Forest Park Balloon Race Program 2018

8 The Great Forest Park Balloon Race • Presented by PNC Bank 1 The First Great Forest Park Balloon Race: 46 years ago, from Forest Park, in December. Six balloons. Nine spectators. Pilots getting together just for fun. 2 The numbers today: On average - 70 balloons, 50,000-plus spectators, 70,000 at the Glow. 3 The Admission Fee: NONE! It’s free for everyone, and will be “as long as it goes on...” per the organizers. 4 The Family Tradition: Four generations of St. Louisans and visitors from throughout the United States attend the Race. 5 Organizers of the first in 1974 and early Races - John O’Toole, Don Caplan and the late Nikki Caplan. The late Don Sarno and Henry Fett, pioneers of the Race, took over in 1976. In 1977 they partnered with famed Mississippi River Balloon Company (MRBTC) to manage the race ( see #6, below). Don and Henry left management of the race 7 years later but remained active and important participants. 6 Race Organizers today and sole organizers for the last 36 years: the former MRBTC partners, John Marlow, Dan Schettler, Ted Staley and John Schaumburg, four pilots, businessmen, and good friends began organizing the race just for fun. Who knew… 7 The Biggest Race: The Great Forest Park Balloon Race — the most well-attended one-day balloon race in the United States, and the largest sporting event in Missouri. 8 The Biggest Balloon in Race History: The Energizer Bunny ® Hot Hare Balloon. 9 The Second-Oldest Balloon Race in the United States: The Great Forest Park Balloon Race (Albuquerque is first). 10 The Greatest Honor for the Race: Induction of The Great Forest Park Balloon Race into the Library of Congress — as a “Living Legacy of the United States” — for the Bicentennial Celebration of the Library in 2000. 11 The September Date: The Race is always on the third Saturday in September – in recorded weather history, the best weather weekend in St. Louis. The Balloon Race: All You Wanted To Know In 46 Facts 12 The Launch Sites: The first Race was held near Lagoon Drive. Second, Cricket Field. Since then the Race and Glow have been held at various sites within Forest Park - including Art Hill, The Forest Park Golf Course and Central Fields. 13 The Largest Balloon in a Hare and Hounds Race: The Energizer Bunny ® Hot “Hare” Balloon — THE largest hot-air balloon in the United States. 14 The Hare and Hounds Race: A Race Wherein All Participants Go the Same Speed? How: The Hot “Hare” Balloon launches. Then the 70 hound balloons launch 15 minutes later and give chase! The Hot “Hare” Balloon maneuvers, ducks behind trees, finds wind shifts, all to change directions. Hounds try to track the trail. The Hot “Hare” Balloon lands, lays out a large “X.” The hounds fly by, try to drop a bag of birdseed on the X. Closest drop wins. Some years, winner is 12 inches from X; some years, a quarter of a mile or more. 15 The First Race Trophies: A broken toaster the first year, a dirty bird cage the next. Now, real trophies and a permanent trophy listing all winners at the Missouri History Museum. 16 The Humane Society of Missouri annually holds a “Glow in the Park” dinner - hosting more than 800 to benefit their Animal Cruelty Fund. 17 The First Media Sponsor: KMOX Radio – which continues today. Former KMOX Personality John Carney is an avid fan and often broadcasts live from the Glow. His dad, the late Jack Carney, also loved the Race. Jack Carney was a passenger and coined “TBTO” (“Tinkle Before Take-off,” used until KMOX pulled it off the air after the first mention). 18 The Most Famous Bandstand Announcer: Bob Costas, now an NBC sportscaster, who as a rookie at KMOX thought he’d be calling a September Cards game — and ended up being the first Race Announcer. 19 The Directions the Balloons Fly #1: Every way possible, every direction, 360 degrees from the park — South County, Chesterfield, St. Charles, North City, East St. Louis, Jefferson Barracks, Columbia, Illinois. Everywhere. 20 The Directions the Balloons Fly #2: “They flew over our house last year!” said every year by scores of St. Louisans to race organizers no matter which direction the Race went. Learning where the spotters live, the Partners always find many did see them. 21 The Kindest Wind: Over Children’s Hospital and a special rooftop race party for children survivors of cancer. The kids gathered to watch the Continued on page 18