Page 280 - 1975 BoSox

’75—THE RED SOX TEAM THAT SAVED BASEBALL 273
In Pittsburgh, Westinghouse had been clueless about what it had. Equally inept Sox agship WMEX (later WITS) began a pregame-show, during-inning ad blitz, and home run inning to pay a record radio rights pact. “It demeaned the product,” Ned said, “hurt the game.” More cash demanded VIP schmoozing, which he and Poss loathed. In 1978 Mariner Communications bought the station, new head Joe Scallan pining to transform Red Sox Nation.
“I’m going to change listening habits,” he informed Woods, incredulous. “What you don’t know is that I could replace you and Ned with King Kong and Donald Duck and not lose one listener.”
“Well, Joe,” said Possum, “I don’t know about King Kong, but I do believe that Donald is under contract [to Walt Disney-owned theme parks] in Anaheim and Orlando.”
Like Westinghouse a decade earlier, WITS wanted company men, not a listener’s good company. “Hit parties, ooze oil,” Woods said. “I couldn’t, nor would Ned,” refusing to prostitute. In late 1978 the agship red each, creating “such an uproar,” wrote the Globe, “that the fellow who red them [Scallan] was soon gone as well.”
Moving to USA Network’s 1979-82 ursday Game of the Week, Woods then retired, having keyed what
Boston’s Shaun L. Kelly called “a radio duo, unmatched, before or since, by anybody”— save Pittsburgh. Wrote the Globe’s Bob Ryan: “You know what’s sad? ... e people who ruled over them and signed their paychecks had no idea how ... special Martin and Woods were”— think Poss and Prince.
Too late, KDKA rehired Gunner in 1985. “Other than my family, you’re giving me back the only thing I love.” Prince had cancer surgery, did a game, and got lung dehydration and pneumonia. “It is a sad morning,” TomMcMillanwroteJune11.“Apieceofusismissing. Bob Prince is dead.” Martin did 1979-92 Red Sox TV, was axed again, retired to Virginia, and had a heart attack in 2002.
Woods’s last stop began on February 20, 1988, at 71, of cancer. He was survived by his wife, Audrey. “Leave it to Jim,” said a friend. “He had to go to heaven to nd a better friend than Ned or Prince.” Not trying harder, baseball’s ultimate number two became, in a Latin phrase, primus inter pares — rst among equals. Forget dancing with a stripper. From 1958 to 1969, Prince danced with an Astaire.
Sources
Material, including quotes, is derived from Curt Smith’s books Voices of e Game, Voices of Summer, e Voice, and A Talk in the Park (in order: Simon & Schuster 1992, Carroll & Graf 2005, e Lyons Press 2007, and Potomac Books 2011).