[Shotimes] Re: OT outliving a stadium

[Ron Porter]

So does Tiger stadium (but it's unused, and will be torn down eventually) and Fenway Park, which I hear is being renovated and will be around for awhile.
 
I've had the good fortune to see a few games at Fenway and Wrigley (besides many games, including the Lions, at Tiger Stadium) and they are kinda cool. Well, except when you got behind a post at Tiger Stadium!!
 
Ron Porter

Scott Krietemeyer <ven0msho@gmail.com> wrote:
All this and Wrigley still stands....

Scott

On 5/1/05, Charles Cooper wrote:
> Hey there tearing down the Pontiac Silverdome next year former home of the
> Detroit Lions and it was built back in the mid 70's.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Donald Mallinson" 
> To: "'v8sho'" ; "SHOtimes" 
> Sent: Sunday, May 01, 2005 6:34 PM
> Subject: OT outliving a stadium
> 
> > You know you have put on a few years when you (meaning me, and a lot of
> > you SHO folk out there) have outlived an entire stadium!
> >
> > Story today in our paper mentioned that this is the last year of use for
> > Busch Stadium in St. Louis. I thought to myself that it was kind of early
> > to be tearing it down, but then they mentioned that it was opened in 1966.
> >
> > I have fond memories of Busch Stadium as a member of the Marching Saluki's
> > band as a trumpet, then Mellophone player and finally the announcer for
> > the half-time shows starting in 1967. That is why I remember the stadium
> > as being new. Haven't been there in many years, but it's unique arches
> > always looked cool to me.
> >
> > Also as a performer at half-time for NFL games I loved the fans in St.
> > Louis. We played at a few other NFL stadiums and always (especially at
> > Green Bay) the fans could care less about the half-time, sometimes
> > becoming hateful that we were delaying the reappearance of their beloved
> > team. Not really, but in their beer addled brains we were not
> > entertainment!
> >
> > Busch stadium though was like having 50,000 aunts and uncles. We rewarded
> > the fans by being the only half-time band ever to that time (maybe ever to
> > today) to play to the side of the field opposite the TV camera's during a
> > nationally televised game! Back then they still showed at least some of
> > the half-time, but today you don't see any of the half-time unless it is a
> > big production number with body parts being exposed. College bands can't
> > get a break today. WE would come off the field from giving it all and
> > could not take a step without someone shoving a beer in our hands! (now
> > this was cool to someone about 18 years old!).
> >
> > Best memory is the special version of the Tribute to America that we did
> > for pre-game. Started with a special version of Aaron Coplands Tribute to
> > the Common Man and blended into a single snare with the band at one end of
> > the stadium in front of the goal post. Then a single trumpet on the upper
> > level of the stadium at the opposite end from the band would do the first
> > section of the Star Spangled Banner. For the second section another solo
> > trumpet would play from the first level behind the band, then the band
> > would come in and build to a great crescendo for the remainder of the
> > song. I swear you could hear a pin drop on the astroturf at the
> > beginning, as the crowd enjoyed this so much and had so much respect for
> > the performance and the tradition. This was not a version that people
> > sang along with till the third portion of the song. KMOX Television used
> > a recording of us for their sign on/sign off for a couple of decades, and
> > may still use it.
> >
> > I will miss Busch Stadium, and it feels funny to outlive (assuming nothing
> > bad between now and when it comes down) an entire landmark! ;)
> >
> > Don Mallinson