From Dominic Yodice #1

MSG51, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Hopefully these two photos will answer Bob Cline's question on RBBB 1954 #4. The performing low profile cages were keep in the "backyard" at Madison Square Garden. It was actually a parking lot that was taken over by the circus during their run. It was directly behind the Garden. The photo shows Albert Rix's bears. They would store most of the equipment wagons and large floats and the performing cages. There was very little room backstage in the old Garden. It was easier to get the floats into the arena from the street than down in the basement and up the long ramp. One half of the basement of the Garden was used for the sideshow and menagerie. The other half was used for all the horses and smaller performing animals along with a few equipment wagons. The third photos shows a very interesting event that occurred twice a day. During "Spec" the floats would enter the Garden on 49th street and circle the arena. They would exit on 50th street . They would then continue on 50th street to 8th Ave. Cross 8th to 49th and then back into the parking lot. Free publicity twice a day. Dom Yodice All the photos are from the 1951 season.