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In response to the email I printed in the November 2010 issue from Bill Morton about the Duncan yo-yo contests, I received the following from Bob Rule, who was the rep for Duncan and a local Detroiter:
I remember the Warwick & Grand River location. I worked in Detroit until the fall of 1955 and then I traveled for Duncan until 1965. Detroit had many good players who later went on to become Duncan employees. I believe there were 12 or 14 on the payroll in the early 60's.
Hudson's Department Store was the centerpiece of the downtown shopping district.
As such, its Christmas displays are the most remembered and revered. In fact,
Hudson's Department Store served as the temporary, holiday-season residence of "Santa" after he made the trek to the 12th floor Toyland of the store from the sleigh
The Albert Kahn building itself was a tourist attraction, but add the Christmas Fantasy exhibit and you have the makings of a legend. The display included an enormous Christmas tree, a miniature circus, Story Book Land and a Santa's workshop complete with elves and a miniature-toy-car assembly line. Unfortunately, the Rotundaburned down in 1962, ending a nine-year Christmas tradition.
The following photos are from the Ford Motor Company
Downtown Detroit 1960s
MOUSE OVER FOR ANOTHER PHOTO
Like no other retailer, Hudson's went all out for the holidays.
For many metro-Detroiters during the 50s and 60s,
it just wasn't Christmas until you went shopping in downtown Detroit.
Who doesn't remember the fantastic mechanical displays in Hudson's store windows?
Families would drive downtown and line up six deep just to see their displays.
These characters were also the showpiece of the 12th floor Fantasyland
where kids could visit with the "real" Santa.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Many Detroiters remember the nine-story-high
Christmas Tree of Lights display on the outside of the building.
1963 ROYAL OAK TRIBUNE TV LISTINGS
CLICK ON EACH PHOTO TO ENLARGE
Eileen -
Attached are scans of the Royal Oak Tribune TV listings dated November 22, 1963. My mom had saved it for the information about the Kennedy assasination. There were ONLY 4 STATIONS and still - I could ALWAYS find something to watch! (Note the personalized XMAS CARDS from Phil's TV on page 2.)
Keep up the EXCELLENT work.
Dave Morey
Harrisville MI
Dondero HS '69
Lunch with Santa at Crowley's got you got this mug.
You know you're from Detroit if you remember the energy on Livernois in the 1970's.
My first night in Detroit started at Club 23, a short hop down Livernois to
Joe Strawder's Club, a journey with teammate Willie Horton to the 20 Grand where I met Martha Reeves. Then a return to Club 23, and a walk across the street for a late night barbeque snack served by the owner, Coleman Young.
It was special having grown up with the sounds of Motown.
My career path as a First Baseman changed with a wrist injury during Spring Training in 1972. I rehabbed and spent spurts on the disabled list at Toledo and Montgomery before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals organization in 1975.
I scouted for the Tigers from 1979 to 1984. In 1981, I became Detroit's and Major League Baseball's first African American Director of Scouting, six years
In 1989, I founded RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities), a program designed to provide a quality baseball/softball program that encourages academic, community, and social responsibility in youngsters ages 12-19. You can learn more about RBI by visiting on Major League Baseball's website at mlb.com/rbi and go to history.
I am contemplating assisting Willie Horton in upgrading youth baseball in Metro Detroit. There is an RBI chapter in Detroit run through Orchard Children Services and Think Detroit. Having my playing career cut short was very disappointing, but the opportunity to impact so many lives through RBI has been more satisfying than a 20 year major league career.
