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Posted on 08/25/2012 2:06:11 PM PDT by BigReb555
Do you remember when people didn’t always apologize for America and Lewis Grizzard, with his witty humor and Southern accent was un-apologetically proud of his Southern birth?
(Excerpt) Read more at huntingtonnews.net ...
Do you remember the late Southern-American columnist, comedian and speaker Lewis Grizzard {October 20, 1946 –March 20, 1994} who made us laugh, think and proud of whom we are? There are few that write with the heart and soul of Mr. Grizzard who wrote and spoke compassionately about subjects that included the American-South.
This letter is dedicated in memory of an American-son of Dixie, Lewis McDonald Grizzard, Jr.
Do you remember when people didn’t always apologize for America and Lewis Grizzard, with his witty humor and Southern accent was un-apologetically proud of his Southern birth and that of his Confederate ancestors who defended their homes, family and way of life during the War Between the States, 1861-1865?
In an article from February 5, 1993, Mr. Grizzard wrote quote, “Whatever the reason, there was a citizenry that once saw fit to fight and die and I come from all that, and I look at those people as brave and gallant, and a frightful force until their hearts and their lands were burnt away. I will never turn my back on that heritage.” unquote
My memories of the 1960s include Saturday night supper with my family at the Rio Vista Restaurant on Stewart Avenue that featured all you can eat catfish or fried chicken and golden brown “melt in your mouth” hush puppies for a dollar and a quarter and later a double-feature movie at the Stewart Drive-in theater. Stewart Avenue and Theater were named after a Confederate soldier but sadly the street has since been renamed and the theater is gone. The Starlight Six is the only drive-in theater remaining in Atlanta, Georgia. See their website at: http://starlightdrivein.com/#/movies/
New York City the “Big Apple” was famous in the 60s for the Broadway shows and folks came way down South in “Dixie” for Tara, Southern Belles and a taste of our famous Southern Hospitality. Soul Food Restaurants were also popular in the South with a deliciously different cuisine that included: ham hocks, black eyed peas, turnips and hush puppies that are just down home Southern food.
The Academy Award winning movie in 1965 was “The Sound of Music” with Julie Andrews that premiered in New York City and later in Atlanta for a near two year run at Martin’s Georgia Cinerama Theater which was located on Peachtree Street near the Fabulous Fox Theater.
During the 1960s America celebrated the War Between the States Centennial, 1961-1965, the Vietnam War was in its early days and we mourned the deaths of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy in 1963 and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968, and….
Dan Emmett’s song Dixie was still played at college football games from the Dixie Redcoat Marching Band at the University of Georgia to the “Pride of the South” University of Mississippi Band at Ole Miss where Colonel Reb was the school mascot.
In 1965, Atlanta’s Minor League team the Atlanta Crackers played their last season at the new Fulton County, Georgia stadium and the following year the Major League team the Atlanta Braves made their debut at that stadium…And, what about current Braves Veteran of 19 years Chipper Jones who celebrated his 40th birthday this year? Did you know the “Beatles” tour of the USA included Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium in August of 1965?
Elvis Presley, Diana Ross and the Supremes and The Beach Boys were hot on the Rock and Roll scene and Loretta Lynn, George Jones and Roy Acuff performed at the Ryman Auditorium then Home of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. Do you remember the Hullabaloo show on NBC during 1965 and 66 that aired the top pop hits of the day with guest hosts that included: Michael Landon, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Jerry Lewis?
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin of Americas Apollo 11 landed on the moon in 1969, Colonel Sanders Kentucky “finger licking good” fried chicken was served at Davis Brothers Cafeteria, Jacobs Drug Stores where Coca Cola was first served still thrived and the “Popeye Club” with Office Don aired live in the early 60s from WSB TV White Columns on Peachtree in Atlanta.
Wherever you call home, memories with family and friends last forever. Ya’ll come back now, you here!
You had to go and bring THAT up. "Atlanta Braves"...that still echos discordant to me. I attended "Spahnie Night" at Milwaukee County Stadium...Eddie Mathews, Hank Aaron, Del Crandell, Joe Torre, Bob Uecker, Lew Burdette, Rico Carty, Phil Niekro, Felipe Alou... Oh, the horror!
Down South Mississippi ping.
“...Rio Vista Restaurant on Stewart Avenue that featured all you can eat catfish...”
When I was about 12 or so, my grandpa, uncle & I would see who could eat the most catfish. I remember knocking off 13 one night at the Rio Vista!
Thanks for the memories!
BTW, Grizzard’s article on the Care and Raising of Kudzu is a classic. I’ll see if I can find a link to it.
In 1962, I watched The Longest Day at the J-H Drive-In in Jonesboro, LA. That movie still works today as well as it did fifty years ago.
Close, but no fries...;-)
Sometimes I wonder if the memories might, at least in some cases, be more important than the events themselves. But then when I think harder, I realize that we have both good and bad memories, but it’s probably better if we put most of the focus on the good memories. Looking at things through years and decades of time often seems to make them look better than they really were - or at least to seemingly lessen the bad things that existed. Often - not always.
“Do you remember when ... Lewis Grizzard ... was un-apologetically proud of his Southern birth and that of his Confederate ancestors who defended their homes, family and way of life during the War Between the States, 1861-1865?”
Remember? Mr. Grizzard may have passed, but otherwise this is current events in my circles.
The Braves were in Milwaukee for only 13 seasons. They’ve been in Atlanta for about 47. But whenever I think of the Braves, I think of the Milwaukee Braves. And their leaving that tore my heart out and made me look at professional sports with a real jaundiced eye from then on. Hank Aaron is still my all-time sports hero.
I remember pulling the leg of southerners by insisting that Arizona and New Mexico are part of the South, too. Often the conversation had some finer points, like that Texas was Texas, unto its ownsself, and that the South was actually the southeast.
Yet I did get their attention referring to Arizona’s Civil War battles, and that the Territory of Arizona was officially declared by Confederate President Jefferson Davis on February 14, 1862
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Picacho_Pass
Battle of Picacho Peak: Confederates beat Union.
First Battle of Dragoon Springs: Apaches beat Confederates.
Battle of Stanwix Station: (272 Union to 10 Confederates), with one Union soldier being wounded. Technical for Rebs.
Battle of Apache Pass: Union beat Apaches.
***Do you remember the Hullabaloo show on NBC ****
I believe ABC’s SHINDIG was first to offer this type of music. HULLABALOO was famous for the Go-Go Girls in cages.
Thankfully there is still THE CATFISH HOLE in Fayetteville, Arkansas!
Ha! Yep; I loved Lewis Grizzard! (I maintained that his name was pronounced Lewis Griz’zard if he was going to be a good ol’ boy.) An ex-wife wrote a book about him “How to Tame a Wild Bore” that actually painted a sort of neat picture of him; said he hated going to the dentist and used White Out on his cavities when he had to appear in public. I miss his humor; liked his book “I Haven’t Understood Anything Since 1965” or was it 1964? We read all his books way back when.
Thanks for the ping!
Don’t forget Where The Action Is....1965....go go dancers too
...................later a double-feature movie at the Stewart Drive-in theater........................
Great memories!
I remember the drive in, where my steady and I would hug in the back seat of a ‘53 Ford;
while her older sister and boyfriend would turn around the “Mary of the magnet” dashboard sculpture to face the windshield, before lowering her passenger window enough to get her slip caught in the raised window for privacy!
Ah, memories!!
Sure miss Lewis. Read all his books, bought tapes, heard him regularly on local radio, and saw him perform his stand-up. A great American!
Two guys are driving through Alabama when they get pulled over by a local trooper. I guess I'm getting old,I still remember "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain!"...but that was for the Boston Braves.
1948 was the year that phrase was popularized IIRC.I was a nine-year old kid in 7th heaven.
I grew up in North Jersey and in '48,a Presidential election year I spent many,many happy afternoons at Yankee Stadium,the Polo Grounds and Ebbets Field courtesy of the Democratic and Republican Parties.
They would gather us kids up as often as possible and bus to the ball games and I got to see the Boston Braves and other bygone teams like the St. Louis Browns,the Philadelphia A's and the Washington Senators play.
Oh frabjous joy!
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