Radio, movies, music that were popular 53 years ago

In 1964, local radio stations broadcast lots of high school sports.  WKTY in La Crosse was broadcasting the WIAA basketball playoffs at all four levels, from regional to state.  In those days, all the schools in Wisconsin competed in one class, with only eight teams making it to Madison.  The tournament broadcasts were sponsored by Standard Oil. 

The Beatles dominated the record charts in ’64, but it took a while for Americans to get to know them.  The La Crosse Tribune ran a front-page photo of the Fab Four during the group’s first visit to the U.S., but only Ringo was identified correctly. 

The Trib often featured local surveys of teenagers, to see what kind of entertainment they liked.  One poll in 1964 found that the favorite movie stars of teens were 60-year-old Cary Grant and 39-year-old Doris Day.

In the midst of Beatlemania, the Sawyer Auditorium brought Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians to town, appealing to an older audience.  The choral group’s concert started at 8:30 p.m., with tickets costing $2 to $4…53 years ago, 1964, Yesterday in La Crosse.