1972 State Basketball Tournament / Off Broadway Follies
In 1972 Russell High School led by Jack Savage's 28 points in the Regional Final against the state's #1 ranked Ashland Tomcats put them into the Boy's State Basketball Tournament @ Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky. For a group of kids from Flatwoods, this was an exciting time. Everyone wanted to go to the game to cheer on our Red Devils. As a side note I might add that some of the names had to be changed to protect the somewhat innocent. Mine remains true to form. As things worked out, Steve Menshouse, myself and Rob Webb, talked Rob's Dad (Billy Bob Webb, whom we had nicknamed-SCUNT)into being our chaperon.
Upon our arrival into downtown Louisville, Scunt picked out the cheapest motel he could find and we were set. We had taken beer with us and we knew that for a cheap bottle of wine we could convince some wino off the street to make an additional purchase for us if Scunt refused. We were all 16-17 years old.
After a rather rowdy evening in the hotel room, Scunt said he had put up with enough of our nonsense. About 11 pm he kicked us out of the room and instructed us not to disturb him for 3-4 hours so he could rest. This was the night before the big game vs. Elizabethtown, Ky. To expect a group of 17 year olds to sit in the motel parking lot for 4 hours was expecting a tad bit too much. We decided to explore downtown Louisville.
After a seemingly endless walk through the streets of Louisville, there it was, The Off Broadway Follies. They had signs stating "Live Nude Girls". After a short debate(while walking only 10 steps) we were in line!!! Steve Menshouse was first, since he was the only one with a fake ID. It was his driver's permit that he had changed to show he was 18. This was in case he was ever carded at the Midget Carryout in Kenova, West Virginia, (the place where all underage kids bought 3.2 beer because they never carded). We never considered the fact that you actually had to be 21 to get into the Follies.
The ticket booth was set up like an old movie theater with the lady in the cage selling tickets and checking ID. She looked at Steve, then the ID. She smiled took his money and nodded her head. Steve passed the fake ID to me with the same result and so on for Rob. One fake ID had gotten us all in to see NAKED WOMEN. We thought we were in heaven.
We went in and there was a big stage down front. Of course, we went to the front row. I looked around and there was only one other black gentleman in the establishment at this time. We patiently waited. Then the moment we had been waiting for had arrived. The MC announced over the PA system, "Now, for your enjoyment and viewing pleasure we proudly present, PORKCHOPS! WTF !!! This old black man comes onto the stage playing a set of spoons. We're all looking at each other when the only other patron shouts, "Hey M#$%^# F**&%$, I wants my two fifty back"! We were silent as the MC responded, " Come and get it M*&%$# F%$#**". The man sat back down and we were all eyes to the front.
After Porkchops finished, we were greatly encouraged by the MC to show our appreciation if we expected to see the girls. We responded in kind. Then as we were in great anticipation for the strippers the MC said, "We proudly present Brown Sugar"! We were clapping wildly until she walked out from behind the curtain. She was about 5'6" and weighed a solid 300 lbs. We looked at each other and wanted to leave but at this point we were somewhat afraid, so we sat down. Steve Menshouse had taken Scunt's baseball cap off the dresser as we left the motel and was wearing it. During the 3rd or 4th song he tossed the hat on stage and yelled, "Hey Brown Sugar, Rub it up for me"! She did.
I am sure there were other strippers that came onto the stage that night, but to this day I cannot recall any. When we left the Follies that night and finally got back to the motel, there was Scunt, on the balcony yelling back and forth with a young black lady. He saw us coming and went back into the room.
The next morning we were getting ready for the game when Scunt grabbed THE HAT and placed it atop his head. Well, we were about to die all the way to the game and as we were walking up to go in Freedom Hall, one of us spilled the beans about THE HAT. Scunt ripped it off his head and threw it to the ground. He then faced Steve and called him a Snorkbilled SOB among other things.
The game itself is a totally different story that I'll leave for Jack to tell. When we got back to Scunt's house we were joking about Scunt negotiating with a black hooker after kicking us out of the room. His wife, Big D, was not amused.
The Hat still holds a special place amongst the vast collection of memorabilia that Steve Menshouse has collected through the years.
Upon our arrival into downtown Louisville, Scunt picked out the cheapest motel he could find and we were set. We had taken beer with us and we knew that for a cheap bottle of wine we could convince some wino off the street to make an additional purchase for us if Scunt refused. We were all 16-17 years old.
After a rather rowdy evening in the hotel room, Scunt said he had put up with enough of our nonsense. About 11 pm he kicked us out of the room and instructed us not to disturb him for 3-4 hours so he could rest. This was the night before the big game vs. Elizabethtown, Ky. To expect a group of 17 year olds to sit in the motel parking lot for 4 hours was expecting a tad bit too much. We decided to explore downtown Louisville.
After a seemingly endless walk through the streets of Louisville, there it was, The Off Broadway Follies. They had signs stating "Live Nude Girls". After a short debate(while walking only 10 steps) we were in line!!! Steve Menshouse was first, since he was the only one with a fake ID. It was his driver's permit that he had changed to show he was 18. This was in case he was ever carded at the Midget Carryout in Kenova, West Virginia, (the place where all underage kids bought 3.2 beer because they never carded). We never considered the fact that you actually had to be 21 to get into the Follies.
The ticket booth was set up like an old movie theater with the lady in the cage selling tickets and checking ID. She looked at Steve, then the ID. She smiled took his money and nodded her head. Steve passed the fake ID to me with the same result and so on for Rob. One fake ID had gotten us all in to see NAKED WOMEN. We thought we were in heaven.
We went in and there was a big stage down front. Of course, we went to the front row. I looked around and there was only one other black gentleman in the establishment at this time. We patiently waited. Then the moment we had been waiting for had arrived. The MC announced over the PA system, "Now, for your enjoyment and viewing pleasure we proudly present, PORKCHOPS! WTF !!! This old black man comes onto the stage playing a set of spoons. We're all looking at each other when the only other patron shouts, "Hey M#$%^# F**&%$, I wants my two fifty back"! We were silent as the MC responded, " Come and get it M*&%$# F%$#**". The man sat back down and we were all eyes to the front.
After Porkchops finished, we were greatly encouraged by the MC to show our appreciation if we expected to see the girls. We responded in kind. Then as we were in great anticipation for the strippers the MC said, "We proudly present Brown Sugar"! We were clapping wildly until she walked out from behind the curtain. She was about 5'6" and weighed a solid 300 lbs. We looked at each other and wanted to leave but at this point we were somewhat afraid, so we sat down. Steve Menshouse had taken Scunt's baseball cap off the dresser as we left the motel and was wearing it. During the 3rd or 4th song he tossed the hat on stage and yelled, "Hey Brown Sugar, Rub it up for me"! She did.
I am sure there were other strippers that came onto the stage that night, but to this day I cannot recall any. When we left the Follies that night and finally got back to the motel, there was Scunt, on the balcony yelling back and forth with a young black lady. He saw us coming and went back into the room.
The next morning we were getting ready for the game when Scunt grabbed THE HAT and placed it atop his head. Well, we were about to die all the way to the game and as we were walking up to go in Freedom Hall, one of us spilled the beans about THE HAT. Scunt ripped it off his head and threw it to the ground. He then faced Steve and called him a Snorkbilled SOB among other things.
The game itself is a totally different story that I'll leave for Jack to tell. When we got back to Scunt's house we were joking about Scunt negotiating with a black hooker after kicking us out of the room. His wife, Big D, was not amused.
The Hat still holds a special place amongst the vast collection of memorabilia that Steve Menshouse has collected through the years.