So lets go down memory lane.
The top two event in my recollection would be Chris Flood's bachelor party and a wrestling match in the ballroom. Lets start with the batch party. Held in the Wisconsin Room shown here in better shape than then. The night came apart when the entertainment arrived. Three nice girls. Best man Bob was kind enough to give me a leadership role. I remember my old roommate Pat (God rest his soul) hearing his and assuming the Assistant to the Manger role. Bob threw my bachelor party also. He's a pro. At the evening's apex but before we adjourned to the featured act upstairs, I recall the General Manager and an Assistant to the Manager (That's like roommate Pat) observing from the doorway, waiters and bartenders from other events having roamed into the room, and two chefs in their whites, complete with the tall paper hats, actually getting lap dances. That image I'll never get out of my head.
Then the entire group was moved to a observation gallery that overlooks one of the racquetball courts for the featured show of the night. Performed down on the court with the man of honor by CC Valentine. She was kind of a thing back then. I think she sold subs at lunch hour downtown someplace wearing a bikini. Imagine 50 guys packed into this perch.
Eventually drunks in tight spaces get in fights and a small brawl ensued. I was standing next to the two opening acts from downstairs and could sense their anxiety that the fight could draw the attention of some law. I guess in their line of work, that's bad. Having the afore mentioned leadership role, I seized the situation and announced to the young damsels..."Ladies, I'm a member of this club. I know the building well and how to extract you from this unfortunate situation. Follow me please." I summoned an elevator to return the ladies to the room Bob had rented as a "changing" room. (No hanky panky. I slept with Chris Flood in the room that evening. Same bed.)
What are the chances that the elevator arrives, at 1 AM no less, with a guy and his suitcase. Just checked in. He looked at we three, me dressed in shirt, slax and shoes and they in shoes and declared ..."What a club!!".
Below is the Grand Ballroom. I had mentioned the other most significant event in memory was a wrestling match. A ring was installed in this room that has held thousands of weddings, for a night of steaks, cigars and minor league professional wrestling. The highlight was when Winston (an engineer at Bucyrus Erie, and South African expat) who EVERYONE knew, got so wound up he jumped up onto the mat screaming, just like a trainer in a boxer's corner. Wrestler Juan Castro (bet you can picture the costume) walked to the corner and spit on Winston. The place went up for grabs.
In the top center of the picture you can see three windows, which are actually french doors where thousands of new brides have thrown their garters from. Well the room is actually an employee break room that I watched the Wisconsin Democratic Party Gala from one night. I was in the bar downstairs having a drink before heading home from something and asked the General Manager what all the people were in the club for. He told me about the gala starting upstairs and with my aforementioned knowledge of the building, thought I'd go upstairs and take a peek.
Below is the view I had of the podium from that perch. I like to call it a Lee Harvey Oswald perspective. The emcee asked all the Senators who fled to IL (to avoid the Act 10 vote) to stand and they got an ovation. Then asked the Chief of the Capital Police to stand for not doing anything to the capital protesters. He got an ovation. Democrats love cops who don't do anything.
The keynote speaker was Deval Patrick. Past Gov of MA. A friend from Boston told me the Gov ordered a new Cadillac when he took office to replace the standard Suburban. The papers started calling him Coupe Deval.
One of the waitress popped in the room while I sat watching and brought in one of the banquet dinners for me and said..."They over ordered". So there I sat eating their lunch, so to speak. Delicious.
When I left I stole one of the guest lists from the abandoned registration table. Abandoned for a free meal too of course. I later shared this attendee roster with the seniors we would host for dinner on Sunday nights. Pat Madden and John Sheehy both said... "Wow. A lot of Irish guys"
I was struck by the number of notes on the guest list for the staff to "get cash" "don't accept check" and such. What a crowd they attract.
This room holds so many stories. Goober, Flash and I as members of the Sportsmen's Club decided to attend this club within a club's annual black tie gala. It was free as we all pay $5 monthly dues, but not everyone went to all the free stuff those dues would provide. The Sportsman had lots of free stuff due to that. Those days are gone and kind of why the club folded. People aren't throwing money away anymore. In preparation for the evening I noticed Sherkows Formal Wear was having a used tux sale so the three of us went there one afternoon. We were like kids trying on all these used tuxedos that were bad enough to be for sale. I told Goober that his morning coat, long grey style looked like General Lee. I stand by that. Mine wasn't much better.
Another event was the Father Daughter Dinner Dance. After the obligatory first dance with Laura, the girls of Katie, Catie and Blair are sent off to run all over the club while the fathers gathered at the banquet bar in back for guys talk. Maybe an hour and a half passed and we still didn't notice that we haven't seen our young charges in some time. They were stuck in an elevator after pushing all the buttons. Firemen in gear, axes etc. I presume, worked hard to save them. "Don't tell mom". Laura mentioned recently that Blair was remarkable calm and in charge while the others balled their eyes out in the lift. Here we are at a calmer moment in the evening.
Met Arnold Palmer here with Willie one evening. A favorite picture on the wall at home.
Also met famous cigar maker Carlos Fuente. Black tie smoker he hosted. That was a big night.
Below is The Elephant Room. No great stories other than Bob one evening after a few drinks says..."Oh, that's why they call it The Elephant Room."
More significantly is the poor guy who walked out of The Elephant Room in the early 80's, made the turn to start down the stairs on 3, and his hip just cleared the lower railing you see below. The upper railing was added the next day. Apparently the General Manager was at the landing on 2 chatting with someone and saw the guy pass silently by in his death spiral. I heard a member was sitting in a lobby chair reading the paper and the victim plopped right at his feet.
Here's a view from the reading chair. I never sat there again.
Below is the Bali Room. They don't make places this this anymore. Its been a dining room mostly but had a run as one of the bars too. At some point of political correctness years ago they even pulled drapes over the murals. Pathetic.
For several years Fred, Anne Halloran Kelley (God rest her soul), her boyfriend Joe and I held a private black tie New Years Eve Party at the MAC. Big band and friends in the Milano Room. Classic fireplace here. I wonder what will come of all this stuff.
And finally Gunga's Annual Pot Party in MAC's Bar below. The bar has no historical significant to the club and its just a remodel of an older and better bar. Progress they say. Some years back Gunga decided to get all the St Norbert pals together again after years of raising family, careers etc. Bucks or MU and drinks built around at MAC's. Well the first year the stoners from Green Bay lit up and a dozen guys who hadn't touched pot since they grew up were wiped out. Couldn't talk, got rooms, etc. Peter even got two, forgetting he had checked into the first. They all said in the morning. "It's sooooo strong now". I missed the pot part, but the party continues every year. We don't bother with the Bucks or MU segment anymore. Gunga even got a copy of a letter some irate member wrote the General Manager over the event. The place has gone to pot was the gist of it. I hear the bartender was very hip and got a huge tip.
No pictures but Brad arranged great annual trips to a Cubs game or Arlington Park Race Track. A full day and most guests were poured off the bus when we returned. One family guy was so lit on the ride home from a ballgame that he hugged and "touched" my privates. Now that's loaded.
So that's pretty much it.
I hear there's athletic facilities someplace in the building.
I hear there's athletic facilities someplace in the building.
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