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4PROP

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  1. 4PROP
    Hi Tbird! I jumped over to the racing forum and found Clyde's name mentioned by Midget85. In his post he refered to pickup truck races at Playland. Hum. I don't recall those at all. Can you expand on that or direct us to more details? Thx
  2. 4PROP
    Here's one like it. (Mi-Tee-Slide) Not sure where this one was.
  3. 4PROP
    Great find! I'd love to see a hundred more hours of this! Thanks for posting. Great to see Lucille Ball's name in lights the day after her hundredth birthday. Now let's see who can identify the performers at the Tidelands.
  4. 4PROP
    Hi Becky, Great to hear from you again. We look forward to some more of your park photos. I don't recall what years you lived at Playland, but have you seen the lastest Google Earth vintage shots. The 1944 view shows Playland before the race track was built. You may have been outside looking up for the plane taking the picture (Or wondering if Hilter was dropping a surprise on Houston!).
  5. 4PROP
    The track across from Buff stadium was used for midget races. Not sure if stockers ever ran there. It is talked about in PBS's "Houston; Remember When" episode #3. Note that Playland Park didn't even have a race track yet. This era of photos certainly proves there once were race tracks on Stella Link. I used the Googly Earth flight simulator function to visit the old airfields around town, even the South Main Airport across the street from Playland. It is an amazing pleasure to see all this again.
  6. 4PROP
    Alex Bennet , "The man you love to hate". He was definately the king of the spin doctors back then. Wow, all the good music on air and we sat and listened to this jerk? I gotta' hand it to him, he certainly held the secret to successful radio! I may be wrong but I though it was only one caller at a time so he could do all the one-on-one razzing himself.
  7. 4PROP
    Hey I am glad I did my time in the 50's. It sure must have sucked to have to have been a kid in the 60's. 10. Steam locomotives daily down the double tracks. 9. Escape to monkey's hill. 8. Seeing the distant 4th of July fireworks at the Shamrock Hotel. 7. Open windows, attic fans, quiet city at night. 6. Saturday morning double horror features at the Bellaire. 5. Looney auction. 4. You actually see stars in the night sky over Bellaire. 3. Safely walking to and from Horn Elementary without a care in the world. 2. Leaflet drops from DC3's. 1. Rides and races at Playland Park.
  8. 4PROP
    Kaphan's moment to remember: They were always proud of their kiddie menu. I recall once ordering "what the elephant is having" from their kiddie "zoo animals" menu. It was during a sizable family dinner back in the sixties. The problem being at the time I was 13 years old and was completely embarrassed as any recently-turned-teenage young man would have been. Thank goodness it didn't affect me later in life. ....#$%#&^&*(*&^%%$$....
  9. 4PROP
    Does anyone know what the maze-like thing is at the SW corner of Main and Braeswood? I am baffled. I think that was a miniature golf course. Next question; What was the name? "Goofy Golf" maybe.
  10. 4PROP
    Hi 57 ! In a related post I was reminded about a "pistol-packing" giant shrimp. Was that the one at Gaido's across from Playland? Hey Specwriter ! Your point is valid. Today's kids are impossible to impress. Back in 2004 in my flying days I rented a Piper Warrior and flew my grand kids down to Galveston for a visit to the Lonestar Flight Museum. On departure from Scholes, I flew over the ship channel to provide them some great sightseeing. Just off Eagle Point, I turned to the back seat expecting two wide-eyed, excited little girls only to find both sound asleep. I guess it would have been more impressive to just drive them down for a day at the water park. (A lot cheaper too!) devonhart, I'm with you on the HD TV stuff. I do my flying now with Flightsim X on a big flat screen. The fuel is much cheaper and the aircraft rental is pretty much free.
  11. 4PROP
    If your crazy, I am too. See the pool bubble here! http://www.historica....aspx?poi=10978
  12. 4PROP
    It's on the 1964 map. http://www.historica....com/?poi=10090
  13. 4PROP
    Poor old forgotten Shoppers Fair! I think that must have been the first discount dept. store to come to the Houston area back around 1962. It was located somewhere off OST. My first purchase there was a 2 transistor AM radio for $4.95 and a 98 cent plastic model airplane that cost only 69 cents. Wow! First time ever I paid less than msrp for anything. (Ask me what shirt I had on yesterday, I won't remember, but how many pennies I saved almost fifty years ago...Now that's an easy one!)
  14. 4PROP
    Well thanks alot Heights. That was a memory I could of gone without. As I remember, the clown was animated and screamed a horrific laugh. My wife remembered it too as soon as I mentioned it to her. She also recalled a creepy mechanical fortune teller in a glass booth. We couldn't remember exactly where it was in the park. Maybe in the arcade?
  15. 4PROP
    Here's Playland Park in 1957: http://www.historicaerials.com/?poi=3341
  16. 4PROP
    RhinoVP, Did you ever make it to the Showboat drive in movie? I know it was pretty cold the Friday after you posted this reply. If you have, please share your experience with us and in particular how your kids liked (or didn't like) it.
  17. 4PROP
    Hey Carol802, I think I can see your house from here: http://www.historicaerials.com/?poi=3380
  18. 4PROP
    There's a couple of videos (old film) from Meyer Speedway on YouTube. Just use Meyer Speedway as key search words. (Plenty from Playland Speedway also) You'll also find alot of posts and photos on the Texas Speedzone (TXSZ.com) forums under Texas Racing History.
  19. 4PROP
    FYI; We have one in Tomball. http://www.theshowboatdrivein.com/
  20. 4PROP
    You are absolutely correct in your location and description. I hope we can lay that confusion to rest. I'll confess, I was always jealous of those living in the houses across the back of the theater and wondered what you did to hear the sound clearly. I recall the speakers around the sitting area at the concession stand were not that loud. I hope the bouncing blue VW with the fogged up windows (often near the back) row did not distract you. My steady girl (now wife of 41 years) frequented the theather in the mid sixties. We actually did see parts of the movies sometimes...har har. My first disappointed in life was at the South Main back in the fifties. They had a kiddie train in front of the theather entrance with a sign saying Disney characters could be seen inside the tunnel. Heck, I was only 5 or so and was expecting live characters. The pictures of Mickey Mouse painted on the inside of the tunnel wall did not impress me at all. If anyone runs across good aerial photos of this south main area up through Playland, please post info.
  21. 4PROP
    Great topic apoftexas. You might also want to post in http://txsz.com/forums/. You would most likely get "quality" replies and feedback there. I look forward to seeing more from you on your local racing history.
  22. 4PROP
    Hi Sparky, I second the nomination for your Oscar and look forward to your future Playland postings. I think LeeinMT is correct in referring to the Wild Mouse at Playland. It was a steel-framed coaster built some time after the race track had closed. It was near the east end of the park not far from where the ferris wheel was located. Compared to the wooden "rollie coaster", the Wild Mouse could have been considered miniature, but it was definately not a "pee-winker" ride like the ones at Kiddie Wonderland. Have you seen the Playland race films posted on you-tube? Some go back to the early dirt track days. Use "Playland Park Houston" in the search box.
  23. 4PROP
    Does anyone remember a Wild Mouse ride at Playland Park? It would have been in the early 60's and was a miniature roller coaster that turned sharp corners just as it seemed the car was going over the edge. My wife certainly remembers it. She HATED that ride because of those slow but sharp turns at the top. The cars ran on a double set of wheels so the car would actually tilt outward a bit with the bottom wheels riding against the bottom of the rail. This was about 25 feet up, not so miniature!
  24. 4PROP
    You might want to contact: http://www.positiveimage.com/ They have an impressive collection of vintage aerial photos from all around Houston. I have seen many covering the South Main area including the drive in. The only catch is, the photos are not posted anywhere. You must visit them.
  25. 4PROP
    FYI: Additional information on wrong airport landings. http://www.thirdamendment.com/wrongway.html I had my own close call experience with a wrong airport. I was flying a light Cessna between Victoria and College Station inbound for Easterwood when I started to call the tower about 8 miles out with my intentions and to report the airport in sight. Thankfully, I hesitated just to recheck my bearings only to realize it was Texas World Speedway in the distance. I quickly scanned to the left, spotted the actual airport and proceeded to contact them. I often wondered if they would have cleared me for approach and landing, turn four.
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