So at WXCO we were kind of the third station in a two station market in Central Wisconsin. But we seemed to have a pretty damn good sales organization. I was only 15 at the time…but noticed the logs were full and we had most of the key advertisers on the station.
Running an unstructured MOR format in the 60s with 1000 watt AM station the Home of Mr. X did ok. A lot of that seemed to rest on the shoulders of Sarge – our GSM/LSM/NSM/RSM. Sarge’s had been an Army recruiter in the day and retired to do radio sales. Typical gruff, huff ‘n puff with a big heart kind of guy.
Sarge however was a very large man – and drove a black 1960 Chrysler Imperial that leaned notably to the left when he was driving it. Even Chrysler's famed torsion bar suspension had a hard time dealing with his 400 pound girth.
One summer day, in an effort to help along the part time kid, Sarge invited me to make a sales call with him to the big furniture store in town. We walked in and Sarge presented a package for the owner who seemed reluctant to sign up. Even as a dumb kid, I saw the reluctance and wondered if Sarge would be able to close the deal.
“Alright” Sarge said standing up and exposing his ample girth and height, “ are you going to sign this or am I going to have to start sitting on the inventory…!” Best closing line ever. No wonder we had everyone in town on the air.