The Morning Call website is hosting an archive of Fair Pictures from over the years. Being a fan both of fair pictures and black and white photography, looking at the 111 photos presented was a treat.
The photo shown above, which I will get back to, reminded me of one of my unique fair experiences. In previous posts, I have discussed that both my father and myself had stands at the fair. While my father learned that you couldn't sell hotdogs near Yocco's, I learned that drunks leaving the beer garden loved to buy printed T-shirts.
But today's post has to with George Kistler, long time City Clerk during the 1950's and 60's. George loved the fair, and loved sharing his fascination with a large group of people. I was fortunate enough to be invited several times. The routine was always the same; Dinner at a local stand on the eastern side of the fairgrounds, followed by the wrestling show. I remember photographing Andre The Giant.
The Morning Call fair picture above is none other than Jim "Super Fly" Snuka, who was recently back in Allentown, for a most regrettable reason.
reprinted from September of 2016
Allentowns circus carnival is a year round experience.
ReplyDeleteFootnote for those interested:
ReplyDeleteIn January 2017, just a few months after MM’s original post, Snuka’s murder and manslaughter charges were dismissed when a Lehigh County Judge found him mentally unfit to stand trial.
Twelve days later, he died.
Obviously a lot of details are missing in the footnote, but I thought it was a good teaser for those wanting to research it a little further.
RGR
I plan to go to the GAF on Friday, but I am somewhat apprehensive about going to such an event in Allentown. I'm happy they are requiring passage through metal detectors, but I'm not 100% convinced that fair goers are completely safe from the kind of violence that erupted at the Dominican festival. As a lifetime resident of the City, I'm very disappointed to feel this way. The transformation of Allentown has been painful for me to watch.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI hesitantly printed, then deleted, a comment about metal detectors and right to carry. Comments on that topic will not appear.
DeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteThe Great Allentown Fair just isn’t the same anymore. They got rid of BOBO! ( He wasn’t Politically Correct)
He made FUN of everyone!
Pretty, Ugly, Pretty- Ugly, Short, Tall, Skinny, Fat, Young, Old, Weezer-Geezer, White, Black, Hispanic, and everyone in between. Men, Women and even Kids.
The main thing is everyone stood around and had a good time and a hearty laugh. Ahhhh. The Good Old Days!!!!
Just a Dumb Dutchman… Elmer