On Friday, June 26, 1953 at the Bala Golf Club in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia, the first TV Golf Tournament was held. Nearly 70 people from the local television industry took part. More than double that amount showed up to observe the event. TV Guide's Associate Editor Harvey Pollack hosted the all day event.


Winners included:

Newscasters
John Facenda
Jack Whitaker

Talent
Harry K. Smith
Bosh Pritchard

Station Personnel
Joe Sidlo
Gordon Walls

Women
Charlotee Kogen
Cay Bowes

WCAU-TV Newscaster John Facenda (left) received a bill from Harvey Pollack. It seemed that John (a member of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia) drove a golf ball right through a window at the golf club.

(left to right) WCAU-TV Cameraman Joe Sidlo, Sportscaster Al Wisert, announcer Bob Graham (aka Bob Feldman) and Dennis Kane.

(left to right) TV Guide Associate Editor Harvey Pollack, Actress Grace Kelly and WCAU's Joseph Tinney, Sr., Assistant General Manager of the WCAU Stations. By the way, Joe's son, Joe., Jr., was a director at WCAU-TV and later married actress Loretta Young's daughter.

From the official archives of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
Photos courtesy of Al Carfagno
© 2005, All Rights Reserved

The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com