Parade Marshal Memories

I have a couple of favorite years for Stampede memories, 1957 & 1964 stand out the most.

1957
Attached is a copy of my treasured Stampede Souvenir. This is a photo of myself and One Gun (James One Gun) of the Blackfoot Nation taken at the Stampede Indian Village about 1957. I took this photo to the Indian Village several years ago and One Gun was identified for me by his fellow Blackfoot members.

1964
I can close my eyes and recall the moment as if live. We are standing curb side on 9th Ave. Sunny day, anxiety building as the Grand Parade Marshalls car is finally in sight... and there he is the Great Gordie Howe !!

Hoots and Hollers and Yahoo’s all around. Everyone scrabbling to get an autograph and Mr. Howe smiling and very obliging sitting up on the back of that big convertible signing autographs and shaking hands. The only paper I had was the brown paper bag my mom had put my snacks in, that had to do. Dash to his car and hope this scrawny 9 yr old can reach him … all these years later and still a prize possession, that scrap of brown paper glued in my ‘autograph book’.

1958
Could not believe The Cisco Kid actually came to my town!

Bit of a cliché but... Thanks Stampede for some truly great memories !!

Deb Rhyasen