Afterwards, while we were driving back down to San Diego, we stopped off in San Clemente to get gas. There, we heard on the gas station’s radio that President Nixon had just announced his resignation. That event-filled day took place almost 35 years ago. (Where has the time gone?!) |
Sunday, May 24, 2009
1974 Ringling Blue Unit #14
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9 comments:
I was on Circus Kirk at the time. I don't remember why we had a radio on in the back yard that day but when the announcement came of Nixon'e resignation, I remember that the ringmaster made the announcement to the entire crowd, then we resumed the show.
Bob
I was working floss with the show that year and almost everyone was backstage watching the resignation on a single TV. I don't remember if Harold made an announcement during the show. ~frank
Buckles -
You or Jack may know this one - Was the Anaheim Convention Center the smallest building RBBB played in at that time? I can remember that the rings were so close together, I thing they almost intersected one another. ~frank
No Frank
After our oown arena in Venice
it was the Cumberland County Arena
in Fayetteville NC
I think the old building in Fayetteville, NC had to be one of the smallest. The Gold Unit's one ring show played there a couple of years ago.... and I had a hard time remembering back to 1979 when we played there with the Blue Show. How did it all fit? Somehow it all did.... or at least most of the show did. Buckles, do you remember if we had an abbreviated show that year?
JD
Back when we used to haul kids in spec floats, some small buildings didn't have enough floor space to clear the floor plates on the corners.
In places like Glens Falls and Port Arthur the prop crew would lift and slide the rear end over.
As I recall, in Fayetteville they simply opened the end ring.
I played Anaheim in 1978 and later in 1994 and it seemed like any other building.
Jeff, do you remember in Tuscon when the big door jammed?
The menage prelude had been completed, Harold's magnificent announcement concluded but when the spot lights hit the back door all they had was Dalilah and "Charlie" standing with Tommy Henry. They always entered early via a regular door.
Pandemonium ruled supreme as they had to rush in the next display.
I thought they would have to carry Charly Baumann out on a stretcher but he took it fairly well.
There were several buildings
where we had to keep much outside
Animal tents & storage for some
of the bigger props including
much of spec
In inclement weather it became
quite a challenge
I also remember trying to
prevent runaways on the slopes
outside in Portland Maine
The lobter all you could eat
specials made up for it
Buckles,
That the door mishap must have been in 1978 in Tuscon. I didn't play that building until 1980.... and I don't think I'll ever forget that week.... Julio Farias fell between shows practicing for the "quad." The funeral service was held the following week in Phoenix... in the ring... between shows.
JD
For a time in '74, I went out on Castle for Doc Barbre's concessions. In Joplin, MO, we were rained out on August 9th, and Dick McGraw, his son Pat, and I returned to the motel to catch the resignation and the swearing in of Gerald Ford. We caught the whole East Room farewell speech of Nixon and his disgraceful departure on Marine One. We caught it all live because of that opportune rainstorm.
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