded all Jewish passports stamped with the letter J on this date in 1938 Two years later on this date in 1940, Germany invaded Romania. Two years later again in 1942, US and British governments announced establishment of the United Nations. In 1943, Japan executed 100 American civilian prisoners on Wake Island.

One of the earliest television shows, the Ford Theater, debuted on this date in 1949

SPEAKER_5 (2:52)

Ford Theater, presented by Ford, producer of the Thunderbird Y8 engine and the Ford dealers of your community, who tonight bring you Scott Brady and Phyllis Kirk in Tin Can Skipper with William Leslie.

Wyatt Cox (3:12)

The Ford Theater would run from 1949 until 1957

It was on this date in 1950 US forces crossed the 38th parallel in Korea in the Korean conflict. It was on this date in 1957 Dick Clark's American Bandstand debuted.

Les Elgards recorded a Bandstand Boogie, the theme of the show until 1969 The theme returned with a disco version from 1974 to 1977, when Barry Manilow's rendition, complete with lyrics, was the theme until the show ended in 1986 The far side of the moon was seen for the first time on this date in 1959 Complements of Russia's Luna 3 The second Kennedy-Nixon debates on this date in 1960, Cold War foreign policy, there were four debates scheduled. President Kennedy signed the ratification for the Partial Test Ban Treaty on this date in 1963

SPEAKER_2 (4:48)

Soberly and unremittingly, this nation, but never this nation alone, has sought the doorway to effective disarmament and to a world where peace is secure.

Wyatt Cox (4:58)

President Kennedy on this date back in 1963 Hurricane Flora hit Haiti and the Dominican Republic on this date in 1963 7,000 people were killed. Hollywood adopted the movie rating system on this date in 1968 And on this date in 1982, Cats opened on Broadway.

Cats ran for nearly 18 years before closing on September 10, 2000 NFL running back Walter Payton broke Jim Brown's rushing record on this date in 1984

SPEAKER_6 (6:12)

Second and nine.

Wyatt Cox (6:17)

Payton.

SPEAKER_6 (6:20)

He's got it.

SPEAKER_8 (6:25)

Ladies and gentlemen, Walter Payton has just set a new National Football League career for the Russian record.

SPEAKER_9 (6:34)

It means a lot to me today because not only did the offensive line play as hard as they could, but we also put points on the board for what we've been trying to do. The win is the key thing.

Wyatt Cox (6:45)

Tim Ryan there with the call on CBS. Payton finished his career with 16,726 running yards. He would die in 1999 at the age of just 45, liver disease.

In 1985, Palestinian gunmen hijacked the Italian cruiser Akia Laurel. With more than 400 people on board, the terrorists eventually killed a wheelchair-bound American passenger, Leon Klinghofer. Shortly after the hijacking, the ship's captain radioed a coastal communications station in Sweden.

SPEAKER_10 (7:18)

He told us that the ship had been hijacked by an unknown number of Palestinian rebels that demanded 50 persons to be released from Israel.