Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus Memories

Memoirs:


In the fall of 1941, a fellow acrobat, by the name of Eddie Kohl, came back to visit Detroit during the Christmas holidays. He had worked with our group of performers that previous year, but had left to join the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus. During the time we worked together as performers we had become good friends and worked doing club dates while he was home. One time while rushing from one club to another in Eddy's car, we were stopped by a police officer for speeding. Eddy tried to explain to the officer why they were driving so fast and let it be known to the officer that he was with the "Ringling Show!"

The police officer said "I don't believe you." So Eddy said, "I will show you, OK?" With that Eddy and I were out of the car. We did a complete acrobatic routine there in the middle of the street. All traffic had stopped and people were out of their cars watching us. When we had finished and taken our bows, everyone applauded, including the officer who said, "OK, I believe you. Now get out of here before I give you a ticket for blocking traffic!"

Eddy and I worked many shows together. He was blonde and with a well muscled body and I was dark with the same athletic build. We both had a sense of humor that kept us in and out of trouble. Our biggest problem was we almost always like the same girl.


I was 17 at the time and in March of the next year would be 18, which meant having to register for the draft. At that time I had to do some thinking and planning to figure out a way to make some future income. When it was time for Eddy to return to Sarasota, Florida and the Ringling Brothers Show for circus practice and rehearsals, he felt he could get me on the show, if I would go with him. I let him know I would think about it.

In the meantime Eddy knew of a family called "The Flying Melzores" who wintered on their farm in upper Michigan. He decided to visit them and asked me to go along. This turned out to be a life changing trip for me.

When we arrived at the Melzore's farm, we saw a nice, well-kept farmhouse with a very large, high barn in the back. In the barn was a complete flying trapeze set up with all the rigging and a safety net underneath. The barn also had heat and fan air-conditioning. The Melzores were overjoyed that we had made the trip to visit with them. Ma, Buster, Ray and Ray's wife made up the team of "The Flying Melzores." Ma put some coffee on, sandwiches were made and we all sat around talking and listening to the stories of their lives and the fun they had. After a few hours of this, Ma said it was time for daily practice, so Eddy and I followed them out to the barn.



To my surprise, Ma, who weighed no more than 115 lbs., was the one who went up into the "catcher's cradle." That left Buster, who was at least 6 ft. tall and weighing about 180 lbs., Ray, who weighed about 165 lbs., and had a wooden leg that started above the knee and Ray's wife, who was the smallest at 110 lbs. They were the flyers on the team and would leap or fly from the fly-bar to Ma, who would then catch them and make one swing and throw them back to the fly-bar. I asked Ma how she could catch the boys who weighed so much more than she did?

She told me she had been catching them since they were small boys and by timing the catch just right, she never felt their weight.



When they finished with their practice, Ma was still in the "catcher's cradle," so she told Eddy and me to get up on the pedestal board and swing a couple of times each. Without a second thought , we both climbed up the trapeze rigging. After she was satisfied with our swings and had our timing right, she said, "OK, throw me a couple of tricks." With the help of others in the family we finally made the leaps across to Ma and returned to the pedestal board. We soon found that Ma was right, it was not about the strength, it was 95% timing. After that we all went back into the house where Ma fixed lunch and told us more stories of their experiences.



Eddy and I hated to leave, but had to return to Detroit that night. During the drive home, I began thinking about the Melzores, and about how happy they were and how they had welcomed us into their home without a second thought. We were two boys just starting out in life, and were not sure what we really wanted from it. The Melzores had welcomed us with open arms and hearts and showed us that we could do anything we chose to do if we were willing to work at it. Loyalty and love with unselfishness thrown in was a way of life for the Melzores and that was the life I wanted. They were "show people!" My mind was suddenly made up! Ringling Brothers, here I come! I knew from what I had heard, the pay would be good and the circus provided room and board, therefore, I would be able to send more money home to the family.



(Driving to Sarasota) to be continued......