Re: Autumn 1951 Manchester NH Radio Wars

[brouder@juno.com]

John Bolduc asked about the arrest of a Manchester radio announcer.

It was WKBR's Norm Bailey on Friday, September 29, 1951.  Manchester
Central was playing Quincy, Mass at Athletic Field (now Gill Stadium). 
The city athletic committee had awarded broadcast rights to WMUR (now
WGIR), upsetting WKBR and WFEA.  In the past all three stations were
allowed to broadcast home games.

On game night, WKBR used a walkie talkie to broadcast more than a quarter
of the game (sitting in the stands on the visitor's side) before being
discovered.  The crowd erupted in a chorus of boos when Bailey and
announcer Bud Wilson were escorted out, at which time Bailey was arrested
for disorderly conduct.  A few days later a hastily-called meeting was
arranged with all three stations and the exclusive rights plan was
dropped, as were the charges.

It wasn't Norm's last time before a judge.  In April, 1957 an ad appeared
in the Manchester Union Leader announcing that Bailey would henceforth be
heard on WGIR (after 10 years hosting AM drive on WKBR).  WKBR went right
to court and won an injunction enjoining him from appearing on any
Manchester station for one year.  In May 1958 he showed up on WFEA's
morning show and stayed about a year.

Ed Brouder
Man From Mars Productions
http://www.manfrommars.com

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