Like any other Indianapolis Race Day, the capital city of Indiana was filled with excitement and chatter about the 500 Mile Race. Memorial Day Weekend in 1949 had something else to offer to those not in attendance at the Speedway Track; for the first time in Indiana history the race was to be broadcasted on television.
WFBM Radio Station operating out of Indianapolis had broadened their air-wave horizons and onto the screen – the first broadcast scheduled for May of 1949. WFBM’s new television station would be the first in Indiana. A few months prior in March, Indianapolis Electric League held a television expo at the Manufacturer’s Building at the State Fairgrounds. The Electric League and local stores urged customers to buy television sets, ranging from $250 to $2,565.
People of Indianapolis had plans to host and visit friends so everyone would get a chance to watch. Radio stations promoted the broadcast and television dealers invited viewers into their stores. Technicians were available to educate first-time viewers on the new technology. Two weeks before race day thousands of living rooms were lit up by the small screens on their newly purchased television sets. WFBM – Channel 6 – scheduled the first test run for May 16, 1949. A second test would run on the morning of race day to make sure viewers would have clear and proper access to the historical broadcast.
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At 10 AM on Monday, May 30 1949 pictures filled Indiana television screens for the first time. The first program was “Crucible of Speed,” a feature on the history of the Indianapolis 500, transmitted from a 228-foot tower atop the Merchant’s National Bank Building. It was sponsored by L.S. Ayres and Co. and lasted for thirty minutes. At 10:30 AM live scenes and sounds portrayed the anticipation before the race would begin. At 11 AM television viewers witnessed Wilbur Shaw preparing the racers and within minutes the race had begun. Cameramen were stationed on the home stretch, pit areas, and Grandstand E.
Narrated by Earl Townsend Jr. and his team of announcers, viewers at home successfully watched the first televised race. Fans around Indianapolis watched and heard the sights and sounds of the 500 Mile Race on the couches of friends and families’ living rooms. Perfect reception was reported after the race from the insides of homes, clubs, and stores around the city.
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Grace Romine
Information obtained from Indiana Historical Society and "From Crystal to Color WFBM"