This is KPBS Mid-Day edition. I am Maureen Cavanaugh. Ken Kramer host of about San Diego has been searching out the little-known twist and turns of our city's history for more than 40 years. He has taken us from the caves of Kensington to a shipyard in Alpine and to the rowdy old days of downtown San Diego. He has told us why we pronounce Cabrillo Cabrillo and power way pal way. And what our storms like aconite in 16. As I have said Ken Kramer has well do all about San Diego. Today he's tell you a bit about himself. Ken has been inducted into the KPBS Hall of Fame for lifetime achievement, a gala and his honor is being held tonight. Ken Kramer, welcome. Thank you. I can tell you it's pretty amazing to be here as it seems like yesterday I arrived on campus. Him as a kid on stage. Very surprised they would let me approach them -- the microphone let alone under anything into it. We will talk a bit about that and in the interest of full disclosure can happen I have been calling somebody's for quite a few years. I wouldn't say 40. We haven't been pals for that long. A lifetime achievement award. What did you think we got the news? There is an online from that movie that Henry Fonda is in, called on Golden Pond. He said I'm surprised a Geiger so fast. On his 80th birthday. I am surprised a Geiger so fast. Doesn't make you feel old? Yes, yes it did. I was driving here today and I did feel little old. I will be inducted into the company with people like Paul Marshall. These are the pillars of this wonderful institution. And here I am, it's a little hard for me to digest. In a way you and KPBS really grew up together and broadcasting. When did you first work here? Back in the last century. I came here as a student assistant in 1900 and 68. And began as a classical music amounts are on what was then called. You worked as a music post. News reporter, produced regional news program for NPR is that right? It was called Pacific weekend and all things considered was the national broadcast. Morning edition was a national broadcast and we did this thing called Pacific weekend which was a regional show that celebrated things up and down the Pacific coast. Something on the Alaska pipeline we covered deck. Very informal show, it aired Friday nights live on this regional network and we started thinking about it around 9:00 on Friday morning. I think it's fair to say that you had a kind of experience in training for broadcasting. That very few people get or are able to get at this point. I want to play a clip from those early years. Here is Ken Kramer reporting for NPR from the 1972 Republican national convention in Miami Beach. The pattern of the smooth running convention remains guesses didn't at least of the presentation and acceptance of this 1972 Republican party platform. This is Ken Kramer now back to Susan Steinberg. Thank you we will perform a minor miracle of technology right now. Right back to you, the report was -- you are back now on the floor of the convention hall. What did you see on your way in? Many demonstrators in the hall area. They are attempting to if possible surround this conventional and in particular block or resist the passage of delegates into conventional. They are on the outside. An attempt as we perceived it earlier was that they were attempting to completely circle the hall and in terms of numbers they might be able to do it although they would be spread a little bit. Perhaps several hundred demonstrators here. Security is very tight. Yes very tight. In order to pass through as a delegate or member of the press you have to be well accredited and checked several times even to get into the area where the media trailers and automobiles or part. Ken Kramer from 1972. A heavy experience for young broadcaster. It was. Standing on the floor, at living with wonderful Susan stammered. I just love to her. I know long time listeners will know her voice. Just a great person. So warm and wonderful and the idea that I would actually be speaking to her as a callow youth of 20 something, early 20s from the floor of the national political convention were later because was Richard Nixon, they were shooting tear gas, the road protesters and it filtered into our NPR trailers. I'm reporting live from the scene, doing the best I could. Lots of fun. When did little Ken Kramer know he wanted to go into broadcasting? From the very earliest days. Not turn over romanticize it but I would that there with my AM radio and the antenna out in the trees and I would tune around and listen to all of these faraway stations on a.m. and each of them back in those days were so homogenized, have this unique character to the community and they played different kinds of music and you could hear the local news and Joe's barbershop and I was fascinated. How do the electrons get from that tower with the blinking light on the top to my little radio in Pasadena, California? There was a great romance to it, and I wanted to be a part of it and I would walk around with a metal comb like cheerleaders use. And I would just -- and you would pick up these expressions. I used to listen to radio all the time. And you hear a political argument and somebody would say you are a buffoon and a bigot. And I would just start repeating it until my mother had to say stop. I am shocked and appalled. Pick these things up. There something about it but I just loved and wanted to be a part of. Smacked also in Pasadena you used to watch on TV that was a program were a broadcaster name Rolf story would do personalized stories about little hidden histories of Los Angeles. Is that where about San Diego came from? That's kind of where the concept came from. Ralph was there with the hard-hitting news. Anyone who watched it down here in San Diego knows but then this Rolf story guy would come on and he would tell you little things you didn't know about LA and I noticed that everybody in the room, because everybody watched television together put down their knitting, many years ago. And watched this guy and listens to him. And I did two. And I thought if I ever got the chance, I would love to be in a position where I could do Rolf story type of stories. Here's a hint of the Ken Kramer style on about San Diego. As he tell us to little stories about a couple of old artifacts. 1961 hooray for the Padres. This is a program you got for $0.15 back then at Westgate Park and a scorebook. Chris Fish did little research. The Padres were playing B cell Lake City B's when his dad Charles went to the game and ended up keeping it for more than half a century. Look at this, she was four years old sitting on what was called a straddle view to rain map in 1955 that her dad Wallace F Hamilton created after tracking countless miles on foot for spec and card to ensure it was accurate down to the last detail. Union and Tribune James Copley commission were. A when on a nationwide big city tour with Neil Morgan among others. The idea was to show advertisers what San Diego looked like, really look like. Here's Bennett Cerf looking at in New York. Quite a thing. Whatever happened to it? Today it's at the entrance to the model Railroad Museum in Balboa Park. A hint about San Diego. How did you come up with so many San Diego stories? Did it just snowball after a while? People would send you interesting things after they heard or saw your report? That's pretty much how it eventually worked out that there will were so many just curiosities. I came to town and how does a place get a name like Grossmont? It was a fellow named Gross who is one of the developers. And so many little things. I was fascinated by it. There is pretty much a story anywhere if you just take the time to look for it and have some curiosity about it. Than the fun comes in decorating the pathway to the punchline. To the reveal. Many San Diego and still know much about the place we call home, do they? It is true. I heard a statistic, many years ago, half of the people who are here now weren't here 10 years ago. And so this is always troubled me because you go down to a charger game and you talk to the people there and they are cheering wildly for Pittsburgh. And you say why are you cheering for Pittsburgh and they say well that is where I come from. How long have you been here? 20 years. At some ways say when you stop thinking of our community as a place where you are just visiting until you can go back home? If you don't feel that kind of investment, you don't care about the land-use decisions, you don't care about whether or not you letter. You don't care about the place. And I think we have a wonderful history and I think once you appreciate it and once people feel -- everybody loves to have their decision to lift or validate. When someone says to this is a wonderful place, has a lot of depth a lot of roots, know about it, learn about it, without being too grandiose, I think it makes a difference. I want to play one more set of clips from about San Diego. Every community the developer tries to sell in some way. Some unique in that sets it apart. But the sidewalk? Who would think of that is anything special? Just a slab of bland concrete. In fact, the official city color for sidewalks in San Diego is Portland's great. 90 years ago one neighborhood said no, we are going to try something different. Pink sidewalks. Sort of think anyway. Carnation city they used to call it. The Gateway to Eden. Garden of the gods, the winter paradise, even a proposal believes are not call this place the choo-choo City of destiny. If you could be in this part of downtown only backup the clock 130 years, you'd be in the heart of San Diego's Chinatown. Picture are right about where the convention center is now, there was a whole Chinese fishing village like the wood framed structure moved into the neighborhood by a team of horses and some that can only be described as slums. You have to tell us what choo-choo city is today. I don't know. I just saw that on Wikipedia. The choo-choo City of destiny. Was at Oceanside? The thing I remember about Oceanside, you would be driving up and down through interstate five years and years ago and you knew you are getting to Oceanside because there'd be this huge sign that said tan your hide in Oceanside. There was a woman there in a bikini and I think it was good that they didn't choose either that or the choo-choo City of destiny. I forgot that was Oceanside, good for you. Let's talk about San Diego has done for you. It has me do a San Diego celebrity. You sick has. You have quite a fan base. It's true. Him I go out into the community and people almost come up to me and I love it and they say I love the story you did about this and little kids will,. I remember I was talking to a group of kids, third-graders and I said how are you doing and they said tell us the one about Horton Plaza. Tell us the one about Grossmont, and I was very flattered and I said you watch the show and one little girl said yes, we have to. [ Laughter ] People really seem to love the show. It seems to resonate, and I love that. I think somewhere real story is smiling at that. San Diego City Council has designated today Ken Kramer day. Congratulations on that. I think that means the liquor stores get to stay open extra late. You are in a kind of semi- retirement. What are you doing with yourself and what is next? I grew up in Pasadena and I am spending some time up there, reconnecting with family and friends. And I've been working on a couple of projects. Helping a veteran friend of mine write a book about his experiences in Vietnam. It is a thing where when he -- it's a story he needs to tell and it's a story he should tell. I am frankly enjoying the process. And also working on a couple of about San Diego shows for TV that are in the pipeline that will be centered around the 1915 exposition and 100 year anniversary. A lot of people will be saying a lot of nice things about you at this awards ceremony tonight. What which you like to say back? Thank you. I have enjoyed this every bit as much as you say you enjoy it. What could be a cooler gig than the opportunity to come to San Diego, California and tell stories about our community, and just to have people be so kind to me and responsive to me. It is the greatest thing ever. I totally love it. Soper is much as they have enjoyed what I do I have enjoyed it. I think we all agree. Ken Kramer, the greatest thing ever. Ken Kramer. About San Diego. It will return on KPBS TV in late May. Thank you Ken, congratulations. I am very flattered you would have me. Thank you, Maureen.
Ken Kramer, "About San Diego" host, has been searching for the little-known twists and turns of San Diego County's history for more than 40 years.
Armed with a keen sense of curiosity, a passion for broadcasting and a natural gift for storytelling, Kramer joined KPBS (then KEBS) as a student assistant in 1968 while attending San Diego State University. During his 13 years at KPBS, Ken worked as studio operator, classical music announcer and pledge host.
Kramer is being inducted Monday night into the KPBS Hall Of Fame for lifetime achievement, and a gala in his honor is being held.
Kramer eventually became the director of news and information programming at KPBS. He also wrote and produced more than 200 news stories and several programs for National Public Radio.
“When I started my career at KEBS back in the 1960s, it was a tiny operation," he said. "Since then, the station has grown into something I never imagined. I’m both proud and humbled to be a part of KPBS."
Kramer told KPBS Midday Edition Monday that he always knew he wanted to be in broadcast.
"I'd sit there with my AM radio and the antenna in the trees, and I listened to all these far away stations," Kramer said. "I just listened to radio all the time."
"About San Diego" first aired as a radio program on KPBS in 1972. In 1979, the show made its television debut. In 1984, Kramer took the series to KSDO where it aired as a radio program for many years. He later joined NBC7 San Diego as a reporter from 2006 to 2009.
But in 2010, Kramer and "About San Diego" returned to KPBS.
The series highlights the people and places that define San Diego. Kramer has taken his audience from the caves of Kensington to a shipyard in Alpine to the rowdy old days of downtown San Diego. He's told why Cabrillo is pronounced "kah-BREE-yo" and Poway as "POW-way," and what the area's storms were like back in 1916.
"I've always been fascinated by the little-known stories of our county,” Kramer said. “It might be discovering how a place got its name, or busting some long held popular myth about San Diego.”
"I am so honored to join the likes of Ken Jones, Paul Steen, Gloria Penner, Paul Marshall, and Tom McManus in the KPBS Hall of Fame,” Kramer said.
The San Diego City Council is also honoring him by proclaiming Feb. 9 as "Ken Kramer Day."
