For Darryl

Here is a picture the first year at Marineland when Soloman was still in the act. I had forgotten about all that "plunder" as Lou Regan would call it. The barrel, hurdle, bridge, fire hoop. It got real crowded when there were 17 tigers in there. Imagine finding room to sit 17 tigers up on the floor.

For Vincent Manero

This is in front of the elephant barn, Vincent. Left to right Lottie, Minnie, Queen, Joy, Gypsy, Ronnie(mother of Nic) Debbie Liz and my son Eric. All of these elephants live in Tennessee now, except Joy who lives in Oklahoma and Gypsy, who lives in California with Nic.
The elephants going in the barn. I think I was the last one in America to use a whip while working the elephants, something which Vincent is very familiar with in Europe.

For Vincent Manero

Walkng long mount with Adam on Tess Bombay Delhi Joyce and Billie
Margaret was pregnant with Eric so I had to do the mounts. After the front foot walk Billie on the left and Joyce did a ground sit up. Billie and Joyce also did one foot stands together, but I can't find a picture.

For Vincent Manero

T mount from left to right Joyce, Bombay, Tess, Delhi Billie. Joyce killed a man in 1978 and died in 1998. Bombay died in 1995 and Tess died in 2002. Delhi and Billie live in Tennessee This act Vincent has been argued as one off the best there was.

Sit up left to right Joyce. Bombay, Tess, Delhi, Billie. Below another picture of the merry go round because Margaret was a good looking sexy lady, and I like looking at her and the elephants, and I trust she will not let her husband Glenn read the blog. LOL

For Vincent Manero

Merry go round from left Tess with Bombay on top Delhi in front and Joyce with Billie on top on the right. Below Margaret with Joyce on the left and Delhi on the right doing the twist.

For Vincent Manero

Joyce and Billie above doing front foot walks and below Bombay on the left and Tess on the right

For Vincent Manero

This elephants name was Tess. In the picture above doing the leg carry with Margaret, my ex wife who is on the blog often. Margaret is the mother of our two oldest sons Adam and Eric and Adam is below with Tess.

For Vincent Manero

My son Adam with from left to right Joyce Bombay and Billie. The three girls did a hind leg walk from the back of the ring with Bombay carrying the trapeze. Joyce and Bille then did one foot stands on the tubs in the front.

For Vincent Manero

After we added the White Tigers to the act and took out Solomon, Bagherra a white tiger worked with Joyce and Rajah

For Vincent Manero

This is Joyce with Solomon above and Rajah.

For Vincent Manero

The Hawthorn baby elephants at Marine land and Game Farm. The costume is "recycled" from the former Tiger Trainer. LOL

For Vincent Manero

Tina doing handstand on barrel. This is the act I mentioned in the past, that did a number of liberty behaviors.

For Vincent Manero

Hawthorn baby elephants, trained by Mac McDonald. left to right Tina, Siam, Ronnie. Tina and Siam died from elephant TB, and Ronnie lives in Tennessee. Ronnie is the mother of Nick

For Vincent Manero

Vincent, This is Tong La whom Hawthorn purchased in 1991, as a herd sire. He sired Nick in 1994. Tong is buried in Illinois, and Nick lives in Burellton, Calif. That is the bull barn with the tall roof and windows behind him.

Laura Miller

Ian, I may be wrong but I think this beautiful lady may have been one of the first to do the dunk tank deal. John Cooper, may be able to add insight. This is Laura on Cirque Krone

For Fatima--Regina Strassburger Mother of Elly Strassburger

Provided by Ian Craik

For Mary Ann Howell--I suppose I have to give you two posts like I gave Joe so there are no beefs.

This is Targa, my shoulder carry tiger, and mother of so many important White Tigers. The lady is Tracy Kim Mayo who was a special part of my life for 4 years. We used to take Targa out and throw baseballs, which she would retrieve, and bring back. In the picture below the ball has been thrown, and I am getting ready to cut her loose to go get it. I have no idea who took these pictures and had forgotten I had them.

For Mary Ann Howell

I found these in an old box so apologize for the condition. That is Ika in the picture above, and below the original White Tigers in 1981, the first and last time we were in a tent. I know you know the line up on the pyramid, so I won't list that. Note one seat empty. That was Ika's and we have discussed his leg in the past. On the right sitting up you will note only 3 tigers. Rema was out that day as she was giving birth. Note the "metal chain" costume top. Not a good idea, it wrecked havoc on my nipples on cold days. LOL Nicky on the far right went to John Cox at the end of the year and Kahn on the far left moved to the front with middle with Rajah, so we could put all White Tigers on the pyramid.

Louis Gossett, Jr. with Adam and Eric

For Joe Howell--Harmon Killebrew

One night after a show in Phoenix, Arizona Buddy and Bob approached me and thanked me for the wonder show, that they had just seen. When Buddy introduced himself, I immediately recognized the name living in Chicago for many years, and he introduced me to Bob. I laughingly said, "so what, you are not Minnesota Twins", which is my team growing up in North Dakota. Buddy, laughingly shot back, "a lot of them live in Phoenix, and I might know some. Is there someone you wanted to meet?" I said "yes, my hero when I was a kid, Harmon Killebrew, who is 5th among all-time home run hitter with 573". Buddy said, I know who he is, but I don't know where he lives, do you Bob?" To which Bob replied, "maybe Texas." We had a great hour walking around and looking at the animal, and as they got ready to leave, Buddy said, "I would like to come back tomorrow night with my girlfriend. Could we meet you after the show so she could see the animals." I said, "it would be my pleasure, and let me arrange tickets. Do you just need two?" Buddy said, "make it 3 in case one of her friends wants to come." Bob couldn't make the show but said he would stop by after. Next night I left tickets in the will call, with a note that I would meet them at the back door after the show. As I am waiting, a voice behind me says, "beautiful show, Wade." I turned around and there stood Harmon. He and Buddy and Bob do a lot of charity events in Arizona and live not far from each other. One of the greatest nights of my life.

For Joe Howell because Mary Ann and I are having time outs. LOL

This is Buddy Schultz, former pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, HOFer Harmon Killebrew, and Bob Ojeinke, former pitcher for the San Diego Padre's. That's King Tusk with his horn up Buddy's back side.

David Allen Coe

In reference to my response to John Cooper on the Jim Clubb post, about rehashing costumes. This man who had his costumes made by Nudies of Hollywood contacted me after seeing pictures of the beautiful work JoAnn and Trudy and Mirille Arnosi did with the Don Foote designs. We became dear friends. He said a musician out of great respect may sometimes give a costume to someone who has inspired them, after a tour is finished, and it is stored and never worn again. He could not understand "rehashing" performance/stage costumes, and thought I was joking when I mentioned the eventual reuse. For the record Mirelle, I gave him the red and black American Eagle one, and I kept the blue American eagle one. But the Black and silver, yellow and black, and tangerine and gold, went the way of the "recycling plant."

Close but no cigar, there was only one.

In 1988 my last year on Ringling with the White Tigers a company came out with this paper doll. In an effort to depict a Circus Star it is obvious who defined that term, and they chose Gunnar as a "name" and stayed away from any reference to Ringling Bros. so as not to have a copyright beef. The two lions depicted rode on Tom and Jerry two beautiful half Belgium brothers for opening. More times then I can recall I have had people hotly tell me I was a "Gunther Gebel Wanna be" and they get twice as angry when I respond, "who won't want to be Gunther?" I have had the honor of having my name listed with he and Charley Baumann on a video tape box, and for the record that is my body below and the tigers name is Rajah. Not the blonde haired guy on the right in his skivvies, that's Boss. But the headless arms and legs on the left. And I'll take "wanna be" over "never was" any day.

For all young wild animal trainers. Try different things and adapt to the enviornment.

In the past I have discussed the "adaptability" of the greats like Charly Baumann and GGW. Above is a picture of Boss with his tigers laying down facing the chute/cages, and two of the greatest assistants, Henry Shroder and Werner Edling. any trainer could have in the "European style". In Europe the direction he is facing is front, but in a coliseum the front is on his left, back is on his right. The above photo is from 1981. The photo below in 1992 is how he changed the position of the lay down/sit up, so that it faced what in America is the front. That's what made the Greats great. The didn't stay with a "traditional" formula, and that's how things change and get better. Casey you will note the "arc" that I have discussed with you in the past.
Mary Ann, that is Princess, Madress, Sabre, and King from the left to the right.

Gunther Gebel Williams in 1977 at the start of my journey

I may sometimes get irritated at going back to the 1900's to address Circus greatness. I think we only need to go back as far as the 1970's to address "what happened here". Who wouldn't want to be a part of this kind of magic?

Uninformed people often times "misinterpret" a fighting act

Wioris Errani

Is this gentleman related to the new Mr. Geraldine Knie? Mary Ann, now you can see the advantage of numbers in tracking lineage instead of names. Ivan Pelligrini Knie has now become Mycol Errani Knie.

Need your help Vincent

Is this Ivan Pelligrini or Maycol Errani? I can't tell with the shirt on. LOL

For Fatima--Wilhelmine Sophia Eleonora Strassburger

Photo provided by Margaret