"Highpockets" #2

Scan000011048, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. This picture was copied from a 1920 Billboard when Mr. Baudendistel was Cheerful Gardner's assistant on the Barnes Show. Clyde Baudendistel 1912 Sells-Floto Circus (In the service during WW1) 1920-22 Al G. Barnes Circus (Asst.) 1923 John Robinson Circus (Asst.) 1924-26 Robbins Bros. Circus (Supt.) 1927-28 Wm. P. Hall Animal Farm 1929-31 Sells-Floto Circus (Supt.) He drifted around various elephant herds for the next twenty years but mostly as a blacksmith. Logan remembered him well from the Ringling Show as did Smokey with Dailey Bros. but by this time he could barely hobble around due to diabetes. In 1970 when I was with James Bros. in Denver an old timer came on the lot and mentioned that his brother was an elephant trainer but doubted if I ever heard of him, I said, "Try Me!" and imagine my surprise when he said, "They called him Highpockets". At that time he was still alive but in a Veterans Hospital.