Sports

First televised U. S. sports event, May 17, 1939. Princeton played Columbia in a 10 inning contest.

The first televised major league game - August, 1939, at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn

Courtesy of Steve Dichter

Courtesy of TVHistory.TV

First Televised Football Game

The first telecast football game in history was made at Triborough Stadium, Randall's Island, on Saturday, September 30 (1939), when National Broadcasting Company's television cameras covered the season's opener between Fordham University and Waynseburg College. Two cameras were used, the one shown above on the sidelines for closeups, and another in the press box for broader perspectives. As the electronic eyes of the two cameras scanned action for these two points, viewers within 50 miles of NBC's Manhattan transmitter followed the action without the slightest difficulty. The telecast was relayed from the field by ultra short wave radio to the main transmitter of Station W2XBS before radiated over a 50 mile area. The television images were said to be of newsreel quality (NBC photo, 10/4/39).

Here is an article by Bill Molzon and a Broadcasting Magazine article on this game.

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