590 MIGHTY MEMORY #293

THE GREAT YO YO CONTEST ON WARM  RADIO

Radio had a very unique contest in the 1980s involving The Smothers Brothers, the FM Kirby Center and yo yos. Yes, yo yos. The Brothers were going to be at the Theatre for a live show and WARM ran a promotion asking for entrants who were handy with yo yos. The main prize was the opportunity to be on stage with Tommy Smothers as he sang his famous “Yo Yo” song. 
One of the entrants was a lifelong neighbor of mine from Pittston Junction Charles “Chuck” Simalchik. Chuck was a youngster then and his parents, Charlie and Rita were big fans of WARM and urged him to enter the contest. Recently he told me that he showed his stuff but was not the grand prize winner. 
When we discussed the contest, Chuck remembered it fondly. There are many people who are now grown ups living in and out of WARMland that had chances to win prizes, from cars to pools to concert ticket and yes to even be part of a concert. 
The WARM/Smothers Brothers Yo Yo contest was just one of many through the years that touched the lives of people who entered and listened.