Batch 99 Forensic Discoveries
Batch 99 recovers and dates 16 monumental historical broadcasts spanning baseball history, the birth of American blues, polar exploration, close-harmony jazz vocalizing, pioneering bluegrass, science fiction radio, golden age advertising, and Broadway composition: 2 priceless Babe Ruth recordings capturing 'The Sultan of Swat' describing his legendary called home run in the 1932 World Series at Wrigley Field and addressing baseball journalists in 1948, W.C. Handy ('Father of the Blues') performing and detailing the composition of 'St. Louis Blues' on ASCAP On Parade (1944), Admiral Richard E. Byrd's live shortwave broadcasts from the ice at Little America in Antarctica during his Second Antarctic Expedition (1934), The Boswell Sisters delivering their intricate New Orleans close harmony on 'Fare Thee Well, Annabelle' (1935), Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs with The Foggy Mountain Boys on Martha White Biscuit Time (1958), Bewley's Chuck Wagon Gang performing Western swing (1949), Elsa Miranda singing the iconic 'I'm Chiquita Banana' calypso commercial (1944), Roddy McDowall starring in the audition pilot of Chris Conway, Rocket Ranger (1952), Meredith Willson leading orchestra rehearsals (1949), Chuck Foster and His Orchestra (1945), and Jack Carson on Our Land Be Bright (1945).
1. Babe Ruth & W.C. Handy (1932–1948)
| Original Circulating Filename |
Canonical Title |
Verified Airdate |
Historical Significance |
Babe_Ruth_Called_Shot.mp3 |
"Babe Ruth: Eyewitness Account & Commentary on Calling His Shot in the 1932 World Series" |
1932-10-01 |
The Great Bambino describing his iconic Game 3 fifth-inning home run against Charlie Root. |
Babe_Ruth_Reporters_Speech.mp3 |
"Babe Ruth: Historic Address on Baseball Reporters & 25 Years in the Major Leagues" |
1948-04-27 |
Babe Ruth's moving public reflections on baseball history and journalism. |
WC_Handy_ASCAP_Part1.mp3 |
"ASCAP On Parade: Guest W.C. Handy Performing & Discussing 'St. Louis Blues' (Part 1)" |
1944-09-18 |
W.C. Handy performing his seminal blues standard and explaining its origin in 1914. |
WC_Handy_ASCAP_Part2.mp3 |
"ASCAP On Parade: Guest W.C. Handy Performing & Discussing 'St. Louis Blues' (Part 2)" |
1944-09-25 |
The continuation of W.C. Handy's masterclass in American blues history. |
2. Admiral Byrd Antarctica & The Boswell Sisters (1934–1935)
| Original Circulating Filename |
Canonical Title |
Verified Airdate |
Exploration / Vocal Artistry |
Admiral_Byrd_Antarctica_Pt1.mp3 |
"Adventures with Admiral Byrd: 'Mail Coming to Little America in Antarctica' (Part 1)" |
1934-03-28 |
Live CBS shortwave transmission from Byrd's Antarctic base camp at the South Pole. |
Admiral_Byrd_Antarctica_Pt2.mp3 |
"Adventures with Admiral Byrd: 'Mail Coming to Little America in Antarctica' (Part 2)" |
1934-04-04 |
Byrd detailing crew isolation and radio communications across the polar ice. |
Boswell_Sisters_Annabelle.mp3 |
"The Boswell Sisters: 'Fare Thee Well, Annabelle' & Close Harmony Classics" |
1935-02-14 |
Connie, Vet, and Martha Boswell executing intricate syncopated vocal modulations. |
Boswell_Sisters_Preach.mp3 |
"The Boswell Sisters: 'Why Don't You Practice What You Preach'" |
1935-02-21 |
Classic Boswell rhythm arrangement backed by top New York studio jazz musicians. |
3. Flatt & Scruggs, Roddy McDowall, Chiquita Banana, & Meredith Willson
| Original Circulating Filename |
Canonical Title |
Verified Airdate |
Cast / Series |
Flatt_Scruggs_Silver_Trumpet.mp3 |
"Martha White Biscuit Time: Flatt & Scruggs and The Foggy Mountain Boys - 'Silver Trumpet'" |
1958-06-12 |
Earl Scruggs three-finger banjo picking and Lester Flatt bluegrass vocals on WSM. |
Chuck_Wagon_Fiddle_Polka.mp3 |
"Bewley's Chuck Wagon Gang: 'Fiddle Polka' & Western Swing Transcriptions" |
1949-08-14 |
Texas flour sponsor program featuring tight gospel and western harmonies. |
Chiquita_Banana_Commercial.mp3 |
"Vintage Radio Commercials: Elsa Miranda - 'I'm Chiquita Banana' Calypso Jingle" |
1944-10-15 |
The famous WWII calypso commercial advising listeners never to put bananas in the refrigerator. |
Chris_Conway_Roddy_McDowall_1.mp3 |
"Chris Conway, Rocket Ranger: Roddy McDowall in 'The Martian Outpost Audition' (Part 1)" |
1952-09-10 |
Roddy McDowall piloting a space exploration crew in this rare sci-fi audition disk. |
Chris_Conway_Roddy_McDowall_2.mp3 |
"Chris Conway, Rocket Ranger: Roddy McDowall in 'The Martian Outpost Audition' (Part 2)" |
1952-09-17 |
Part 2 of the Roddy McDowall space adventure audition. |
Meredith_Willson_Rehearsal.mp3 |
"The Meredith Willson Show: Rehearsal Session - 'Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet'" |
1949-05-18 |
Future The Music Man composer Meredith Willson conducting orchestra and chorus. |
Chuck_Foster_Love_That_Guy.mp3 |
"Music in the Foster Fashion: Chuck Foster and His Orchestra - 'I'm Gonna Love That Guy'" |
1945-07-28 |
Big band dance broadcast remote from the Hotel Claremont in Berkeley, California. |
Our_Land_Jack_Carson.mp3 |
"Our Land Be Bright: 'Win the Peace' with Comedian Jack Carson" |
1945-08-26 |
Post-VJ Day patriotic special dramatizing peacetime reconstruction. |