WABC 77 New York – Bob Cruz – February 26 1980

Most jocks are hired because of how they sound, or what they can do on air. 77 WABC hired Bob Cruz for a very different reason. Cruz was hired because of WHO he sounded like.

The Story goes something like this. WABC Program Director Rick Sklar was listening to tapes sent to WABC, from DJs around the country who wanted to work at WABC. He listened to a tape from a guy in St Petersburg, and Sklar thought he sounded just like WABC star jock, Dan Ingram! Around this time, Ingram had been complaining about working weekends, and had pulled a “sick-out” to get his contract renegotiated. Sklar thought it would be good to have a guy on staff who sounded like Ingram, to maybe keep Ingram in line. WABC brought Cruz onboard, and he did the overnight shift, and filled in for Ingram when he was off air. Cruz also inherited Ingram’s weekend shift.

There were some listeners who confused Cruz for Ingram. I can remember being fooled a few times when I was not listening closely. -Ellis

  From the Ellis B Feaster You Tube Radio Aircheck & Classic TV Channel.