Westown in Milwaukee in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Tommy Bartlett
Photographed By Devon Polzar, July 10, 2016
1. Tommy Bartlett Marker
Inscription.
Tommy Bartlett. . Is credited with building the Wisconsin Dells tourism industry and turning the sport of water skiing into art and entertainment. Bartlett began his career as a Milwaukee radio announcer at the age of 13 and later originated the first call-in, radio talk show in 1935 at KMOX in St. Louis. His broadcasting career included work for 10 radio stations and ABC, CBS and NBC TV networks. Bartlett turned his show business talent to the creation of water ski shows after seeing a performance of the sport at the Chicago Railroad Fair in 1949. In the early 1950s, Bartlett produced as many as four water ski shows simultaneously throughout the United States, Canada and the far east. The ski shows performed at four World's Fairs, were part of the President's Cultural Exchange Program and toured with the USO. In 1953, Wisconsin Dells became a permanent show site for the Tommy Bartlett Show and Bartlett became an icon, synonymous with water sport spectacles. Bartlett was inducted into the Water Ski Hall of Fame in 1993. Inducted - 2003
Is credited with building the Wisconsin Dells tourism industry and turning the sport of water skiing into art and entertainment. Bartlett began his career as a Milwaukee radio announcer at the age of 13 and later originated the first call-in, radio talk show in 1935 at KMOX in St. Louis. His broadcasting career included work for 10 radio stations and ABC, CBS and NBC TV networks. Bartlett turned his show business talent to the creation of water ski shows after seeing a performance of the sport at the Chicago Railroad Fair in 1949. In the early 1950s, Bartlett produced as many as four water ski shows simultaneously throughout the United States, Canada and the far east. The ski shows performed at four World's Fairs, were part of the President's Cultural Exchange Program and toured with the USO. In 1953, Wisconsin Dells became a permanent show site for the Tommy Bartlett Show and Bartlett became an icon, synonymous with water sport spectacles. Bartlett was inducted into the Water Ski Hall of Fame in 1993. Inducted - 2003
Erected 2003 by Presented to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame by Mercury Marine, Wisconsin Water Ski Federation and the Wisconsin Dells Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Sports.
Location.
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43° 2.517′ N, 87° 54.967′ W. Marker is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in Milwaukee County. It is in Westown. Marker is on North 4th Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Milwaukee WI 53203, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. The Marker is part of the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame which is located on the east side of the UW-Panther Arena along North 4th Street.
Photographed By Devon Polzar, July 10, 2016
2. Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame
Photographed By Devon Polzar, July 10, 2016
3. Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame Plaque
Photographed By Devon Polzar, July 10, 2016
4. UW Milwaukee Panther Arena
Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 12, 2016, by Devon Polzar of Port Washington, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 262 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 12, 2016, by Devon Polzar of Port Washington, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
