Broadcast Pioneers member Tom Moorehead
1948

In 1947, Broadcast Pioneers member Tom Moorehead was Sports Director for WFIL Radio. We have in our archives a short excerpt from one of those 1947 broadcasts. According to Broadcast Pioneers member Bill Webber, Tom also hosted a radio variety show and some music shows. Broadcast Pioneers member Shelly Gross said that also Moorehead did do other things at the station, but he was mainly responsible for sports shows. Tom was President of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia during the 1969-1970 term and passed away in May of 1970.

Broadcast Pioneers member Shelly Gross (and a former WFIL announcer) has identified the voice at the end of the clip as Joe Novenson. Shelly also said, "...Max E. Solomon was very close to Tom Mooorehead. ...I substituted for him occasionally doing an audience participation sports show. He was, of course, our top sportsman and handled live shows with female audiences frequently." Tom went on to TV fame locally with the afternoon hit show on WFIL-TV, "Stop, Look and Listen."

We know that the date of this broadcast was Saturday, November 8, 1947 and it's from WFIL (we believe radio). Broadcast Pioneers member Gerry Wilkinson traced the scores of the college football games to that date. There is always the possibility that this is a clip from WFIL-TV, which was on the air at that time. It is also possible that it was a simulcast carried over both radio and television. However, since Novenson says to tune in Monday at 6:30 (WFIL Radio had sports at that time), we feel that it is radio only. Also, the fact that they were talking about more in the 7 o'clock hour seems to point towards radio. But, again, it could be a simulcast. Joe referred to the show as "Sports Edition." While we have been able to find no information about WFIL-TV carrying a sportscast at that time, WFIL Radio carried a ten minute program called "Sports Talk." However, we could find no reference to Sports in the 7 pm hour on either WFIL television or radio. So, while it is not certain, let's for now, call it a radio broadcast with no simulcast on television.

Listen to the clip

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Other Known Tom Moorehead Shows & Time Periods

Thursday, November 30, 1950 - 11:30 to 11:45 am - Keep Going (WFIL-TV)

On Friday evening, November 18, 2011, Tom Moorehead was inducted posthumously into the Broadcast Pioneers' Hall of Fame.

From the official archives of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
Audio clip courtesy of aircheck collector Gary Zimak
Original source was Broadcast Pioneers member Mike Muderick
Photo originally donated by the family of Tom Moorehead
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The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com