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Post by Dan Laverty on Jul 24, 2007 11:09:03 GMT -5
Mike, Like when a certain hydrantman got off so hot in C-Hose, he was running next to the truck and actually hit is head on the front tire. I remember that shot by the Flukes, at the '86 states in Syracuse. I photographed it half a sec before he hit his head on the front tire. It happened so quick, and from far down the track, it almost appeared he nearly got his head run over. I would like to see that picture also!!!!
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Post by HicksFan82 on Jul 24, 2007 16:23:48 GMT -5
I grew up in Hicksville, was not a volunteer fireman but always tried to go to the Annual Labor Day Parade and Drill. The first one's were in the 60's held at what was then the Mid-Island Plaza, then they were moved off Bethpage Road under the water tower. The last one I attended, before I got married and moved to CT in 1982 was off New South Road. There were always always fights but they were settled one way or another and the drill continued. But not this one. I had my fiancee with me and when the bottle was thrown in the middle of the track we left and I read the next day of the cancellation. I have two images from that day. One was of a lone Nassau County Policeman going up in the stands to break up a fight and being pummeled. The second is helmeted police running up the track to restore peace. Now I may have my years mixed up but I think the story around town afterward was that it started as a fight between two local tough guys and just escalated into a brawl because more and more people (bikers, firemen, spectators, etc) got into it. I think HVFD banned coolers as a prevention for the future. I remember the names of the two guys and knew who they were. The story fits but it's been a while so like I said I may be wrong. Anybody from Hicksville out there ? Greg
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Post by SplatterLadder on Jul 24, 2007 21:06:23 GMT -5
I believe that the Hicksville FD had celebrated 75 annual Labor Day parades & drills before it was canceled.
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Post by h4digger on Jul 25, 2007 1:01:26 GMT -5
Twabster that Hempstead Fluke hydrant man you are talking about is Pat Cooke who is now the hydrant man for the Islip Wolves
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Post by 911pix on Jul 25, 2007 8:30:57 GMT -5
Does anyone know when the last tournament was, and why they decided to cancel them?
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Post by fdbuster on Jul 25, 2007 9:04:18 GMT -5
2003 was the last Hicksville labor Day Drill.
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Post by twabster on Jul 25, 2007 12:03:05 GMT -5
Yep, that photo of P. Cooke running with the Flukes c-truck should still be in my stack of pics. I didn't have my telephoto, and I was towards the arch, so the truck and Pat are kinda small. I will post it when I get my scanner unpacked and installed. Perhaps by this weekend, if not tonight.
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Post by h4digger on Jul 25, 2007 14:05:50 GMT -5
To 911 pix, Last i heard there was an issue with the portable stands Hicksville uses... they were said to be unsafe to use and i think there was a civilian injury involved and some inside politics too about running the drill etc. I think its been 3 years since they ran the labor day drill, but the parade is still held in Hicksville.
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Post by h4digger on Jul 25, 2007 14:12:09 GMT -5
I remember that fight, it started as the teams were lining up for pump and i remember a guy from hicks jumping the 6ft fence that was near the start line and going to the top row of stands and wailing on this guy then we cleared the stands .. we didnt know a fight had started behind us till then.Then the 2 rows of pd cars and the sgt. on the pa trying to calm it down yeah good luck what was he thinking!
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Post by 911pix on Jul 25, 2007 16:46:15 GMT -5
Thanks guys - good info
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Post by 911pix on Jul 26, 2007 13:11:48 GMT -5
I tracked down the newspaper article...it says pretty much what everyone has said so far. But I did have a question...One sentence of the story states,
...was the Hicksville Labor Day Drill really the "State's largest attended drill" at that time? It had a larger attendance than either the Nassau or Suffolk County drills, or even the State Drill during those years?
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Post by h4digger on Jul 26, 2007 23:57:13 GMT -5
I would have to say that the Hicksville drills during the 80's and early 90's when i raced had the best turnout besides Central islip. I dont know about 7,500 but both side big stands always full...plus people standing and watching.
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Post by sideliner on Jul 27, 2007 0:32:40 GMT -5
yes the West Hempstead Westerners have been hosting the annual Labor Day drill since 2003 when Hicksville was unable to run it and after seeing the turnout and smoothly run tournament W.H. was running most teams would rather race in Hempstead than Hicksville so they are now teh new annual hosts of the drill
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Post by 911pix on Jul 27, 2007 8:22:09 GMT -5
OK, so just for the record, was this drill a Town Drill that Hicksville hosted and then was taken over by West Hempstead in 2003, or was it simply that the "Annual Hicksville Labor Day Drill" simply became the "Annual West Hempstead Labor Day Drill"?
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Post by fdracinfan on Jul 27, 2007 9:13:22 GMT -5
Anyone recall the "LESS FILLING" - "TASTES GREAT" chants between the North and South Side stands at Hicksville??? Lots of Fun in the stands at those Drills.
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