The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 32

-T1TURSDAY, MAY 30, 1957 THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR- PAGE 6 SPEEDWAY FANS Pre-Race Festival Fulfills They Keep On Coming mr-m Jf I r- 1 am sw JSP Dream in yJj VSiJV (Jvn to see why the shiny giant fish ts blowing his trumpet at Charlotte Offenbacker (left) and Barbara Hyde. Two Indianapolis beauties lend their charms lo one of the colorful floats in the gala "500 Festival" Parade. It's easy fcjss-'i' I iitfuniftiimiii.iii in'iif mi.J Since 1911, steel parades of autos have lined all routes leading to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on race day. Styles change but the ardor of fans does not. Picture at left shows fans arriving in grounds for the 1923 "500." Picture at right, looking west on 16th Streetfrom the Big Four overpass, shows the contem- porary generation motoring to the track.

Broadcast '500' celebrators changed from a march to dance tempo on the 'Circle. Top callers and square dance clubs from throughout the state whirled around the Monument Circle. Others danced to two orchestras in rolnd dances. At the Indiana Roof Woody Herman and his orchestra accompanied dancers at the 500 Invitational Ball. PROCEEDS from this year's "pioneer" 500 festival will be used for the 198 celebration.

Behind the first step of this year's festivities were years of promotional work by Indianapolis citizens who thought the city should put its best foot forward to entertain race-goers. Sam J. Freeman, president of the L. Strauss and Company and president of the "500" Festival Associates directed plans for this year's celebration. Assisting him were Howard S.

(Howdy) Wilcox, public relations and personnel director of The Indianapolis Star and The Indianapolis News, vice-presi-dent; Murray H. Morris, manager of the Merchants Association, secretary, and William H. Book, executive vice-president of the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, treasurer. OTHER EXECUTIVE committee members were J. 5 Radio By CHARLES BROCKMAN WIRE Sports Director It is hard to imagine a subject so detailed and complex that a dozen broadcasters can talk about it for four hours and not have time to tell the whole story.

That is the challenge that the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race presents to the members of the Motor Speedway Network. For the fifth straight year, five Indianapolis radio stations pool their resources to broadcast the race coast-to-coast. From start to finish, from the pace lap to the ceremonies in Victory Lane, racing fans all over the nation and the world will hear the story of the 41st Annual International Sweepstakes, the 500 Mile Race. IT TAKES A YEAR of planning to race a car at Indianapolis, a year of work to stage the race and the same year to prepare for the control point, the running of the race is reported, includ-ing the standings by 10-lap periods, cars out of the race, duels between cars and general color. Personnel in the Control Tower include announcers Sid Collins of WIBC and this reporter, Producer Bill Dean, and a team of engineers.

To report on pit stops and supply information concerning strategy, Luke Walton, Greg Smith of WXLW and Gordon Graham of WIBC will be located along the expanded pit section. Five announcers, Jim Mc-Intyre of WISH, Bernie Herman of WIRE, Jim Shel-ton of WIBC, Bob Rhodes of WFBM and Bill Frosch of WISH, will be spotted around the course, on the four turns and the back-stretch, to describe the track action. Supplying his professional knowledge from the garage area, will be the 1941 Co-winner Floyd Davis, who for together to show the progress of transportation. Horse-drawn carriages and phaetons followed "dream" cars of the future including a gold Cadillac, a 1965 Mercury "turnpike cruiser," and a futurized Buick "Skylark." Mrs. Augie Duesenberg was passenger-of-honor in the 1931 Duesenberg car driven in the antique car section of the parade.

SHIMMYING and shaking comedy cars of American Legionnaires hopped and-snorted and wiggled as a caterpillar and "Leaping Lena" in the parade. Jalopy-riding "Feudin' Martin County Boys" also chugged along popping off double-barreled guns and sporting chin whiskers. The second largest American flag in the world measuring 60 by 40 feet was paraded, held by 40 reserve Army officers. One of the first halts on the 2.2 mile parade route was the Soldiers and Sailors Monument where the mayor and governor presented wreaths in honor of the war dead to representatives of the Gold Star Mothers. During the presentation, taps were 'sounded from the top and base of the monument and a firing squad sent up a salute.

After the parade, festival- fTlFFTR By RUTH ELLEN BANTA Sea-horses, rocking horses, bands and beauties paraded through cheering crowds in downtown Indianapolis yesterday to fulfill a longtime dream a dream of a gala pre-race festival for spectators and host Indianapolis racegoers. Rivaling the color of Rose Bowl, Kentucky Derby and Cherry Blossom parades, two hours' or four miles' worth of over 2,000 paraders wound through downtown streets. Governor Harold W. Hand-ley and Mayor Phillip Bayt led the colorful procession of 24 floats decorated with more than 1,296 artificial flowers, 29 bands and choruses, color guards, drill teams and vehicles of all ages and descriptions. OVERHEAD, AIR FORCE and National Guard planes buzzed the paraders.

A carillon concert from the Scottish Rite Cathedral and band concerts at University Park and the War Memorial Plaza set a pre parade march tempo for the audiende. Paced by Indiana and Purdue university bands and bands of high schools and fraternal organizations (including bagpipe and Arabian bands) the parade was highlighted by the floats. The longest 80-foot float carried the Indiana Republican Committee and the singing "Indiana Belles." Others were a Cinderella float, palm scenes, girls in rompers on plaid and striped rocking horses, a sea scene with sea horses, the winged horse Pegasus, rocket planes, satellites. THE ENTRY from the Indianapolis Park Board was covered with flowers grown in Park Department greenhouses. The Construction League float carried models of office building, home, church and school.

The theme of today's racing classic was echoed through the parade. Dressed in racing garb 21 youngsters "drove" miniature race cars in a Junior Chamber of Commerce-sponsored parade feature. "Real" race drivers of today and yesterday rode in open cars at the head of the parade along with Cyd Charisse, movie star who will kiss today's race winner, and Anton Hulman, Speedway president. Horse and buggy to futur-amic travel modes paraded You'll take Stations world's most ambitious broadcast. vvuuc iaiia at iuc uai.iv have been witnessing prog-ess in automobile engineering, fans at home will enjoy the results of progress in the technique of reporting the show.

Additions have been made each year to the program and this year is no exception. Three new remote points have been making a total of 11. In other words, it will be possible for the listener to be in 11 places at once. The entire broadcast revolves around the central control point located in the newly constructed Control Tower, which replaces the traditional, though weather-beaten, Pagoda. FACILITIES that would rival those of most studios are set up in the control center to enable the producer to call for hundreds of switches throughout the day.

From the i ru Ai. il. T. $390.47 Worth Baker of the Murat Shrine, Joseph J. Cripe of the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Bureau, W.

Bryan Karr of the Claypool Hotel, Wallace O. Lee of the Indianapolis Power Light Company; Joseph Quinn Jr. of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Richard H. Stackhouse of the A. V.

Stackhouse Company Inc. and Marc J. Wolf of the Marc Wolf Theatre Enterprises. Lt. Gen.

William H. Arnold, Fifth Army com mander, was honorary parade marshal. Float sponsors were the Indianapolis Park Department, Allison Division of General Motors Carleton Transfer Charga Plate Association, Construction League, Hoo-sier Motor Club, Indiana Hotel Association, Indiana National Guard, State Fair Board, Indiana Auto Trade A ciation, Indianapolis Milk Foundation, Indianapolis Power Light Company, Key West Shrimp House, Moose Lodge, Merchants Association, Purdue University Glee Club, Indianapolis radio stations, Red Cab, Shrine, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Theatre Association of Indianapolis, Republican Central Committee, Democratic State Committee and Ell Lilly and Company. tit EMI MY VACATION SPECIAL ffi SAVE It UP II si72 7 -r HflSH tf-tO rZrn WITH RECUNING SEATS' mH TRAVEL BEDS, 255 H.P.I 1 the last several years has had a racing program on WXLW. This group of broadcasters can within seconds, pick up news from any section of the track.

THE LEADER of the race will tour the 2l3 mile oval in slightly over one minute and in the same time, six different announcers from six different locations will be calling positions. The listener will be whisked electronically around the speedway at 140 miles an hour. The network this year will consist of more than 300 stations in 46 states plus the District of Columbia. 'Arrangements for the broadcast are handled by Gil Bejry of WIBC. While the old cliche says, "All eyes turn to Indianapolis, the capital of speed, on May 30," perhaps it would be more accurate to say, "All ears turn to Indianapolis." Morm Far Amwkwu 1 ll r.i mn.i.1111 i- I enjoy it more if you HERE'S PROOF YOU SAVE WITH NASH! a cheerful bourbon along! Competitive Car Prices ore Up as much as Nash Prices for 1957 ore Down as much as Have a king-size vacation in the biggest of the big V-8 cars and save money, too! Enjoy the biggest room in any car the biggest bonus of luxury travel features the newest thrill in V-8 power.

Get it all in this big Nash for less than you pay for a smaller car! EXCELLENT RESALE VALUE! Latest official figures show the big Nash Ambassador retains more of ita original cost than 5 of the 10 low and medium priced cars. Be sure to get our proposition. We can save you plenty probably enough to pay for your whole family's vacation. Don't buy any car until you hear our Vacation Special offer. On the holiday, whether you're going fishing, picnicking or just plain sitting around, the living is easy when Sunny Brook's there.

It's got the cheerful, delicious taste and fine Kentucky quality everyone really enjoys YOU SAVE UP $672.97 WORID'5 flNEST TRAVEL CA Aatarfcoft Maton Mmm NEW CASTLE CASTLE MOTOR CO. -2612 Newcastle 339 ANDERSON MUNSON SALES. INC. 815 Jackson ATlas 8-8816 INDIANAPOLIS INDIANAPOLIS NASH, INC. 342 E.

Market ME 2-8521 FRANKFORT KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON BLOOMINGTON NOBLE KING MOTORS SALES 204 South College St, Bloomington 6353 THE OLD SUNNY BROOK CO, LOUISVILLE, KY, DISTRIBUTED BY NATIONAL DISTILLERS PRODUCTS KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY. 8S PROOr" POSEY RICHARDS MOTORS 351 N. Columbia St, FRankfort 6862 T..