Jason Remington
(((Admin/Editor | Airchecks | CONTACT)))
KTOY (WA) | KVAC (WA) | KDFL (WA) | KONP (WA) | KBAM (WA) | KJUN (WA) | KRPM (WA) | KAMT (WA) | KASY (WA) | KBRD (WA) | KTAC (WA) | KMTT (WA) | KOOL (AZ)
The Schonz – Trail Blazers play-by-play and KOIN TV — 1970s.
Another nugget of Schonely irony
Bill • April 13, 2026
In 1967, the expansion SuperSonics wanted to hire Bill as their radio voice, even though he’d never done basketball play-by-play. They offered him the job, Bill accepted. GM Dick Vertlieb was overruled by Union Oil of California, a key sponsor, which wanted Bob Blackburn. So, Blackburn, with deep roots in sports broadcasting in Portland, came to Seattle. In 1970, Schonely, with decades of play-by-play (Pilots, Angels, Husky Football, Totems) in the Queen City (as it was known), was hired as the voice of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Pilots Aircheck
T.K. • April 13, 2026
Here’s a bit of “Holy Grail” audio I found on the Internet Archive. The first eight innings of a KVI broadcast with Schonely and Jimmy Dudley in September 1969. It was first posted a couple years ago, then vanished, and has since been reposted: https://archive.org/details/sea-pilots-cal-angels-mlb-091469
It was reported in the TNT that Schonely and Bob Robertson were finalists for a spot with the Mariners going in to the inaugural season. Things would have ended up a lot differently if that had happened.
Smooth to the last puff
Jason Remington • April 13, 2026
They still broadcast cigarette commercials in 1969. They knew better, but it was put to a stop shortly after.
Health Cigarette Smoking Act of 1970. Signed into law: April 1, 1970, by President Richard Nixon. The ban took effect at midnight on January 2, 1971 (so the last ads could air on January 1, 1971, including during New Year’s Day bowl games).
Cig Commercials
Mike Barer • April 14, 2026
Winston tastes good like a cigarette should.
That jingle also inspired take off jingles on the playground. Speaking of playground, kids could buy candy cigarettes with adult brands. The tobacco companies were actively grooming potential customers.
Bill Shonely
Mike Barer • April 11, 2026
This will age me terribly. I remember Bill Shonely from the Seattle Pilots broadcasts. Jimmy Dudley was the lead in kind of the Niehaus role.