The Billboard 1912-06-29: Vol 24 Iss 26 (1912-06-29)

ttle ‘ RT, wae"? ee See ee eo 40 The Billboard JUNE 29, i912 SKATING AND RINK NEWS a Resume of 1911-12 Skating Season Shows Sport To Be ina Healthy Condition—Kacing To Help Game Next Season— The Week By JULIAN T. It may not be new to many of the readers of this article to know that right at the present time, roller skating in general is in its prime. Very few of the more up-to-date rink managers have anything but the best to say about their business the past winter season. Many of them have had the best year since the last revival of the roller skating game, while others have enjoyed the usual rup of businesg that is a settled thing with them, at least so as long as they conduct their places properly. It May not be necessary to tell any of those managers who have been successful this season, what to do to better their conditions, for they who are wise are always looking out for their own interests. I may say though, that there are a great Many managers in this country at the present time, who have fine rinks that could be made to pay a larger dividend than they are at present. There ig something lacking abont these managers, some of them are like bowlers who strike an alley with a groove in it. And as long as they strike the same groove the ball will travel in that direction, So it is with the managers; they have vne system that they follow from year to year, and never think that any other system tried out would maaterially assist to increase their receipts. The same old tactics are praeticed year after year, and as long as the business wil] warrant them keeping the rink open, they are perfectly eontented with life. I know ef managers who have tried the same attraciongs and held the same local carmivals and special events, until the skaters themselves would know just what Was mext fer an attraction. Now this is a very bad system to follow, for every manager ought to have something up his sleeve to welcome pot ouly the skaters, but their fathers and mothers to the rink on these special nights. He sheuld always be thinking up sqmething new, it matters not what the attraction may be as long as it is something to take the monotony away from the usmal run of skating. Oft times the simplest ef local attractions will please the public, and then for a headliner every s0 eften spring a good ove on them and you will in Review FITZGERALD. patrons that you appreciate their patronage and you will get it in return, There are at least one hundred different little novelty events and local contests and attractions, with as many muvre new ones that could be worked to good advantage if you would only get after them. There are several of these novelty houses that make these articles for almost a song, and it would pay you to try sume of these attractions, even if it did cost yeu a little more than you would care to expend. The difference in the attendance at your next carnival would show you a big increase. Just get it in your mind that you will have to have more than a good skating dour and good skates to keep your patrons with you ali the time. SHOULD ANSWER CORRESPONDENCE. This is aother very important factor with the rink business, and it causes a great deal of dissatisfaction for all concerned. It is a wellknown fact that the largest percentage of managers will not answer their correspondence received from exhibition skaters, racers and others cennected with the game. This is very discouraging in many instances, and causes the skaters to feel as though there were not much use for them to remain in the game. It is a fact that only one rink manager in about every ten will answer any of the letters received, and — only after it ia almost toe late to do any good. I receive letters right along from these skaters, asking me why something cam’t be done to get the managers to wake up a litle, but it secms as though it will be impossible to eate them in this line. Nevertheless it is mot doing them any good to be gv neglectful, for in man, instances tuey will lose out, for when they waut something at same other time from the ones they neglected, they are bound to lose out, because they can’t be relied upon. During the forming of the Rink Managers’ Association, | wrote Over thirty letters to rink managers whom I thought had a little business get-up about them, and I am ashamed to state that in all I then always have them guessing what the next will be. I must give the credit to some managers who realiy are deserving of it, for they have certainly made a reputation for themselves. Take for instance when Alfred Painter, who formerly managed the Riverview Skating Palace, Milwaukee, Wis., we have to give him great eredit for some of the grand contests, races and earnivals that he promoted while he Was convected with the rink. I remember a few years back when Al. had the whole of Mil waukee ta’king over the great bull fight that | weuld »e held in his rink on that certain night. The ministers went to the chief of police to put a stop to the brutal contest, and it was the talk of the town for days before the event was to be | held. Painter went to the chief and explained that he was going to hold a regular Mexican bull fight, but with two two-legged bulls in the rink. In the meantime people who had never been inside of a skating rink were making arrangements to attend the bull fight, and when the doors were opened that night, it reminded me of the first rush for tickets at the World's Fair. The rink was packed to the limit, and right here I wish to state that that might there were More green ro ler skaters on the floor than any other night gince the rink was opened. a plain case of getting the strangers there, and after once inside they couldn’t resist the temp tation to skate. no matter how painful it may have been to them in their first trial. Well. the bull was there and as fine a looking make-up as you would ever care to witness. The lights were turned out when the time was called for Senior Bull Fightski to enter the arena, and my, but what a silence when the bull was led towards the opening, and what an awful chill came over the people when he darted for the Senior. It was several minutes before the people discovered the trick. but it had done its work and all were satisfied. Painter rehearsed the fight for weeks and weeks before, and a finer attraction could mever be presented than that one. This was only one of the many things that he would set for hours after the sessions were over wondering what he could spring next, and he always had a good one when he was ready tv soring it. A Night in Japan was another one that Painter got up in the original way, and it has never been reproduced of late anything like whet Painter gave. Then there is Madison Gardens, Chicago, who through Rert Kennedy and Proprietor MeCormick, have always something new and original for their patrons. They go there not knowing what they are going to see or get, and come away | eetisfied with a good evening’s entertainment. Of course it takes time to promote these events, but then that is what you managers are in the game for, you earn your bread and butter by it, why not make a business proposition wont of it. Some of you take the rink bnsiness too bard. you imagine that the people onght to come te you as jong as you have skates fur them, but this is a very sad mistake, for those that you think will come are just the ones that have to be coaxed. It is trne that you may be able to say, “Oh. well, I get my regular crowd anyway. even if I don’t give them anything, but you might he right for the time being, but how about the time when they commence to drop off. then it is too late to get them back. I think it is very poor policy for any manager to get it in h's head that his rink is the best on earth. and that as long as he has the skates and a good floor to skate on, that they will come tu him. There is not a business fn the world that does not at some time or other need to be boosted. mnlese it be the Standard O1] or other monoply interests, and then at that ther are being boosted all the times. esnecially the prices. Yon bave got to be on the go all the time looking out for something that wi'l please your pat rons if you exnect to held them nntil the next generation shall take their places. No matter what the attraction may be or how small an attraction it is, try and make it as presentame as you possibly can; in other words show your It was received eight replies, and those only from managers who had been in the game a good many years. Now it was for the benefit of those managers that I wrote those letters and spent my own valuable time in doing so, and it seems as thomgh they could at least have taken the time to answer and give me a just reply to my important letter. | Some of these managers are the ones who are | nOw lovking fer greater improvements in the | conditions of the great amusement of roller skating, but will they take time to write and state what their views are, and lend a helping hand to promote and elevate the game for their own interest; no, but they will expect others to come to their assistance without the least bit uf hesitation. It is really selfish of some of the managers who are getting all the good out of the game, to act in the way they do, and if I were some of them who knew their faults as well as I know them, I believe for the gord of the game that I would turn over a new leaf, and in the future try to keep up with the times. Many vf the performers and racers write for dates. and if there is nothing doing in their line, how much nicer it would be if you would just send a postal card and say yes or no: that would at least give the one inquiring an idea that they had the satisfaction of hearing from you, and they would not bother you any further. Now, many of the skaters write two, three and four letters, in many instances, before the) get any response to any of them. This is very | wrong, for every person is at least enritied to an answer, especially if he, she or they enclose postage for the return answer. RACING WILL HELP MANY NEXT YEAR. Races will be more popular the coming fal! and winter season, and the managers who will take advantage of this fact, will no doubt be rewarded for it in due time. Very true that there are a few rinks that do not cater te race meets or races of any description, prob| ty they have other likes that serve thei. patrons just as well. and perhaps they have Lo given the patrons a real good, exciting ra¢e to stir them up to racing fever. Some rinks that I know of wil! nut hold races | @naccount of the dust that arises from the | floor. which is caused by the speed of the skat| ers, but this can all be eliminated if the prop er preparation is used. On the other hand where rinks hold good racing, they are bound to get the old-timers and vthers who do not skate. | Still these people will go any time to witness |}@ race. It al] depends upon the kind of a race that is held, as to the results that can be ob| tained from the box receipts. Everybody with |; any sporting blood in them cares to witness | where there is | some good sharp competitivn, | some rivalry existing among the competitors. | One fault with the racing in this country is | the fact that it is not entirely controlled by | urganized skating associations. Wherever as sociation jurisdiction has been carried out, it has proven successful] to both the skater and | manager. Take for instance the world’s championship meet, held in Milwaukee, Wis., this year; there were skaters from all parts of the country, some | who had raced according to rules set down by | the skaters in their loeality; others who never | knew whet it was to race under rules, while | ethers had never raced any other way but by | rules set down by a skating associativn. The | result was that the races were run off in record time, and proved to all the skaters present, that it was far better to understand one another and race cn the — than it was to be looking to get a bad fal] at any part of the track. Some of these skaters who had never known rules before, were taken back by the clean tactics displayed by the other skaters, | as some of them were used to using every pos| sible unfair means of winning before they tried | the new way. After the skaters separated at Detroit, Mich., where the International championship races were held. they all parted, saying that they had learned a great deal about racing than they never knew before, and was surprised to think that so many skaters from the different parts of the country could compete in races of such a high charaeter without any dissatisfaction. But this was done by merely co-operation with the manager, skaters and association, and proved that skating can be conducted on the square, and at the same time be one of the leading sports of the day, especially among the skating fraternity. Now, the managers this next yea can take advantage of the many new features that will be connected with the racing, and ge ahead and promvute some good races in their Cwn state, and keep in touch with the rest of the managers throughout the country, who are in the game to stay. Each manager could hold state or sectivnal championship races throughout the year, and when the season was over, present the winners with medals as champions of their sections. This would also entitle the skater or skaters to competition in the world’s championship meet, which would be held after the skating season Was nearly over. Now, if the fund that is be ing collected at the present time grows large enough by the time fall sets in, a good part of this money could be used in purchasing these medals for the skaters. Now, what more would a skater like than a gold medal presented by some organized association and carry with it the championship of the state or section of the coun try, such as Southwestern or Northwestern champion and champion of Ohio, lowa, New York or Minnesota? In some cases a skater could win the cham pionships of several different states, or the dif ferent sections of the country, and receive al! the medals fur these championships. If the skaters wil] assist the fund as they ought to, we will be able to give the skaters more racing this next year than they ever had or heard of before, but it is up to them and the managers te help make a success of the skating fond. EXHIBITION SKATERS. During the past three years there has been much rivalry, or as I wruld call it, jealousy, among the profession, This mnd singing by the certain skaters who have been mixed up in the little scandals of talk, does not de the game one particle of good, and in the eves of the people cheapens those who are mixed in the Petty scraps. There are plenty of good skating acts before the public at the present time, and there is room for all of you to earn your datly break without looking out for these unnecessary Squabbles. It is one fine joke far many who know the parties mixed in these knocking and hair-pulling arguments. and in the end al! parties concerned are sorry. I know many vf you think that your act is far superior to some other act of a like nature, and, of course, we can’t blame you for sticking up to your bellef, but it is better to let the other fellow say how good your act is rather than have you tell it. Of course, in the skating game we have something in the neighborhood of about 100 world’s champion skaters; in fact I think that there are about that many who are advertised as such, and it is a fact that it would be the hardest thing in the world to determine who really was a chanmpion. There are s» many different kinds of skaters, and nearly every act is somewhat different from the other and ought net to interfere in any way with any of the other acts, except sometime where an act is copied, asd anyone who is capable of doing tricks thar others are doing, and get away with it ought to have a chance with the others. I have heard stories about nearly all of the skaters, and tak Ing it all in a’l it doesn’t ameunt to the wind that was lost in telling them. You who have good skating acts have no reason to fear others, and those who have not a goud act will never make good by knocking an act with a reputatien. This much has been proven of late in more than one instance. Do net continue to keep up these little petty scraps, but go to the game for all there is in it, but do it in a legitimate way and have the people with you. HELP A GOOD CAUSE ALONG. Tast but not least is the roller racing fund fer next season. This needs the assistance of atl those connected in the skating amusement. The Mmenagement ought to be we] taken up with a proposition of this kind, for it will assist you to have many good races in your rink if you care to hold them. My patience in some of these things I am trying to do for skating, wil! lose its standing if the interest taken in my behalf is not followed up mvure conscientiously than at present. If everybody would only do their small mite, we would all be surprised as to the results when it came time for the fall opening season. I am very patierst and if I hadn’t been all through my skating career, I wouldn't be here with you nuw, so when you help me yon help the skating game in general. I hope that I won't have to mention this fact again, and that you wil] all try and do your part, and give us some of the best amusement for next senson that we have ever had the pleasure of witnessing in this stage of life. SKATING NOT DEAD IN CLEVBLAND. R. M. Vimeyard. an old-time roller skater of Cleveland, 0.. won'd like to have the skating world know that Cleveland is still on the map when it comes to roller skating. The Luna Park Rink, a summer rink under the management of J. C. Wetzel, who is responsible for the higholass skating that Cleveland bms enjoyed for the past seven years, was also in charge of the Euclid Avenue Rink for five years, and the Victor for two years. Mr. Wetzel’s retirement from the skating game some time back had quite a bit to do with cheapening roller skating in Cleveland, but if his present plans are carried out as laid down by him, Cleveland wil) have one of the highest classed skating rinks in the country the coming season. The Lana Park Rink is 95x200. with fine maple floor and equipped with 1,000 paris of Winslow Fibre Skates. A Tonawanda Organ of the largest pe. C, W. Voight, of Los Angeles, Cal., who fur the past eight years has been managing or con nected with some of the largest and best rinks fm the country, is assistant manager. Instructors are: George Connoly, Harry Moore and Joe Morehead, all of Pittsburg, Pa; skate-room me chasic, Danny Matthew; check-room, George Smith; doorman, William Hillman; organ tender, Billy Moore. Crowded sessions has been = rule since the 16th of May, the opening ay. The Euclid Beach Rink is also doing very well for so early in the summer season, Cleveland could support a grand winter rink and from sregent indications there will be one of the argest and most up-to-date rinks in the country ready for next season's open'ng. er coc LATEST MUSIC WANTED FOR ORGANS, Now that the many different make * Of band Organs have taken the place of the heretofore rink band in nearly all of the rinks In the United States, it is up to the managers to furnish their patrons with more up-to-date tnusic Or maybe I might state that is up to the organ companies to get out more of the latest popular songs and dances. In some instances where the organ music has become a little Stale, the management has tried out the band musjo for a change, and it has worked to great advantage m many cases. Of cvurse, we will have tw admit that hand organ music is by far the cheapest in the long run, and will do . service if it is up-to-date, but the skaters = tire of the same old thing and look for some. thing new and classy. One of our well-known rink managers, who recently touk charge og a summer rink, met with this difficulty of pleasing the patrons with some of the old stuff, and had to make a decided change in the music line. Hy put in the popular piece, Everybody's Do ng It Now, and the skaters nearly had a fit, which at once showed that he change was badly need. ed. The skaters either want new stuff or they will kick for the real band music, and they ar. the ones to please if you intend te get thelr business. It may also not be plain to many of the rink managers who are using band music, that they can return torn music polls to the fay tories and have them made as geod as new fer a small cost. It would also be a good thing if all the rinks cou'd use mére of the latest music, and make arrangements to exchange the music with the organ companies and apply same on new music. One gets tired of hearing the same thing over and over again, and it puts pew life into the skaters when they hear a new piece, and so it Is * to the manager and ergan man tv supply the latest. SKATER ALSO MOTORCYCLE SPERDER. Rollie R. Birkhimer of Golumbus, 0., a pro fessional skater of some note, bas another athletic ability besides roller racing. Birkhimer Is also some motorcycle speed artist, and bas competed in many of the motoreyele races in and abeut Columbus, and has won several netable events during his time, aad bids fair to make a great record for himself seme of these days. Rollie is not by any means gomg w give up roller racing, as he is going to do al be can for the racing elrcult among his @olumbmp skaters and friends this fall. Birkhimer as a roller skater bes made quite a reputation for himself, end is always in good shape from the good care he takes of himself. RINK } Owners shouid write for the bi new catalog of’ ‘WURLIIZER | Automatic Musical Instruments. The Wurlitzer Military Bands, buiit especially for Skating Rinks, are used by the leading rinks everywhere. They play in the correct swing ume, ~thousands of pieces from paper music rolls. | Big new catalog in colors now ready. Cal} or write onr nearest branch. ‘The Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. Werld'’s Largest Manufacturers | CLNCINNATI NEWYORK CHICAG LIT-121_ HB. 4th 2627 W. 32d 820-31 S. Wa ST.LOUIS CLEVELAND BUFFA 912 Pine 0 Huron Road 701 Mai LOUISVILLE COLUMBUS, O. 426 W. Green 67 RK. Mata ee Perfect Music For RINKS Automatic Bands With Alli Latest Improvements. NOTE WHAT USERS SAY: June 23, 1916. Gentlemen:—After using your Style 192 for some time, | find it absolutely ect. Our skaters are very enthusiastic over the beautiful skating music. The Organ runs itself needs no attention, and is far better than the Organ of &nother make that I had before, that did net have the endless paper music. Your music can’t be beat. Refer anybody to me, and I will i them why your or gans are the best in the Name of writer, with our catalogue, price list and all particulars on application. Be sure to get the adas follows: North Tonawanda Musical Instrument Works, NORTH TONAWANDA, N. Y. ROLLER SKATING RINK Br Sake ch mare nari Bo" for sale or lease or Meadville, ogetaateda Secow=-2? © eS a | oC. it i ke” 6 eo -—Be *4n 4&4