Not to go too far off format here, but I'm working on compiling a list of The Most Compelling Moments on LIVE Local TV in the Seattle area for an article I'm writing for Crosscut.com to mark next month's 61st anniversary of commercial TV in this area. My draft list appears below, in chronological order and featuring some minimal annotation and a question or two.
Also, I was on The Dori Monson Show on News Talk 97.3 KIRO FM today (Tuesday, October 20) speaking with Dori about this project. He also took a few calls from listeners with their recommendations for the list. Audio of the 2:00 o'clock hour of the program is available here (I think I come on at about the seven minute mark).
Please take a look at the list and let me know what you think. Anything missing? Anything that shouldn't be there? The criteria are purposefully ambiguous and vague; the main requirements are that the broadcast was live, and that it was local or had local significance. I fudge a little here and there.
Please help me out by weighing in via the comment-posting function below.
First Regular Telecast in Seattle
KRSC (which later became KING) broadcast a high school football championship game at Memorial Stadium; West Seattle and Wenatchee played to 6-6 tie.
November 25, 1948 (Thanksgiving Day)
Seafair Hydro Races on KING
Quicksilver crashes killing driver and passenger (Mathiot and Whittaker); Bill (Rhodes) O’Mara leads the audience in the Lord’s Prayer.
August 4, 1951
First TV Newscast on KING with Charles Herring
First local TV newscast west of Minneapolis and north of Los Angeles.
September 10, 1951
Seafair Hydro Races on KING and KOMO
Dash 80 Barrel Roll (by test pilot Tex Johnston). Slo-Mo V flips completely over and lands right side up; Lou Fageol badly injured. KING stays on the air longer than KOMO and announces Gale V is correct winner rather than Miss Thriftway.
August 7, 1955
JP Patches Premieres on KIRO (first thing shown on KIRO)
Monday, February 10, 1958
Seafair Hydro Races
Bill Muncey and Miss Thriftway have rudder troubles and sink a Coast Guard Cutter (and the Miss Thriftway).
August 10, 1958
Namu the Killer Whale Arrives in Seattle on KOMO
Bill Brubaker makes hundreds of short broadcasts from a tugboat from Puget Sound following Bob Hardwick and Ted Griffin’s flotilla towing Namu the Killer Whale to Seattle’s waterfront. Namu died a year later.
July 27, 1965
Ms. Washington Didi Anstett (of Kirkland) is Crowned Miss USA on KIRO
Anstett would later marry NBA great Bill Russell.
May 18, 1968
DB Cooper hijacking drama unfolds at SeaTac on KOMO, KING and KIRO
November 24, 1971 (Thanksgiving Eve, roughly 5-7pm)
Seafair Hydro Races
Jerry Bangs killed in Miss Squire crash.
Sunday, August 7, 1977
JP’s first Final Show
First final weekday show of the original series.
Friday, December 28, 1978
Sonics Championship Game on KIRO
I personally saw the final 12 seconds shown at the Mariners’ game at the Kingdome (Mariners beat Blue Jays 7-2 with 5,000 fans cheering).
June 1, 1979
Seahawks first appearance on Monday Night Football on KOMO
Jim Zorn passes to placekicker Efren Herrera after fake field goal attempt. Final: Seahawks 31, Atlanta Falcons 28.
Monday, October 29, 1979
Mt. St. Helens Eruption on KOMO, KING and KIRO
Sunday, May 18, 1980
JP’s Final Show (ever) on KIRO
Friday, September 25, 1981
King County Executive Ron Dunlap Eats Premature “Victory Cake”
Declared victory but was defeated in final vote count by Randy Revelle.
November 1981
Archbishop Hunthausen Blockades USS Ohio (Trident Sub) at Hood Canal
August 12, 1982
Kirkland Beats Taiwan to Win the Little League World Series on KOMO
August 27, 1982
Phil Donahue and Vladimir Posner host American/Soviet town meeting in Seattle on KING
December 29, 1985
Old I-90 Bridge Sinks While Being Renovated
November 24, 1990
Jeff Smulyan Announces Mariners For Sale
I think this was shown on live TV—need to confirm. Anybody?
December 6, 1991
Nirvana performing “Smells Like Teen Spirit” on Saturday Night LIVE on KING
Preceded by commercial for Mennen's Teen Spirit deodorant
(Not seen live in Seattle due to the time zone delay)
Saturday, January 11, 1992
Cougars defeat defending National Champion Huskies in snowy Apple Cup in Pullman
This was also a national telecast.
Saturday, November 21, 1992
Mariners beat the Yankees on KOMO in 11th inning of Game 5 of the Division Series
Edgar Martinez's hit is known by many baseball nuts as "The Double."
October 8, 1995
John Ellis Announces Mariners (again!) For Sale
This may have only been LIVE on radio. Anybody?
Saturday, December 14, 1996
Makah Whale Hunt a Success at Neah Bay, WA
May 17, 1999
WTO Riots
KING's coverage of late night rioters on the move from downtown to Capital Hill was particularly spooky.
November 30, 1999
Kingdome Implosion on KOMO, KING, KIRO and KCPQ
Sunday, March 26, 2000
Nisqually Quake Shakes Seattle City Hall (and City Council) on TVSea
Wednesday, February 28, 2001
Whidbey P-3 Orion Crew Returns from Captivity in China
April 11, 2001
Locally-Made Boeing Aircraft Used as Terrorist Weapons on 9/11
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
Seahawks vs. Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XL on KOMO
Sunday, February 5, 2006
Seahawks vs. Brett Favre's Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football in snow storm (in Seattle!)
Seattle wins 34-24; Shaun Alexander has record 40 carries.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Federal Way's Sanjaya Malakar competes on American Idol
Not shown live in Seattle because of time zone differences. Maybe this shouldn't be on the list--I don't want to have to also list The Bachelor!!!
March-April, 2007
Pike Place Centennial Concert on the SEATTLE CHANNEL
All-star band “The Iconics” featuring members of the Presidents, Posies, etc. play local tunes, notably “The Old Settler” (with John Roderick of The Long Winters).
Friday, August 17, 2007
Gertrude (Bob Newman) Takes Off His (her?) Wig During Pledge Drive on KCTS with JP and Pat Cashman
December 5, 2007
Space Needle Fireworks experience technical difficulties and long delays on KING
December 31, 2007 – January 1, 2008
PLEASE HELP ME MAKE THIS LIST BETTER BY COMMENTING NOW! THANK YOU!
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Please take a look at the list and let me know what you think. Anything missing? Anything that shouldn't be there? The criteria are purposefully ambiguous and vague; the main requirements are that the broadcast was live, and that it was local or had local significance. I fudge a little here and there ok
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