Tuesday, February 07, 2012

From Henry Schroer #2

Posted by Buckles at 2/07/2012 05:30:00 AM

13 comments:

Buckles said...

This picture when received was enlarged to the extent you could see the entire elephant herd behind the seats at left.
One in the middle is laying down asleep and "Kongo" at right, slightly separated as usual.

Red Show 1976
1. Puppe
2. Nellie
3. Tichi
4. Mary
5. Assam
6. Banana
7. Sara
8. Baby
9. Kongo **
10. Cita
11. Rani
12. May
13. Suzie
14. Jennie
15. Eva
16. Toby
17. Pinky**

The first 9 were Circus Williams elephants, the next 5 are the remains of the Chipperfield herd purchased in 1963 for the RBBB European unit and stored at the Althoff Quarters for the next five years until added to Gunthers herd on the way to America.
"Eva" and "Toby" from Baraboo in 1970 and the young African "Pinky" in 1974.

Gary Hill, do you remember the day Rex and Cowboy Ralph Schappacher delivered "Pinky" into Quarters?
The Red Show was rehearsing spec and as she was unloading from the bull truck a string elephants were passing by and Gunther simply took her by the ear and followed the others around the arena amid all the ruckus on the way the barn.
In show biz before she even had a name. I was impressed.

I might add while on the subject of big arenas, I'm certainly glad I don't gamble, had I bet on the Pinheads & Patriots game I would have lost my ass and all adjoining fixtures!

07 February, 2012 06:31
Wade G. Burck said...

Buckles,
On the subject of "doing it fast," which historically has proven to not necessarily be the "best," didn't Pinky end up having some issues?

Wade Burck

07 February, 2012 08:05
Chic Silber said...

This building was absolute hell

to rig the frames with HEAVY cable

extensions to the main falls

This is also where Dinky Patterson

was killed in a 97 rehearsal for

a superbowl halftime show

The FBI (no kidding) tracked me

down in an airport lounge to ask

me to come down to help with the

investigation (horrible story)

07 February, 2012 08:21
Chic Silber said...

In reference to your imaginary

superbowl gambling losses it would

have been "the adjoining fixtures"

that I would have missed the most

07 February, 2012 09:11
Bud said...

Interesting photo - thanks

If I had followed the Games throughout the season - I TOO Could have favored The Patriots .

( they sure play a RUFF-HARD game )

07 February, 2012 11:13
GaryHill said...

Capt, I do remember Rex and Cowboy being there, but I was apparently busy shoveling some form of shit for some animal at that time..:))I missed all the good stuff!!:)

07 February, 2012 15:00
Henry said...

The 5 Chipperfield elephants where working in Europe with a trainer named Weiser. I think Trolle did most of engagements for them.
When we where leaving Germany we went by train o Bremerhaven to load on to the Swedish Container Ship "Atlantic Saga". We arrived at the port about 10am by train and the storage tracks where very close to the loading dock. About 2pm in the afternoon the 5 Chipperfield elephants arrived and Mr. Weiser jumped out of the train car, just finishing an engagement in Poland,said to Gunther : Here are your new elephants" and took of. Oh I forgo, he left a list with names. Lucky for us, one of the grooms on horses had worked with this elephants before and we could ask him some questions about the animals. At 4:30 pm we unloaded and walked on to the ship.

07 February, 2012 15:26
Henry said...

Buckles I think you forgot one name, I can't remember the name but it was Eva, Toby and ? The where 3 when we got them.

07 February, 2012 15:30
Buckles said...

Her name was "Topsy".
As I recall she had developed an arthritic front leg and was left in Venice the same winter "Pinky" was added.
I think she wound up with Vargas,
I remember Rex talking about one he called "Hard Times" that fit her description. She would fetch you a cheeky whallop.
Can any of you Vargas guys add to this?

07 February, 2012 16:10
Darlene L. Williams said...

Is that the one at the other end from Joe of the Circas Vargas picket line, Hard Times or Tuss? Slim/Slimbo the night watchman said she would try to hang everyone/slap them if they were too close. All the time. IF so, this same elephant got thrown in the act (she did not know much)after Shirley broke her leg from a rainy, slippery lot. Tuss later died from I don't know what... but she was all legs and very thin. Ted Polke was on the horse. - Darlene

07 February, 2012 16:36
Wade G. Burck said...

Dar,
Wasn't Tuss the one that dropped over from a heart attack, while your father was watering them after the act? Damnedest thing I ever saw. One moment fine, drinking water and the next second on her side, stone cold. I was talking with Rex when it happened, and the first thing he said was, "look at her. I wonder what she is up to now" before we ran to the end of the line to check. She was dead when we got there. I think they posted her at Davis.

Wade Burck

07 February, 2012 17:58
Wade G. Burck said...

Addendum to Darlene,
Your Dad gave her the name Hard Times because she was always giving every one a "hard time" or "hang everyone/slap them" or as the Professionals would say, "fetch you a cheeky wallop." :) "Driving your rib cage out your spine" is also appropriate.

Wade Burck

07 February, 2012 18:06
brandon said...

This is a cool picture..I had always heard that RB played the Superdome and was always curious as to how the show was set up...seems like such a huge space for a circus. This really shows the size of the place since the circus looks to take up about a quarter of floor...

07 February, 2012 20:21

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)