Saturday, December 23, 2023

Today in the Daily Gazette and Amsterdam Recorder https://www.dailygazette.com/

The 1958 Christmas Festival By Bob Cudmore

  Santa arrived by helicopter in 1958 to begin Amsterdam’s Christmas Festival, an event promoted by Democratic Mayor Thomas F. Gregg. Santa’s copter landed in Lurie’s department store’s downtown parking lot.(Posted tomorrow, Sunday, December 24, 2023 hear on The Historians)  

9 days to reach the 2023 Go Fund Me goal of $7,000.00

As of today, Saturday, December 23, 2023 $5305.00

Use the Go Fund Me link

https://gofund.me/777777e9

or by Mail

A check made out to Bob Cudmore, 125 Horstman Drive, Scotia, NY 12302.

On the Historians production schedule:

Friday, December 29-Episode 505- Chris Carola, a former Albany based Associated Press reporter who lives in Saratoga Springs, will discuss the Civil War’s 77th New York State Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

Friday, January 5-Episode 506-Gary Hoyle discusses his search for the identity of a tusk found in the collection of an old, dismantled museum in Maine.

Bobsledding on Amsterdam city streets
By Bob Cudmore, Focus on History

Coasting carnivals for bobsled teams were popular winter sporting events in the late 1800s in Amsterdam and other area cities with steep hills.

The bobsleds had front and rear steering, clanging bells and brake systems, according to "Annals of a Milltown" by Hugh Donlon, "Much depended on the steersmen and brakeman of the teams that ranged from 10 to 20 men, all colorfully uniformed. The Joker Club, for instance, wore red St. Nicholas caps, red coats, blue cuffs and collars, blue knee breeches, red stockings and low shoes."

The Amsterdam Daily Democrat gave an account of a coasting carnival on Valentine's night 1887 on Northampton Road.

The weather was not ideal. Amsterdam had thaw and slush, not the clear, bracing weather that was desired. Nonetheless the evening was "fairly successful" according to the newspaper.

A dozen coasting clubs arrived from Albany on the 6:16 p.m. train, which included a special car for their handsome bobsleds or bobs. The Thirteenth Brigade Band of the National Guard played to greet them. The "hungry bobbers" did "ample justice" to food provided at the Y.M.C.A. and the Hotel Warner.

There was a parade before the coasting began. Red flares and Japanese lanterns lighted the course.

Albany's clubs included several named Yum. Other names were Beverwyck, Monitor and a team named for Tammany Hall, the New York City Democratic Party political machine.

The Beverwycks were in dark blue and white, Yum Yums in orange, Monitors in gray, and Tammany Hall men wore plaid suits.

Clubs from Fort Plain and other points west arrived on the 8:43 p.m. train.

During the pre-coasting parade crowds of people lined the sidewalks and covered the snowbanks. The handsome bobs of the Albany clubs attracted much attention.

At the foot of the hill a string of Japanese lanterns was suspended across the street. There was a fireworks display. The Thirteenth Brigade band escorted the bobsled procession to the top of the hill.

Coasting began at 9 p.m. There were no actual races as it was too dark.

The Democrat wrote, "The bob Beverwyck made the first trip down the slide. As it was turning the corner at the foot of the hill it went over the bank. The bobs Niagara, Bob Moore and Nonpareil, which were close behind, ran into the Beverwyck. The crews of the bobs were thrown into a confused mass. Several persons received injuries."

Teams of horses hauled the bobsleds up Northampton Road for the next event. Yum '88 tipped over. Yum '87 collided with Yum '86.

The wounded were taken to the home of Dr. Timmerman. Amsterdam's first hospital, Amsterdam City Hospital, would not open for another year. One injured man spent the night at the Hotel Warner.

Despite the accidents, the Amsterdam Coasting Association entertained at a party at the Y.M.C.A. after the event. The out of town teams left on midnight trains. Some Albanians stayed overnight and enjoyed a barouche ride the next day. A barouche is a stylish horse drawn carriage.

The 1888 Coasting Carnival moved the bobsled run from Northampton Road to Market Street.

Harley Plantz, 18, was the "youngest member of the Reindeer sled team," according to Jerry Snyder of Historic Amsterdam League.

Snyder wrote, "With the racing concluded and the winners announced, (Plantz's) team decided to make one last run just to see if they could beat the night's winning time."

Their bobsled hit a lamp post. Harley Plantz died from his injuries during the night and was buried at Green Hill Cemetery.

With increasing automobile traffic, bobsled racing on city streets was finally banned in Amsterdam in the 1920s

Mohawk Valley Weekend Weather, Saturday, December 23, 2023

21 degrees in The City of Amsterdam at 6:12AM