You can almost hear the whistle piping the crew to attention as this Admiral steps on board. The only difference is that his fleet didn't float -- it was tubular, man. Radio tubes.

In 1934 two young Chicago entrepreneurs started making and selling radios in their garage. Then they added phonographs, and in just two years recorded sales of more than two million dollars. The Admiral Appliance Corporation was born! Later, the company added refrigerators, stoves and other products to its line. By 1950 the company had reached $18 million in sales. It merged with the Maytag Corp. in the mid 1980's.

This dapper colonial seafarer will remain an indelible image of American broadcasting history.