March 8 In Radio History

In 1925...John B. Gambling started at WOR.

John B. Gambling

John Bradley Gambling (April 9, 1897 – November 21, 1974) was the first of the Gambling family, 3 generations to host mornings on WOR. John B., John A. and John R. - were hosts of WOR Radio's 'Rambling with Gambling' over the course of over 80 years (1925–2000 and 2008–2013).

John B. was the host from 1925 to 1959, when he retired in favor of his son, John A. Gambling. With his Musical Clock, his all-in-fun setting-up exercises, cheerio music, wheezy gags, weather information and news scraps, John B. Gambling was a WOR fixture.


In 1945...The Monkees' singer and actor Mickey Dolenz was born


In 1949...WBAP-FM, Fort Worth Texas, began broadcasting. Today the station is Sports KTCK-FM.



In 1971...Jimi Hendrix's rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner" was broadcast by Radio Hanoi.




In 1979...Audio Compact Disc prototype is first demonstrated.




In 1994...NYC Personality Jack Spector - WMCA, WHN, WCBS FM (at 4:40), WNBC, WPIX FM, WQCD - Died.  He was 65.

Jack Spector

Spector began his career in 1955 and in 1961 became one of the original WMCA Good Guys.  In late December 1963, WMCA, with Spector, earned the distinction of being the first New York City radio station to play the Beatles' Capitol Records' single, "I Want to Hold Your Hand." (Outside New York, the single's broadcast debut is widely accepted to have occurred earlier at WWDC in Washington, D.C.)

After WMCA moved to a talk format, Spector went to WHN, then a vocal-based easy listening station. He remained for a while after WHN became a Country music station in 1973. In 1974, Spector left WHN to go to WCBS-FM where he hosted a 1955-1964 based Oldies show called "The Saturday Night Sock Hop" and another regular weekend shift. He was also a full-time swing host there, filling in for various airstaffers over the years. In 1983, Cousin Brucie began doing every third Saturday night of the month. Spector remained at WCBS-FM until the Spring of 1985.

In 1985, Spector was at WNBC as the original host of "Sports Night". He went then to WPIX-FM, which was playing an adult contemporary format. Upon their change to NAC and soon after to smooth jazz, he became one of the first air personalities on CD 101.9. Spector also worked as an optician when he was not on the air.

Late in 1988, Spector left WQCD and joined the staff of WHLI on Long Island, NY playing an Adult Standards format. That station began mixing in more rock and roll oldies by the early '90s. After a few Radio Greats Weekends at WCBS-FM, Jack Spector returned as a part-time swing announcer there in 1993 while working full-time at WHLI.

On March 8, 1994, shortly after starting a recording of Louis Prima's "I'm In The Mood For Love", he suffered an apparent fatal heart attack and collapsed.