A battle, a name change, a refrigerator maker, and dumb luck helped to shape this sport's first. Let us start with the battle. The year was 1757, and the General represented Britain. John Forbes led a troop of soldiers during the French and Indian wars. As if the Indians were not enough of a foe, the pesky French had established a rather strong fort. To make matters worse the fort overlooked, and protected, three rivers. Water being the main form of commerce transportation at the time. They called this armed compound Fort Duquesne. It was located in a timbered land of Pennsylvania. The waterways were very important as timber was in high demand at the time.

Somehow General Forbes captured Fort Duquesne. Joining in the celebration was a capable Colonel named George Washington. In 1958 the location became known as Fort Pitt. It was named after a British Statesman who was instrumental in the outcome of the war. And by accident, in the not distant future, the formation of America and a sport's first.

That was the battle, and name change. Around the fort a settlement sprouted up. In time it was called Pittsburgh. The city was very prosperous and grew quite large. However, not everyone was involved in logging, coal mining, steel, transportation and other related activities. A small group of businessman formed a not much bigger company called Westinghouse in 1886. At this time they were a power company on the cutting edge of building electric motor machines. A product very few could afford at the time.

So while Westinghouse was wrestling with their problem something else was catching the eyes of just about everybody. It was called baseball. The fever was such that in 1909 Pittsburgh established Forbes Field. The old General John Forbes had not been forgotten.

Baseball was not the only thing flourishing in the Iron City. Westinghouse had a big break through with the invention of family affordable electric motor machines. While not alone in the production of little talking boxes they did very well with something called a radio. Enough so that they put some of their radio profits into starting a broadcast station. It was called KDKA. In 1920 it became the nation's, and even world's, first commercial radio. As the popularity of radio grew, and family gatherings around it were standard, it seemed to have become another national pastime. The only trouble was radio broadcasting was a new field. Airtime was limited to just a few evening hours. For KDKA it was in covering the presidential election between Warren Harden and James Cox.

Harold Arlin

That changed the next year. Radio officials decided that the station should cover some sports. Baseball lent itself to this experiment. Trouble then is nobody knew quite how to do that. Staff Announcer 24 year old Harold Arlin got the job. It was not a wish come true for him. He went over to Forbes Field on August 5th, 1921 and set up a remote broadcast booth. He then crossed his fingers and hoped this new idea worked. It would require a lot of dumb luck. In later years Arlin recalled that he had not factored in the crowd noise, which often drowned him out. In this game the Pirates beat the Phillies 8 – 5. Since he could not be heard he was sure he was just talking to himself.

He was not. The coverage was such a success that by fall of that year KDKA banded with stations in Newark, NJ and Springfield, Mass. Thus forming the first radio network. Arlin meanwhile went on to announce the first live football game. A college sporting event between Pitt and West Virginia. He also covered a local tennis match, which was yet another first radio event. Sometime after that he went back into a role he was more comfortable with. That is being interviewing political and other notables of the time. However, baseball fans did not forget him. Especially those with radios.

Mr. Arlin, in respect to being the first person to broadcast a baseball game, was given the honor of interviewing Babe Ruth. As part of the agreement Harold wrote a speech for the Babe to read. That should have been simple. All that Mr. Ruth had to do was read, over radio, a speech already written for him. However, radio was still in its infancy in the 30's, and the Bambino choked.

You put a crowd in front of Babe and he could go on forever. Talking into a stick, without seeing an audience brought out the cold sweats. So Harold Arlin grabbed the microphone and read the speech he wrote. Within weeks hundreds of letters poured into KDKA praising the Sultan of Swat's speech. Back then almost everyone knew what Ruth looked like. Very few knew what he sounded like.

Shortly before Mr. Harold Arlin died at the age of 90 he was asked what it is was like to be remembered as the first in something. He replied that through his life most when introduced thought he was Howard Arlen. The songwriter who brought us such classics as "Over The Rainbow" and "Stormy Weather". When he corrected them and said, " No, I was the first one to broadcast a professional baseball game."

As he recalled with a bashful smile most just said "Oh". By the time he died television had come into being, and radio was just thought of being around forever. However, for the many of us out there, at any age, who have enjoyed a baseball game over the radio; we can say "Oh, thanks Arlin". You broadcast the first game on radio.

Your work, in your field, touched the imagination of sports fans that continues today. Your electrifying smile continues.