When I first read the Barbara Schwarz notes on this episode and also this one (each dealing with Hank Gutstop spotting the first robin of the spring and being hailed for it) I found them to be in the 'ridiculous' category.
Now, this very well could be or perhaps it was a tradition in Illinois or the Upper Midwest. I write this because just this morning, I was checking out a Fibber McGee and Molly episode from 1945 where Fibber can't find his newspaper and he's anxious to find it because there is word in there about him being the one who spotted the first robin of the spring (the episode is from April 10 of 1945.)
Now, you may recall that the McGees live in Wistful Vista, which is very much like Peoria, Illinois. Peoria and Bloomington (the city the Gooks live in, despite what you may have read) are not that far apart - less than 50 miles. This might be some sort of tradition in this part of the country - or it could be phony stuff cooked up by writers Paul Rhymer and Don Quinn. Rhymer and Quinn were buddies (one reason because they grew up in the same neck of the woods, one would think.)
So, without further ado, here's that bit of Fibber McGee and Molly - from the episode titled, No Newspaper:
(((HEAR)))
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