How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Tempe: work, kids)

[arizonalover73]

I also remember Goony golf in Tempe...they're hole themes had a windmill, big boat, dinosaur. And they had a huge old metal slide kids could slide down if they were bored waiting to putt.

I remember Super x drug store. And when ABCO grocery store was called Alpha Beta Co.

[surrey heights]

Originally Posted by desertratz

The Phoenix Coyotes are o.k., but I really miss going to the old Roadrunner games in the VMC.

I loved going to the Roadrunner games in the late '60s/early '70s. The WHL years were golden. Remember the guy with the trumpet who would play "Three Blind Mice" when the referees took the ice before the game?

[Arizona Mike]

Originally Posted by asucubbydback

I have only been in the area for 5 years and was very interested in seeing photos of the metro area from 20's-80's to see how small the city was. Does anybody have anymore historic photos to post? And of the old light rail system?

Also, go back to page 69 of this thread - I posted a bunch of links to Phoenix historical photos sites you can check out.

[Westside Willie]

Originally Posted by desertratz

The Phoenix Coyotes are o.k., but I really miss going to the old Roadrunner games in the VMC. Remember the guys in the hillybilly hats and overalls up in the nosebleed seats that would get up and dance periodically to a certain song. They would put the spotlight on them and the place would go nuts with cheering and clapping?

How about the "Lucky Number Puck Shoot". One lucky program holder would be called down to the ice for a chance to win $10K (?) by shooting a puck through an impossibly small hole in a board covering the goal.
My mom was a major Runners fan and after several years she was finally called down to shoot. She actually did quite good - only missed by inches. The puck glided very slowly and the crowd was screaming like mad men when it got close to going in. She had her 15 minutes!

I remember that we were astonished when Al McCoy was leaving the Roadrunners to do the play by play for those upstarts, The Suns. The NBA? What the heck is the NBA? It was 1969 remember.

Heres an action shot from the good old days.

Enjoy.

[roosevelt]

I have been asking around about 'Shooting the FLUME' and finally found a guy that actually did it. He was only 10 years old so he doesn't remember exact details but he thinks if was located about 60th Avenue somewhere near McDowell or Thomas Road. It was an elevated flume with a rounded bottom and flat covered roof about 5 feet high inside; it ran about 2 miles with irrigation water shooting through it. There were beams on the roof you could hit your head on if not careful. Covers were ripped off at various places and kids would climb in for the ride of a lifetime. I do not know where the water originated from or why it was elevated, possibly water was pumped and elevated so it would reach more farm land.

[billyincaneyville]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

I have been asking around about 'Shooting the FLUME' and finally found a guy that actually did it. He was only 10 years old so he doesn't remember exact details but he thinks if was located about 60th Avenue somewhere near McDowell or Thomas Road. It was an elevated flume with a rounded bottom and flat covered roof about 5 feet high inside; it ran about 2 miles with irrigation water shooting through it. There were beams on the roof you could hit your head on if not careful. Covers were ripped off at various places and kids would climb in for the ride of a lifetime. I do not know where the water originated from or why it was elevated, possibly water was pumped and elevated so it would reach more farm land.

I remember shooting the flumes when I was about 13-14 years old, but can't for the life of me remember exactly where it was at. It was in the Agua Fria river bed down south or west of Peoria I do believe. I know it wasn't the one towards Lake Pleasant. The reason the flumes there were elevated is because of it crossing the river. It's been a very long time, but I know you were going so fast in the water that you stood straight up and your feet wouldn't touch the bottom of the flume. When you were ready to get out, simply reach above your head and grab a steel beam and pull yourself up. I can remember climbing up at one spot to find I was about 30 feet off the ground. Had to drop back in and go further down to another spot! Now that I look back, it was really stupid! Especially since I couldn't swim.

[azfrybaby]

Originally Posted by cvsgnw

Stage 7, The Frantic Den, V.I.P.'s and a few other places. Phoenix had places for us to go and dance.. The is a book called "Phoenix had music" ( I think) it has stories about the clubs and bands like Mike Condello and Alice Cooper an such. No days there is hardley any good places for adults even -

I lived at Stage 7 untill it turned into the VIP Club. Went by the name of Frenchy. Vince (Alice) was to young to go inside but we would chat during intermission. I sang there once. Found out I couldn't sing on key if the band was so loud I couldn't hear my voice. Mike, Gilbert on the drums, Larry Ricard and Ray Danell who sang and acted like Elvis. Walk Don't Run was their theme song. Rocky Rose, great dancer. Who knows I might have known you. Great times. Nothing like it since. The Nite Life on 59th and Indian School That was in the late 70s early 80s. Mike Metco played there. They had an Old Geezer gathering at the Rythem Room a few years back and I saw many of the older players. Jack Curtis and Frank Fafara (The Golden One) were there andf one of the guys from Phil and the Frantics. Great times. I also remember that Jack started another club called Stage 7 again but it just didn't fly.

[azfrybaby]

Originally Posted by falcon1963

I'm looking for pictures of 7th St south of Glendale circa 1955. By any chance, do you remember Stage 7?

I lived at Stage 7 I went by Frenchy! We also hung out at places like The Pepermint Twist, JDs The Armory Do you remember the Circle Dance and the Bunny Hop at Stage? LOL

[bfrazee]

Did you live in Starlight Park. I remember that Treadaway stuff and everybody getting out and loading their rifles. I was born in Phx in 62.

[bfrazee]

The flumes were between Sun City and Lake Pleasant. I almost drowned in it when I was 10 or 11. I was too light to shoot through the whirlpool at the bottom. A guy kept trying to grab me but I kept going down. I don't actually remember how I actually got out. After I was out the told us that a guy had broken his neck and died the day before. He was riding an ironing board like a surf board.