Buckles, Sad news to report. My dear Uncle, Wayne "The Big man" Pilz passed away this evening Sept. 2, 2009 after a long battle with cancer. Wayne devoted his life and love to the care of animals, especially elephants. And it was his passion for elephants that allowed him to work with you on the RBBB blue unit AND with the Commerford family for many years on their show. It was the greatest times of his life. Thanks so much to you and your family and the Commerford family for being such good friends to Wayne for all these years. Kind regards, Joe Colossa |
Thursday, September 03, 2009
From Joey Colossa
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6 comments:
he sure was alot of fun,had the biggest heart when it came to animals.He could also get around tough elephants,i guess he was no threat.He told me one time he was on the ringling show,some where in texasthey sent him for 2 cases of beer,he was 50 feet from the railcar and it started to leave all the guys told him to throw the beer, he did and he didnt get on the train,but hte beer did,i said what did you do,he said i asked the the guy driving another train if he was going that way,he said yes so i rode with him and caught up with the show ,only wayne could do that.He will be missed
Tim Commerford
That's a true story.
Later when the train made a water stop I walked up to the elephant cars and they told me that Big Man had been left at the last stop.
Just as we finished watering, a freight train pulled up along side us and stopped. There waving from the engine cab was Big Man.
They had even given him a Southern Pacific cap.
Dear Buckles, I found this blog quite serendiptously tonight while doing research on my aunt, Harriet Evans Beatty. I'm looking for remainders of my father's family (John Evans, Harriet's brother). John died in 1967 when I was 8, and my brother and I lost all contact with his side of the family. How may I be put in contact with them?
Please give us info on your father and Aunt Jean and of course Harriet here on this blog. We are very interested in circus history and your family becomes a very important part. I sure hope we can hear alot more from you and of course Harrit is very well documented. Thanks. John Herriott
Sad to hear of the passing of
Bull hand Wayne Pilz,
AKA "Big Man"
The name Colossa and "the"+ Big man
through me, senility I guess.
"A gentle giant of a man indeed".
I had the pleasure of meeting The Big Man on the Hubert Castle Circus in the late 70's.
He was working for Gary Thomas as *head-down Harry's* replacment. Don't think Wayne ever had a bad thing to say about another living soul.
R.I.P. Wayne.
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