Major League Baseball on Mutual was the de facto title of the Mutual Broadcasting System's (MBS) national radio coverage of Major League Baseball games. Mutual's coverage came about during the Golden Age of Radio in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. During this period, television sports broadcasting was in its infancy, and radio was still the main form of broadcasting baseball. For many years, Mutual was the national radio broadcaster for baseball's All-Star Game and World Series.

History of coverage Mutual started its baseball coverage in , when the network joined NBC and CBS in national radio coverage. The three networks continued to share coverage of baseball's "jewels" (the All-Star Game and World Series) in this manner through , with Mutual gaining exclusive rights to the World Series in 1939 and the All-Star Game in . In 1949, Commissioner Happy Chandler negotiated a seven-year, US$4,370,000 contract with the Gillette Safety Razor Company and the Mutual Broadcasting System for radio rights to the World Series, with the proceeds going directly into the pension fund. In , NBC replaced Mutual as the exclusive national radio broadcaster for the World Series and All-Star Game.

Following the lead of the rival Liberty Broadcasting System, Mutual also aired regular-season Game of the Day broadcasts (a precursor to television's Game of the Week concept) to non-major-league cities throughout the 1940s and 1950s.

Attempts at television coverage In 1950, Mutual acquired the television broadcast rights to the World Series and All-Star Game for the next six years. The network may have been re-indulging in TV network dreams or simply taking advantage of a long-standing business relationship; in either case, the broadcast rights were sold to NBC in time for the following season's games at an enormous profit.

Announcers

Game of the Day Rex Barney (1956) Bud Blattner (1952; 1954) Dizzy Dean (1951–1952) Don Dunphy (1944–1959) Gene Elston (1958–1960) Bob Feller (1958) Bob Fulton (1954) Art Gleeson (1950–1958) Al Helfer (1950–1954) Gene Kirby (1950–1952) France Laux (1939–1941; 1944) John MacLean (1955–1960) Bob Neal (1955–1956) Mel Ott (1955) Van Patrick (1960) Hal Totten (1945–1950) Joe Wilson (1952, 1959) Bob Wolff (1950–1951)

World Series

1950s YearPlay-by-playPregame host1956Bob Wolff and Bob NealBill Corum1955Al Helfer and Bob NealFrankie Frisch1954Al Helfer and Jimmy DudleyFrankie Frisch1953Al Helfer and Gene KellyBill Corum1952Al Helfer and Jack BrickhouseBill Corum1951Mel Allen and Al Helfer1950Mel Allen and Gene KellyAl Helfer

1940s YearPlay-by-playPregame host1949Mel Allen and Red Barber1948Mel Allen and Jim Britt1947Mel Allen and Red Barber1946Jim Britt and Arch McDonaldBill Corum1945Bill Slater and Al HelferBill Corum1944Bill Slater and Don DunphyBill Corum1943Red Barber and Bob ElsonBill Corum1942Red Barber and Mel AllenBill Corum1941Red Barber and Bob ElsonBill Corum1940Red Barber and Bob ElsonMel Allen Mutual also broadcast the 1948 American League tie-breaker game nationally. However, the network's coverage did not air in Cleveland due to Indians owner Bill Veeck refusing to grant permission to Mutual affiliate WHK after MLB commissioner Happy Chandler selected Mel Allen for its Series coverage instead of either Cleveland announcer. Indians flagship WJW originated coverage of its own for the tie-breaker game.

1930s YearPlay-by-playColor commentator(s)1939Red Barber and Bob Elson1938Bob Elson Quin Ryan, David Driscoll and Stan Lomax1937Bob Elson and Johnny O'HaraDavid Driscoll1936Bob ElsonGabriel Heatter and Tony Wakeman1935Bob Elson and Red BarberQuin Ryan

All-Star Game

1950s YearPlay-by-playColor commentator(s)Venue/Host team1956Bob NealBob WolffGriffith Stadium, Washington Senators1955Bob NealEarl GillespieCounty Stadium, Milwaukee Braves1954Jim DudleyAl HelferMunicipal Stadium, Cleveland Indians1953Al HelferWaite HoytCrosley Field, Cincinnati Reds1952Al HelferGene KellyShibe Park, Philadelphia Phillies1951Al HelferMel AllenBriggs Stadium, Detroit Tigers1950Mel AllenJim BrittComiskey Park, Chicago White Sox

1940s YearPlay-by-playColor commentator(s)Venue/Host team1949Mel AllenJim BrittEbbets Field, Brooklyn Dodgers1948Mel AllenJim Britt and France LauxSportsman's Park, St. Louis Browns1947Mel AllenJim BrittWrigley Field, Chicago Cubs1946Mel AllenJim Britt and Bill CorumFenway Park, Boston Red Sox1945Not held because of World War II1944Don DunphyBill Slater and Bill CorumForbes Field, Pittsburgh Pirates1943Mel AllenRed Barber and Bill CorumShibe Park, Philadelphia Athletics1942Mel AllenJim Britt and Bob ElsonPolo Grounds, New York Giants1941Red BarberBob ElsonBriggs Stadium, Detroit Tigers1940Red BarberBob ElsonSportsman's Park, St. Louis Cardinals

Two nights following the 1942 All-Star Game, the American League All-Stars traveled to Cleveland Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, to play a special benefit game against a team of players from the U.S. Army and Navy. The contest, which the American Leaguers won 5–0, attracted a crowd of 62,094 and netted $70,000 for the Army Emergency Relief Fund and the Navy Relief Society. Mutual Radio broadcast the second game, with Bob Elson, Waite Hoyt, and Jack Graney announcing.

1930s YearPlay-by-playColor Commentator(s)Venue/Host team1939Red BarberBob ElsonYankee Stadium, New York Yankees1938Bob ElsonDick BrayCrosley Field, Cincinnati Reds1937Mel AllenJim BrittGriffith Stadium, Washington Senators1936Fred HoeyLinus TraversNational League Park, Boston Bees1935Bob ElsonEddie Vander PylMunicipal Stadium, Cleveland Indians

References