When I go to: http://oldtimefishinggear.com/ and see fishing stuff I used to use as a kid it brings back memories. Do you remember buying split shot in little metal tins that slid open? Some of those tins we used to discard are now selling for 10 bucks a pop.
Well, I recall that when I was a little kid, back around the early 1870s, we had a fair in town and my daddy, who was a gambling man when he wasn’t an officer at one of the banks, had our family portrait done, then went out and had himself a couple gunfights in the street that day. This is one of three or four photos in existence of me wearing any sort of tie. That is me in front on the right.
I remember grape and strawberry Nehi in the pop machine across the street. First in the courthouse building (background of the photo), but my sisters had to take me over there. Second place was across the street at a service station (remember SERVICE at stations?).
The first fishing car I recall was Dad’s '63 Chrysler, with the canoe rack. My oldest sister’s boyfriend at the time, Claire Hoblitzer, backed it down the boat ramp into the lake when the brakes failed one day. I think Dad still misses that car. I don’t think my sister misses Claire, tho, but you never know.
Polio Shots.
“LSMFT”
The Atomic Bomb drill “duck and cover”
A Davy Crockett Coon’s Skin Hat
A Ballentine Blast in Ebbet’s Field
May’s playing center field at the Polo Grounds on a sunny day
“Irene Good Night”, Shrimps Boats Are A’Comin", When The Moon Hits Your Eye Like A Big Pizza Pie"…Hit Parade
Stick Ball
My Dad’s pay stub for a weeks wages…$24.64
Dad’s bamboo fly rod with the automatic fly reel
I spent a lot of time hanging around the one store in town that sold fly tying materials (about 1956). It took hours to decide on the necessary material for that week and how to best spend my one dollar allowance. The dollar actually bought a pretty good amount of material at those prices.
Universal Vise Co. 10 cent card of Chenille
Stanley’s Fly Tying Wool 10 cents.
Pack of 12 saddle hackle 15 cents
Pack of 24 saddle hackle 25 cents
Tying Wax 10 cents
Spool of Tying Thread or Tinsel 15 cents
Hooks 10-15 cents a dozen
Then there were the things that we just dreams like half a jungle cock neck for $5, well out of my price range for years. 8T
BTW John, I earned 15 cents a bushel picking apples after school. A kid my size could manage about 7 bushels in an afternoon.
John: You made me remember my employment as an ice cream salesman. I spent all day pedaling my cart around a designated section of Salt Lake City and I got 20% of the sales. I pedaled until I made $1.20 for the day. I used the 20 cents for bus fair and the buck to make payments on my latest sporting good buy at Al’s Sporting Goods in downtown SLC. I really thought I was big time having a charge account at the age of 12. Later on I realized that my dad had set the whole thing up with Al and was my backer. We laughed about that for years.
Yup, my wife and I each had the collapsible hollow steel fly rods. They twisted. We then each bought the upgrade, square or hex, not sure, but they didn’t twist. We met many years later, but seem to have had similar roots.
Worked at a Texaco gas station after school and during the weekends. Pumped gas at 32.9 cents per gallon and checked the oil, cleaned the windshields, headlights and tail lights while the gas was pumping. People would drive up and say, “give me 5”, which meant they wanted 5 gallons not dollars. At noon I would go to the soda shop and have a cheeseburger, large milkshake (made with milk and ice cream) and a large order of fries. All would cost me 75 cents.
TV shows:
Sugarfoot
Johnny Rebel
Have Gun Will Travel
Gun Smoke
Wagon Train
Red Skelton
Lone Ranger
Here’s one for the “mature” generation. I remember Gunsmoke on the radio. Does anyone know who played Matt Dillon? Think rotund and detective years later.
Bernie
How about Lash Larue…the cowboy on saturdays that brought the bad guys down with his whip.
First 3d movie I ever saw was some western that starred Randolp Scott. Don’t remember the name but that flaming arrow was coming right for me.
The milk was delivered to the house and the cream would rise to the top of the bottle…my Grandmother would always pop the top and stick it to my cheek.
