The stands were not full that day. Capacity at the Polo Grounds was 54,500, but on the afternoon of Oct. 3, 1951, only 34,320 paid their way in — 60 cents for bleachers, $1.25 for general admission, $3 for box seats. It was a gray day, strong hint of rain.
A week earlier, the Giants had announced they’d sold all World Series tickets, in the event they qualified. Many assumed that meant this winner-take-all playoff game was included in that warning. Many stayed away, choosing to follow on the radio, or on this first-ever ballgame that would be televised coast to coast on both CBS and NBC.
But the press box located under the second deck behind home plate was plenty full that day, 75 years ago Saturday, and so were the radio booths.
Behind microphones were three men who would one day win the Ford C. Frick Award and a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame — Red Barber, calling the game for the Dodgers on WMGM, 1050 AM; Ernie Harwell on NBC; and Russ Hodges, handling play by play for WMCA, 570 AM, the Giants’ flagship station.
