In Baraboo, to stall during the wagon loading exhibition, to emphasize the immensity of the Ringling Show during it's glory years, Pete Sturgis would explain that in Concordia, Kansas the record was set with an audience of 17,000 and change.
I always thought that the Beatty Show top (150 with 3- 50's) would accomodate about 4,000 but Lucio Cristiani once told me that when he had his riding act with the show he often helped on the front door.
One day with the house comfortably filled, he and Joe Galasso took clickers and counted the audience and came up with 2,700.
Maybe that's the reason Mr. Feld likes the Monster Truck Show, you don't have to scale down the seating.
I have heard that the only difficulty with that show is hauling in the dirt and getting the right kind.
Covington and I were discussing this last Saturday at the Club and agreed that we know the perfect person for this job. Not only would she spread the dirt but would easily fan-rake the entire football field. |
11 comments:
When B&B opened in the old Stanford White-designed Madison Square Garden, they hauled in soil to cover the floor. The place was notoriously drafty. The installation of the dirt and the moisture rising from it as it warmed created an atmosphere that was once termed "tubercular."
I am sure Katja Schumann is still up to the task! But the long suffering grooms and ring boys have gone on to bigger and better things! I have a good hand on Circus Flora that would make her a great assistant!
Erik Jaeger
I believe that in the early 60s
the Beatty show used a 160 with
three 50 middles and that they
had an unpublished record count
of nearly 3300
If Art Concello was here to comment on the Monster Truck Show, he would probably say something to the effect that, "They only eat when you turn them on."
I would like to know for sure if Beatty Cole ever used a 160 with 3- 50 foot middles.
I always thought the standard order with Leaf was a 150 with 3 - foot middles.
Now Circus Vargas Orange tent was a 160 with 3- 50 foot middles.
And Vargas jammed the suckers in that large tent and it had to be alot more than 3300 as it looked like a sardine can.
Harry
Harry
As I seem to recall, RBB&B hauled dirt into the Soldiers Field parking lot, when they played on the parking lot. Also, I believe they drilled holes for the stakes and had to repair the holes in the lot after they were gone.
Someone correct me if I am wrong.
Bob Kitto
I saw the Ringling Show the Soldier Field parking lot in 1954 and '55.
They might have put some dirt in the rings, if so I think I would have remembered it.
They must have filled the stake holes, we did with Big Apple.
Cindy Potter, Harry, and Chic will remember that when Beatty-Cole went to many mall parking lots, holes for the stakes were often made by jack-hammer. This was great if the show returned the next season, as that much work was done and waiting for us. Contractors had to follow us, filling the holes with sand and topping them off according to mall specs. I recall the general agreement was to bond the job for "a dollar a hole", but stand to be corrected.
I recall some bond issues with
parking lot sites but some were
taken care of by sponsers or just
by prepaying for the repairs
Much worse than macadam I recall
when drilling some floor anchor
holes with Beg Bertha we found
brine pipes every so often
Major repair charges and could
be a catastrophy during hockey
playoff times
The last time I heard of a show not filling the holes, it cost them $5 per hole. Pretty expensive when they could have been filled with sand and topped with asphalt for a lot less.
Bob Kitto
Bet that was long before the turn
of the century Bob
Try calling a paving contractor
and see what that might cost today
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