Beatles - Crosley Field - August 21, 1966

Next summer will be the 50th anniversary of the Beatles concert at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. It's a high point of my life to be able to say I was there.
 I wondered whether I could locate the picture I took that day - just the one, if I remember correctly. I carried a rather bulky Polaroid J33 with me, the kind that used black and white roll film which had to be pulled out of the camera and sealed with a sticky substance on the spot. And all the while fans were screaming and the Beatles were playing.
 I found the photo with others, in my closet, and it brought back memories of those two days in August.

Beatles - Crosley Field - August 21, 1966

© William G Schmidt - All Rights Reserved

 The concert was actually scheduled for Saturday evening, August 20, 1966. I had just turned 17 in July and wasn't that familiar with Cincinnati so my father agreed to drive us down. I ordered two tickets earlier in the spring from a Cincinnati radio station, probably paying less than $5 each. Sheryl Clever accompanied me.
 Dad parked on a side street and said he'd wait for us there. We walked to Crosley Field, took our seats and found a severe thunderstorm approaching. Soon enough an announcer said that the concert had been cancelled, that it was too dangerous for the Beatles to play electrified instruments in the rain. The Beatles would return the next day at noon.
 Dad, of course, wasn't happy about yet another trip to Cincinnati but I certainly give him credit for realizing the importance of this event and taking us back on Sunday morning.
 When the Beatles ran onto the field wearing neat pinstripe suits (grey with pink stripes), pandemonium broke loose. There was screaming louder than a jet plane for the next half hour. They began with Rock n' Roll Music and ended with Long Tall Sally (set list is available here). The highlight for me was when McCartney sang Yesterday.
The 30 minute set was over too quickly but the memories have lasted forever.


Added 04-01-2019

 I've wondered many times where my ticket got to? We moved here in 1987 and I remember paperwork - including the ticket - being placed in a wooden box in the barn. At some point I moved it to a file cabinet in the garage. But the filing cabinet was long ago thrown out.

 I've been reading a book about Beatles memorabilia and their value. That prompted me to start a wholesale search. Short story, I located it in a sealed plastic box in the garage along with the program guide I bought in 1966.

 I always thought I payed $4.50 for each of the two tickets. But, no, they were $4. Crosley Field is long gone but it would be nice to see exactly where we sat.

 This program guide is in mint condition. It was hard to photograph due to the reflection of light. It certainly brings back pleasant memories.

 Here are two newspaper articles I saved. Click on them to see a higher-resolution copy:

Cincinnati Enquirer - Sunday, August 21, 1966

Dayton Journal Herald - Monday, August 22, 1966

 So, my Beatles concert, now nearly 53 years ago, again gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling ...