San Francisco 49ers
Football On The Radio
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A September 4, 1949, newspaper advertisement for a 49ers broadcast on San Francisco’s KSAN (1450 AM) with Bud Foster. Among the other stations on the team’s radio network were KXRX (1500 AM, San Jose), KDON (1240 AM, Monterey), KVON (1440 AM, Napa) and KSBR 100.5 FM, San Francisco). |
A complete listing of the 49ers’ flagship stations and broadcasters follows:
|
YEAR(S) |
FLAGSHIP STATION* |
ANNOUNCERS |
|
1946-1947 |
KYA (1260 AM) |
Bud Foster (PBP), Bob Fouts (C) |
|
1948 |
KYA (1260 AM) |
Bud Foster (PBP), Gerry Conlee (C), Bob Fouts (H) |
| 1949 | KSAN (1450 AM) KSBR (100.5 FM) |
Bud Foster (PBP), Gerry Conlee (C) |
| 1950 | KSAN (1450 AM) | Rod Hughes (PBP), Tommy Greenough, Jack Drees (C) |
| 1951-1952 | KYA (1260 AM) | Bud Foster (PBP), Bob Fouts (C) |
| 1953 | KYA (1260 AM) | Bud Foster (PBP), Roy Storey (H) |
| 1954 | KFRC (610 AM) | Fred Hessler (PBP), Frankie Albert (C) |
| 1955 | KFRC (610 AM) | Roy Storey, Bob Fouts |
| 1956 | KFRC (610 AM) | Roy Storey |
| 1957-1959 | KSFO (560 AM) | Bob Fouts (PBP), Lon Simmons (C) |
| 1960 | KSFO (560 AM) | Lon Simmons, Bob Fouts |
| 1961 | KSFO (560 AM) | Lon Simmons (PBP), Gordy Soltau (C) |
| 1962-1964 | KSFO (560 AM) | Lon Simmons (PBP), Russ Hodges (C) |
| 1965 | KSFO (560 AM) | Lon Simmons (PBP), Russ Hodges (C), Jim Lange (C) |
| 1966-1969 | KSFO (560 AM) | Lon Simmons (PBP), Russ Hodges (C), Hugh McElhenny (C) |
| 1970-1972 | KSFO (560 AM) | Lon Simmons (PBP), Hugh McElhenny (C) |
| 1973-1976 | KSFO (560 AM) | Lon Simmons (PBP), Gordy Soltau (C) |
| 1977 | KSFO (560 AM) | Lon Simmons |
| 1978 | KSFO (560 AM) | Lon Simmons (PBP), Gene Nelson (C) |
| 1979-1980 | KSFO (560 AM) | Lon Simmons (PBP), Wayne Walker (C) |
| 1981 | KCBS (740 AM) | Don Klein (PBP), Wayne Walker |
| 1982 | KCBS (740 AM) | Don Klein (PBP), Don Heinrich (C) |
| 1983 | KCBS (740 AM) | Don Klein (PBP), Don Heinrich (C), Ted Robinson (SL) |
| 1984-1986 | KCBS (740 AM) | Don Klein (PBP), Don Heinrich (C) |
| 1987-1988 | KGO (810 AM) | Lon Simmons (PBP), Wayne Walker (C), Joe Starkey (SL) |
| 1989-1997 | KGO (810 AM) | Joe Starkey (PBP), Wayne Walker (C) |
| 1998-2004 | KGO (810 AM) | Joe Starkey (PBP), Gary Plummer (C) |
| 2005 | KNBR (680 AM) KSAN (107.7 FM) |
Joe Starkey (PBP), Gary Plummer (C), John Shrader (SL) |
| 2006-2008 | KNBR (680 AM) KSAN (107.7 FM) |
Joe Starkey (PBP), Gary Plummer (C), Rod Brooks (SL) |
KEY: (PBP) = Play-by-play; (C) = Color analyst; (H) = Studio host; (SL) = Sideline reporter.
* — In the event of scheduling conflicts with programming that held priority due to contractual obligations (for example, Giants baseball on KSFO), 49ers broadcasts were moved to other stations on certain dates: KLX (1947), KROW (1948), KFRC (1958), KCBS (1959), KFRC (1960), KGO (1961-1970; except 1962, shared with KCBS), 1977 (KIOI) and KCBS (1978).
SOURCES: Bob Sargent/San Francisco 49ers archives; Len Shapiro/Bay Area Radio Museum; John K. Moynahan.
49ers Football on the Air
| 1953 |
49ers vs. Bears on KYA (November 1, 1953; 24 minutes):49ers vs. Browns on KYA (November 15, 1953; 31 minutes):Bud Foster is at mikeside for these choppily-edited excerpts from two November 1953 games broadcast over San Francisco’s KYA (1260 AM). The original recordings are believed to come from transcription discs. |
| 1957 |
49ers vs. Colts on KSFO (December 8, 1957) Bob Fouts and Lon Simmons call the action as young John Brodie comes off the bench in relief of Y.A. Tittle and tries to spark a 49ers comeback against the powerhouse Baltimore Colts. |
| 1964 |
Jim Marshall’s “Wrong Way Safety” (Oct. 25, 1964; 25 seconds) One of the most famous plays in NFL history: Lon Simmons describes the action on KSFO as Jim Marshall of the Minnesota Vikings picks up a 49er fumble and runs the distance — in the wrong direction, scoring a safety for the Niners. |
| 1966 |
49ers vs. Bears on KBEE (Sunday, Nov. 13, 1966; 45 minutes) Fourth-quarter action from Wrigley Field as John Brodie (28-for-54, 327 yards) rallies the 49ers from a ten-point deficit against the George Halas-coached Chicago Bears. This broadcast on the 49ers/Golden West radio network, with Lon Simmons and Hugh McElhenny in the booth, was recorded off the air via KBEE (970 AM and 103.3 FM) in Modesto. Includes “Press Box Review” post-game coverage with Simmons and 49ers defensive coach Jim David. |
| 1978 |
49ers vs. Bears on KSFO (Sept. 10, 1978; 5 minutes) A short fragment of the Bears-Niners game at Candlestick. Lon Simmons describes the action, with popular KSFO morning man Gene Nelson providing color. |
| 1982 |
“The Catch”: 49ers vs. Cowboys on KCBS (Jan. 10, 1982; 48 minutes) The final four minutes and 54 seconds of the NFC Championship game between the 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys, with Don Klein (play-by-play) and Wayne Walker (color) mikeside on San Francisco’s 50,000-watt KCBS (740 AM), as Joe Montana sparks the Niners to an improbable come-from-behind victory, culminating with a spectacular pass to Dwight Clark. Includes post-game coverage from the jubilant Super Bowl-bound 49er locker room. |
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— Exhibit includes text and audio.
— Fair to poor audio quality.RELATED EXHIBITS:
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