Cowboys, twins made ‘Black Gold’ shine

JERRY PERSON

It’s hard to believe that this summer is racing by so fast, and

before you know it, Labor Day will be upon us.

In the past, this would have been a very busy time for the

Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce and its manager, William

Gallienne. They would be preparing plans for the city’s famous Black

Gold Days celebration that included the ever-popular twins contest.

Not long ago, I received a phone call from longtime Huntington

Beach resident Eileen Stricklin Knee telling me how much she enjoyed

reading about the third annual Black Gold celebration held in 1938.

She said that it brought back so many fond memories of people she had

known.

This week, I thought we’d look at the city’s second Black Gold

Days and Twins Convention that was held in our fair city in 1937.

As you have read in past columns, whenever Gallienne put on an

event to publicize the town, you could count on it being an event to

remember. This celebration was no exception.

With the aid of chamber president Marcus M. McCallen, Gallienne

went all out to bring our residents and beach visitors the best

entertainment.

He lined up America’s favorite radio cowboy, Stuart Hamblen, and

his Covered Wagon Jubilee stars as the opening entertainment. Back in

the 1930s, radio stars were as popular with the public as those of

the silver screen and having Hamblen appear here would surely bring

several thousand people down to our beach town for this event.

When I grew up, my mother and dad had several recording by

Hamblen, including “Deck of Cards” and his greatest song, “It Is No

Secret.” The original manuscript of “It Is No Secret” is inside the

cornerstone of one of the copyright buildings of the Library of

Congress.

Along with Hamblen, there would be motorcycle stunt races, aquatic

events, band concerts and, of course, our famous twins parade and

contest.

Black Gold Days officially began at 8 p.m. on Sept. 4 inside

Memorial Hall at Sixth Street and Orange Avenue with a stage show by

Hamblen and his Jubilee stars. Appearing for the first time on stage

that night was Hamblen’s 2-year-old daughter Susanne. Also performing

on stage was noted violinist John Henry Hamblen.

When the Hamblens finished their act it was time for dancing until

midnight.

Those hearty souls who woke up by 10 a.m. the next day would be

able to watch the start of the motorcycle events hosted by the

American Motorcycle Assn. The motorcycle stunts were held at First

Street and Ocean Avenue (PCH), with a potato race on motorcycles, a

slow race with a passenger in a sidecar, and one race that included a

man trying to get dressed while riding on a motorcycle.

As lunchtime approached, the public headed for our restaurants and

cafes and returned to the beach afterward to listen to a concert by

the Huntington Beach Municipal Band.

The more adventurous could stroll over to First Street and watch

the motorcycle qualifying trials.

It was now time for the twins to assemble at Memorial Hall for the

parade along Main Street to the grandstand on the beach.

For this year’s contest, Gallienne had picked Frank Goss and Polly

Wray from radio station KFOX to serve as judges of the contest. That

year they picked Kenneth and Kendall Wade as the tallest twins at

6-foot-4. Goss and Wray picked Jean and Joan Geisler from Huntington

Beach as the prettiest girl twins between the ages of 12 and 21.

Prizes for the best-matched adult male twins went to James and

William Fyle from Scotland and the most freckled award went to Ruby

and Rich Huxton of Westminster.

Faye and Wray Collamer of Los Angeles took the prize as being the

most blond headed twins, while Olga and Anthony Irilanen won the

prize as being the youngest twins at 26 months.

The next day found Huntington Beach Lifeguard Chief Bud Higgins

giving the public an exhibit of life saving techniques. There were

more motorcycle stunt races and body surf races at the pier.

At 2 p.m., the municipal band gave another concert at the grand

stand while Commodore R.A. Marsden and the Fullerton Kayak Club held

kayak races on the west side of the pier.

By now, it was time for the big 50-mile motorcycle race under the

direction of P.A. Bigsby.

In the evening, over at the ballpark on Huntington Street, a

championship Little World Series baseball game between Anaheim and

the Huntington Beach Oilers was taking place.

After that, the three-day celebration was winding down and would

end with a dance at Memorial Hall as the public danced to the music

of Ham Yost and his Rhythm Makers.

Wouldn’t it be something to bring back some of those twins for a

Black Gold Days reunion?

* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach

resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box

7182, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.