Echoes of the Past: The Old Anchorage Sports Arena

Echoes of the Past: The Old Anchorage Sports Arena

Skate blades on the ice, the roar of crowds cheering the Wolverines hockey team, legendary rock and roll stars and bands, all under one iconic roof in Anchorage. From its debut in 1965 and into the late 1970s, the Anchorage Sports Arena, located at 100 W. Fireweed Lane and A Streets, wasn't just a building; it was a big part of the Anchorage entertainment scene. It was the place where bone-rattling indoor hockey, ice-skating, electrifying concerts, and the unforgettable, larger-than-life drama of Big Time wrestling came alive. Until the Sports Arena, you could skate outdoors all over town, but there wasn’t an indoor skating venue to be found. Indoor Wolverines Hockey When the Sports Arena opened its doors, it became the original home of the Wolverines, Anchorage’s semi-pro hockey team. Even KIMO-TV channel 13 (Now KYUR) got into the game by broadcasting Wolverines hockey live from the Sports Arena. Big Time Wrestling Came to Town In the 1970s, KTVA (Channel 11) broadcast a show called Big Time Wrestling. The program was produced in another state and was broadcast in Anchorage on videotape. Big Time wrestling stars included Bobo Brazil, The Sheik, Abdullah the Butcher, Dick the Bruiser, and George “The Animal” Steele. Because of the Sports Arena, Big Time Wrestling decided to come to Anchorage. Weeks before the scheduled matches at the Sports Arena, the stars of Big Time Wrestling who were coming to Anchorage began promoting their local appearance. They snarled and growled on camera about how they were going to come up and crush each other in front of the Anchorage crowd. On the Saturday night of the Big Time Wrestling extravaganza at the Sports Arena, I drove from the KTVA studios in Spenard to see how big a crowd would turn out at the Sports Arena. Much to my surprise, the parking lot was full to overflowing. It was jam-packed with Big Time Wrestling fans. Yes, You Can Share This Edition And when you do, your friends and family will be so happy that they will give you a gift card for a year’s supply of your favorite lunch at the Lucky Wishbone in Anchorage… well, it could happen. Thanks for reading and listening to the Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club! This post is public, so feel free to share it. Concerts at the Sports Arena And here’s a look at some of the musical groups that performed at the Sports Arena. In early August of 1970, Fats Domino (Blueberry Hill) played the Sports Arena. At that time, Mary Jane and I had only been married for about two months, and our first apartment was across the street from the Sports Arena. So on the night of Rick Nelson’s concert, we opened our bedroom window and went to sleep listening to Rick singing “I’m a Traveling Man.” Cool. Other Sports Arena concerts included: The Turtles (“Happy Together”) performed there in the 1960s, and Mary Jane of Anchorage Memories was on stage as a Go-Go Girl with Pacesetters for the warm-up band. In the picture above, Mary Jane poses with Mark Volman, a member of the Turtles, in the Sports Arena. In 1973, Anchorage enjoyed a Johnny Cash concert at the Sports Arena Santana rocked the stage in 1973 In 1975, Grand Funk Railroad headlined a show And 1975 saw Fleetwood Mac at the Sports Arena Three Dog Night (“Joy to the World”) performed in 1975 In 1976, Gordon Lightfoot (“Sundown”) played the Sports Arena And America (“A Horse with No Name”) came to town in 1978 Mary Jane Skating at The Sports Arena At the age of 4, I started ice skating. Fun places to skate included neighborhood backyard rinks, the 9th Avenue rink, and the rinks set up at my schools. In the winter of 1970, my friend told me they were offering ice skating lessons at the Sports Arena. So, we enrolled in a 6-week course for beginners. It worked out great. Mike and I lived across the street from the Sports Arena, so it was a nice, short walk. And as a side benefit, because of all the energy I used on the ice, I went home to a “second” breakfast. I was happy to have taken the lessons, and I even earned an ice skating patch at the end of my 6 weeks. What fun. Echoes of the Past Do you remember going to an event or concert at the Sports Arena? Tell us about it. From Our North Stars (that’s you) From our Anchorage Picture Memories edition. Diana remembers: “Thanks for the memories! I certainly remember Providence Hospital and the Bun Drive-In with Ron Moore. I always enjoy your postings. I grew up there from 1949, graduated from high school at East High in 1967, and even got married up there.” Jackie recalls: “I wasn't born in the old Providence Hospital, but I worked there in the early 1960s when it was St. Mary's Residence, a nursing home. Wonderful old building full of history.” Michael and the Book Cash: “Thanks for these memories. We lived in Bethel for many years, beginning in 1968. The Book Cache was my favorite place to go on those rare trips to Anchorage back in the day. Great Memories!” Anchorage Memories.com Take a look at this treasure chest of Anchorage Memories [https://www.anchoragememories.com/] and enjoy. Connect with Mike and Mary Jane Living right across the street from the old Sports Arena was interesting and sometimes rewarding. Getting to listen to part of a concert for free by simply opening our bedroom window was enjoyable. No crowd, no parking hassle, and no concert ticket to purchase. Wow. Got a comment? You can also contact us by replying to this email. Until Next Time Mike and Mary Jane Anchorage Memories Club Get full access to Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club at www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe [https://www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Anchorage Picture Memories

Photo by Ward Wells We thought it would be fun to remember some places in Anchorage that are dear to our hearts. And what better way to begin than to look at where you may have begun your life. Providence Hospital, originally located at 9th Avenue and L Streets, first opened on June 29, 1939, by the Sisters of Providence. Many were born in the hospital between 1939 and 1963. A few of those include Mary Jane of Anchorage Memories, along with all her brothers and sisters. And while Mike of Anchorage memories was born in the lower 48, his brother Tom was born in Providence, as was his little sister Sybil. How about you? Were you or someone in your family born there? BONUS Maybe you were born in one of these First Hospitals [https://www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/p/anchorage-hospital-memories]in Anchorage. Remembering the Bun Drive-In and the Coke Show photo by Ty Pierce Our Story Begins on Christmas Eve, 1959 It was a cold December night when Ron Moore first took his radio show, known as “The Coke Show,” to new heights. Literally. The show began originating from, as Ron used to say, “high atop the Bun Drive-In” at 601 Northern Lights Boulevard (later named “Wooly Bully Blvd” by Ron and the gang). The new Coke Show studio was a small booth, affectionately known as the “Chicken Coop” or the “Royal Roost” (remember, Ron was also known as the “Royal Coachman” on his radio program). The studio sat on the roof of the Bun Drive-In, overlooking the parking lot through a picture window. The Coke Show and the Bun Drive-In bring back a flood of great memories. Do you have a request and a dedication? BONUS Relive those wonderful days and hear the Coke Show [https://www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/p/anchorage-coke-show-memories] once again. Jonas Brothers Memories When you had visitors from the lower 48, Jonas Brothers was probably one of the places you took them for a peek at Alaska. The outside of the building had a rustic Anchorage look, and inside was a treasure chest of Alaska animals, furs, and more. And did you know that another Anchorage treasure got its start in Jonas Brothers? In about 1958, Russ and Doris Riemann considered selling books directly to customers in a retail store. That’s when they joined a lady named Esther Tout, who ran a small 15-by-25-foot bookstore in the same building as Jonas Brothers Taxidermy and Furriers, located on Fifth Avenue. The little bookstore in Jonas Brothers became so popular that Russ and Doris decided to relocate. Their new location became known as The Book Cache, one of the most popular book stores in Anchorage. BONUS Get to know The Book Cache, [https://www.anchoragememories.com/anchorage-book-cache-memories.html] an Anchorage favorite. Swim Into Your Memories Until March 1953, when the Spa first opened, if you wanted to swim in or around Anchorage, you had one choice. It had to be summer, and you had to swim in a lake. Or with your rubber ducky in the bathtub. Then on March 31, 1952, a man named Edwin Suddock, a wholesale grocer, and his wife, Mary, made a welcome announcement. They were going to build a private, indoor swimming pool in Anchorage.The pool would be located at 1720 F Street between West 16th and 17th Avenues. The location was just above what would later become the Valley of the Moon Park. And many remember being bused from school to the Spa for swimming lessons. Barbara remembers: “For two weeks, first thing in the morning, a bus load of us were taken to the Spa. It was great to have swimming lessons. I still really appreciate the building design with the wall of windows. But afterward, we had to get back on the bus in our damp clothes, coats, and wet hair.” BONUS This will make a splash. Read The Spa Story [https://www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/p/anchorage-spa-story] and remember. Sydney Laurence and Rainbow Trout On the west side of the 4th Avenue Theatre was the First National Bank. You could stand on the sidewalk and enjoy looking at a fish tank, filled with Rainbow trout. Inside the bank was an incredible collection of huge paintings by Alaska’s premier artist, Sydney Laurence. The paintings were a real treat to look at. Many, if not all, were of the great mountain known to Alaskans as Denali. And in the Spring of 1961 The first escalator was introduced in Anchorage Photo by Ward Wells When Caribou’s Department Store in Spenard announced the grand opening of its store escalator, it seemed like a theme park ride had opened, and most of the town turned out to ride it. Were you there? Precious Memories Wow, this has been a great trip down memory lane. Thanks for reading and listening to the Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club! This post is public, so feel free to share it. From Our North Stars (that’s you) From our look at the Alaska Zoo Tony had this memory: “I lived in Bruin Park off of O’Malley Rd. from ‘64-’75, my buddy lived across from the Diamond H Ranch and I remember when the Zoo opened how surprised we were that someone would open a Zoo there. But then again there were also Lions in Mt. View back then.” In our Alaska Zoo edition, we included a picture of an Artist helping Annabelle the elephant paint a picture. Eric identified the artist for us: “The artist painting with Annabelle is Diane Barske well known in Anchorage. She has since retired out of state.” Connect with Mike and Mary Jane If you still carry an older Anchorage in your bones--certain streets, certain winters, certain small details no outsider would think to mention-- you're in the right place. Do you have a comment about this edition? You can also contact us by replying to this email. Until Next Time Mike and Mary Jane The Anchorage Memories Club Get full access to Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club at www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe [https://www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Anchorage Annabelle and Binky Memories

If you live in Alaska, or used to, you probably know what the above photo is all about. But more about this picture in a moment. This look at the Alaska Zoo, located in Anchorage, starts with an interesting story. What’s Behind Door Number Three? The title above refers to a TV game show called “Let’s Make a Deal.” The story that follows is sort of like that show. In 1966, Jack Snyder, the owner of the S&F Foodland grocery store, located at Minnesota Drive and Spenard Road (did you shop there?), entered a contest. The contest was run by the good folks who make Chiffon toilet paper. It was simple: the grocery store that sold the most Chiffon TP would get a prize. Mr. Snyder won. We guess that Anchorage needed a lot of TP that year. As it turned out, Snyder had two choices for his prize. Behind door number one was a $3,000 cash prize. Not bad. Behind door number two was a real-life, 400-pound baby Indian elephant named Annabelle. No one knows what was behind door number three. Well, for some reason (perhaps he was an animal lover), Mr. Snyder decided to take the door number two prize, the Elephant. Not Since the Ice Age It had been a really long time (the Ice Age) since Alaska had seen a 400-pound baby elephant stomping around in the Great Land. And by the way, baby Annabelle was known to eat 60 pounds of food a day on her way to becoming a full-grown elephant. Because Annabelle was such a rare sight in Anchorage, she used to make personal appearances at Foodland and other places around town. Annabelle quickly became a local celebrity. Fast-forward to 1969, when the “Alaska Children’s Zoo” opened with Annabelle the elephant as the featured attraction, along with assorted animals that were donated. Annabelle Was Also an Artist In the picture above, Anchorage artist Dianne Barske works with Annabelle as the elephant creates her latest painting. She was an artist, yes, she was. A Fitting Tribute Annabelle passed away on December 15, 1997. And she was so loved that she was buried in the Alaska Zoo, where the large marker pictured above pays tribute. Yes, You Can Share This Edition And when you do, your friends and family will be so excited that they will give you your own tropical island hideaway, complete with a mansion and a beach named after you… well, it could happen. Thanks for reading and listening to Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club! This post is public, so feel free to share it. Binky the Polar Bear Binky poses with a tennis shoe. More about the shoe in a moment. Another zoo favorite was Binky the polar bear. Back in 1975, Binky was an orphaned cub who was found near Cape Beaufort on the North Slope of Alaska. When Binky was brought to the Alaska Zoo, Mike of Anchorage Memories was a news videographer and was sent to the Zoo with KTVA channel 11 reporter Tom Miller to get video of the cute little polar bear cub. At the zoo, Mike was let inside a small enclosure with the cub. “Binky was just this tiny ball of white fur and was very curious about me and my video camera. At one point I sat the camera down on the floor and Binky came up and licked the front of the lens. That remarkable footage was seen that evening on the channel 11, 6 o’clock news.” Some years later, Mike, our children Nikki and Chris, and I visited the zoo and went to see Binky, who was full-grown and weighed 1,200 pounds. Mike remembered Binky, but was sure that Binky didn’t remember him. Binky and the Shoe On July 29, 1994, a 29-year-old woman became a news headline around the world when she decided to get closer to Binky, so she could take a picture of the Polar Bear. The woman jumped the safety rails, and Binky stuck his head through the bars and grabbed her. The woman survived, but Binky had her shoe in his mouth (see the picture above). Binky kept the shoe for 3 days before zoo officials were able to retrieve it. BONUS You can read more about Binky the Polar Bear [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binky_(polar_bear)] and remember when. So here’s the question If you had won the Chiffon Toilet Paper sales contest, would you have chosen the $3,000 prize or the 400-pound baby Indian elephant? Send a Message to Mike and Mary Jane Did you answer the burning question? Would you have taken the $3,000 cash prize, or the 400-pound baby Indian elephant that consumed 60 pounds of food every day? Until next time Mike and Mary Jane The Anchorage Memories Club Get full access to Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club at www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe [https://www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Anchorage First Job Memories

In the picture above, a boy sells newspapers in Anchorage, circa 1918-1920. If you grew up in Anchorage, what was your first job? Did you move to Anchorage from somewhere else in Alaska, or from the “lower 48?” Growing up, your parents likely told you to “clean up your room”, “take out the trash”, or “do the dishes.” But those jobs didn’t come with an actual paycheck. Remember how good it felt to get the reward of money in exchange for your hard work. Mary Jane of Anchorage Memories, Recalls Her First Jobs Wah! Wah! Wah! That’s the sound all babysitters hear. When I was in the 5th grade, my very first job was watching and caring for my nieces and nephews, and neighborhood children. And because some parents referred me to other parents, I was the go-to babysitter for even more children. And yes, the pay was very good. As a high school senior, I worked as a child attendant at the Anchorage Montessori School for 3 and 1/2 hours each weekday. The 3 to 5-year-olds enjoyed listening to children’s records, playing games, and sing-alongs. In addition, I read stories to them. Interesting that now I’m the author of several children’s books. Back then, my paycheck from the Montessori school made me feel all grown up at 17. Yes, You Can Share This Fun Edition And when you do, your friends and family will be so happy that they will create a bronze statue of you with a plaque proclaiming to the world that your first job was in Anchorage, Alaska… well, it could happen. Thanks for reading and listening to the Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club! This post is public, so feel free to share it. Mike of Anchorage Memories Had Three First Jobs At the ripe old age of 14, I had a newspaper route, delivering the Anchorage Daily Times to my neighborhood near East High School. I saved the money I earned from that job and purchased a used Sears Moped. Not long after that, A friend of my parents asked me if I would like a job as the janitor for their hair salon in downtown Anchorage. I agreed to give it a try. But after a few weeks, it was obvious that working in a hair salon was not for me. When I was 18, I got a part-time job at KTVA channel 11, and that led to a 30-plus-year career in television broadcasting. What was your first job in Anchorage? Just click on the following button and tell us all about it. From Our North Stars (that’s you) From our “Favorite Teachers” edition. Randy remembers: “Mike/Mary. So many wonderful teachers from the days that the first Williwaw opened (1960 first grade) up through graduation at East High in 1972. Far too many to mention. All I know is that most created the most memorable education this old man could have. We had some great teachers.” Edi has these favorites: “Two of my favorite teachers were math teachers - Mr. Hardin in junior high and Ms Rougier in high school. I went on to major in math in college. Mr. Granville was a junior high school principal who also taught classes in Alaska Geography and History. He always included humor in his classes. One other favorite was a language teacher - Mrs. Dahl, in whose classes I studied Spanish, which I also continued to study in college.” When I was in school there was only one Anchorage Junior High/Senior High School. It was downtown on 6th Ave. Part of the time the junior high schoolers went to school in shifts. The senior high schoolers went when they had classes scheduled. They tried to set up our class schedule so that we had a free period near to noon so we could eat lunch. But, one semester I ate half of my lunch at 10:00 and the other half after I finished at 2:00.” Becky recalls: “Mountain View Elementary when it was brand new gave me a great start and I remember all my teachers there very well. Possibly my favorite was Mr. (Howard?) Barr who had been in the military and still carried himself that way. I had a wonderful time studying the Civil War in his class--a hobby of mine, still. At Orah Dee Clark, I loved Mrs. Lily Neilson's Eng class and can still remember her reading Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, giving all the characters different voices. SO great! At East High, I loved the music teachers - Mr. Kirke Muse and Mr. James Everly - of course, but also those who insisted that i work hard. (I came from the "do only enough work to get an A or maybe a B" school of tho't.) Mrs. Joan Baxter taught English Lit and for her I DID work. And it paid off with higher grades (imagine it). So in one sense she is probably my most unforgettable teacher at EAHS.” Dennis had these favorites: “While attending Ora Dee Clark School, I had a few favorites.. I was a band guy as well, and Mr. Kelly was the band director then.... But as for teachers, Mrs. Von Rohr, for algebra and Mr. Whitner (sp?). Ahh, good memories.” Gene remembers: “Perhaps the one teacher who had the biggest impact on my life was Jack McGuin, the band director I learned from, first at the downtown Jr. High where he was my teacher in 7th and 8th grades, and then through all four years of high school band at the school on Romig Hill.” Friederike recalls: “Mr. Joe Buckingham, Ev DeMello, and Mr. Ed Harbke were my favorites. Each taught me life lessons and skills I’ve used every day since. We all remained friends until their individual passings.” Send A Message to Mike and Mary Jane Those great memories of our first jobs in Anchorage, Alaska, remind us of that time in our lives when our horizons were limitless, and anything was possible. What did you learn about yourself from your first jobs in Anchorage? You can also reply to this email. Or you can Send Us a Message [https://www.anchoragememories.com/contact-us.html] right here. Until Next Time Mike and Mary Jane The Anchorage Memories Club Get full access to Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club at www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe [https://www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Anchorage Favorite Teacher Memories

In the photo above is the Denali Elementary School 3rd-grade class of Mrs. McGraw. Mary of Anchorage Memories is circled in the front row. From elementary school, junior high school, and high school, we all have special memories of a teacher or two, or three, who really made a difference. And we carry those memories with us for a lifetime. Mary and I want to give you some space here to share your memories of a favorite Anchorage teacher who made a difference in your life. Mary Remembers Miss Werner was my first-grade teacher at Denali Elementary. She made a shy student feel like a friend. And she went out of her way to make the other classmates my friends, too. I had the same teacher for the 2nd and 3rd grade at Denali. Mrs. McGraw was very nice and helpful. Our morning sharing time with my classmates was good and helped me to learn about them and to make friends. Yes, You Can Share This Edition And when you do, your friends and family will be so happy that they will give you a free year of your favorite Lucky Wishbone lunch… well, it could happen. Thanks for reading and listening to the Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club! This post is public, so feel free to share it. Mike Remembers Two teachers come to mind here. The first was my early 1960s gym teacher, Mr. Balote (sp?) at Clark Junior High School. I remember him as being stern, but very understanding. In the 7th grade, I recall the need to visit his office in the Boy’s locker room. As I came up to his office, I noticed a sign on the window of his office door. The sign read, “Knock or Suffer.” I immediately knocked on the door and was told to come in. Another thing I recall about Mr. Balote was something I witnessed when I was in the 8th grade. The incoming 7th-grade boys had to adjust to changing into their gym gear and then taking a shower with all the other guys at the end of gym class. My Balote noticed one 7th-grade boy was having a hard time and standing way off by himself. Coach Balote went over to him and gave him some reassuring words. The boy thanked him and joined the others. In 1963, I auditioned as a trumpet player for Mr. James Everly, the conductor of the East Anchorage High School Symphonic Band. Mr. Everly was an excellent teacher, and I learned a lot from him. In the East High band, I ended up in what is known as the first trumpet section. And by my senior year, I was First Chair First, the head of the trumpet section. What Mr. Everly taught me was even helpful in my television and motion picture production career. I was fortunate enough to win an Emmy Award for my camera work. I should have mentioned Mr. Everly in my acceptance speech. Anchorage Memories Our website, Anchorage Memories, is a treasure chest of memories, photos, and videos. Take a moment to drop by Anchorage Memories [https://www.anchoragememories.com/] and enjoy. Connect with Mike and Mary Our favorite teachers made a positive impact on our lives. Who were your favorite teachers? We want to hear about them. Share your memories of your favorite Anchorage school teacher. You can also reply to this email. Or, you can https://www.anchoragememories.com/contact-us.htmlContact Us [https://www.anchoragememories.com/contact-us.html] right here. Until Next Time Mike and Mary Jane The Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club Get full access to Anchorage, Alaska Memories Club at www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe [https://www.anchoragememoriesclub.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]