Hoot Owls

By late 1922 it was somewhat commonplace for a radio station to arrange to broadcast a band or orchestra which was appearing at a local hotel. In December, 1922 the Coon-Sanders Orchestra as performing at one of Kanas City's finest hotels, the Muehlbach, and WDAF arranged to broadcast them beginning at 11:15 one evening. The broadcast was being announced by Leo Fitzpatrick and legend has it that, not realizing that he was near a live mike, Fitzpatrck reportedly said "No one else would be listening this late at night other than bunch of Night Hawks." Within minutes, telegraphs started arriving saying "I'm listening and enjoying your broadcast so I guess I'm a Night Hawk." Realizing a good thing when it hit them, the Coon Sanders group promptly renamed itself the Nighthawk Orchestra and WDAF promptly began offering membership cards for the Nighthawk Club to anyone asked for one.