By Edward Master
I turned 74 years old on Sunday, January 28, 2024. That means, of course, I was born in 1950. I’ve even lived through some eras that began and ended in my lifetime. One era—television—really began prior to my birth but blossomed through the 1950s, 60s, and on. Radio grew from a fancy wooden box, sitting on a table, to the plastic model (and later transistorized) on which I listened to Pirates games with my Grandpa Master. That plastic box often found its way to the kitchen.
I listened to Pittsburgh’s Harvey Haddix throw 12 perfect no-hit innings against the Milwaukee Braves, heard multiple Dick Stuart strikeouts and home runs, and the Baron of the Bullpen put out one more fires from golden (raspy) throated, Bob Prince. I also became a semi-fan of Red Manning and Duquesne basketball in the Willie Somerset days. I really lived past the days of Superman and the Lone Ranger on radio, but not when they owned TV.
Oh, those Saturday morns with the black-n-white screen. Sky King, My Friend Flicka, Rin Tin Tin. Maybe a broadcast of the ‘story’ of the ‘Masked Man.’ As I got older, cartoons really took over the Saturday morning airwaves, really so in my younger sisters day. I will say though, I had posters in my Wilson Hall dorm room at Clarion U of the four main Banana Splits. I also had more than a working knowledge of H-R Pufnstuff and Land of the Lost (and the Sleestacks).
But, half-hour TV also controlled that hour or so around supper time. We had Paul Shannon with his “Adventure Time” including the Little Rascals and the Three Stooges. Who did you like more? Curly Joe, Joe Davita(?), or Shemp? At least we didn’t poke each other’s eyes out or slap each other.
Supper time TV meant Wild Bill Hickok, Wyatt Earp, and eventually Superman. Sea Hunt may have introduced us to Lloyd Bridges, but that escapes me. The hours-long news programs were still off in the distance. Remember the game shows came in the afternoon.
I now write my columns on a laptop computer. I began that craft on an Underword typewriter, manual. I learned to use all 10 fingers in 10th-grade typing class with Theresa Helmintoller. In hindsight, probably one of my more intelligent lifetime decisions.
Computers, from room-sized monsters to hand-held; cameras, from teloscopic giants to essentials in phones; automobiles, from the muscle cars to all-electric; medical advances untold; digital electronics; all these innovations have solved many problems, but in turn have brought along ones of their own. All in my lifetime.
I have friends, a brother, a spouse, who didn’t make it to 74. I’m lucky in my own right though as I have a hole in my neck from throat cancer. I guess I can wear pink shirts.