87 Years Ago Today, TV Aired Its First Major League Baseball Game—to About 3,000 People

Seventy-seven years ago, Major League Baseball made its debut on television. On August 26, 1939, the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers faced off at Ebbets Field, with the game being broadcast on W2XBS, an experimental NBC station. However, only about 3,000 viewers tuned in to watch on television. The limited number of television sets in the New York area at the time, coupled with the station's narrow reach from the Empire State Building, contributed to the minuscule television audience.

The game itself was unremarkable, with the Dodgers scoring two runs in the second inning due to a passed ball and throwing error, followed by a series of events in the eighth inning that included two errors, a bases-loaded walk, and a thrilling sacrifice fly. The real highlight of the broadcast wasn't the game, but the technological advancements involved.

With only two cameras, one above the catcher and another near the visitors' dugout, the broadcast's picture quality was poor, causing commentator Red Barber to sometimes call the game without knowing which camera viewers were watching. Today, baseball fans have access to multiple television channels, streaming services, and smartphone/tablet apps to follow their favorite teams.

In contrast to the 1939 broadcast, modern broadcasts offer clearer pictures and provide a wealth of information, including pitch speeds and home run launch angles. While baseball remains America's national pastime, it has lost its popularity in TV viewership compared to football, and nationally televised games now draw between 2 and 3 million viewers, with the World Series still a ratings favorite.

This stark contrast to the approximately 3,000 viewers of the inaugural broadcast is a far cry from the excitement and novelty that surrounded that initial telecast.