Beatles Strike Area Girls Again (1964)

 

Beatles Strike Area Girls Again

By Bonnie Kreinson

The Elimra Telegram

September 6, 1964

    18,000 screaming fans, traffic jams, complete hysteria. This was the scene last weekend in New York City, and it wasn't because the Yankees took three out of the four games from the Boston Red Sox. What else then?  Of course, the Beatles were in town, and three Elmira teenagers were among their following.

     Kathy James of 682 Herrick Street. Mary Keefe of 208 W. Miller Street and her cousin, Mary Ryan of Hammond, both 14, went to the big city for three days, without any intention of even getting a chance to see the mop tops. "We didn't know until late Friday that we were even going to see them," Kathy said.

     They called the Forest Lawn Tennis Stadium, where the group was appearing, and for $6.50 each, the girls had sixth row seats. "We were very lucky", said Kathy, who admitted she was not as enthusiastic about the Beatles as her cohorts, but did like them. 

    They arrived at the stadium and had little trouble in getting seated, but the rest of the evening didn't prove so calm. "I was standing on a folding chair, and some man in front of me pulled me down and told us to be quiet. We, in turn, told him to be quiet," Mary Keefe said. Noticing that he had an English accent, Mary Keefe said, they asked him who he was, and much to their embarrassment, he turned out to be the manager of the Animals. (If anyone is in doubt, the Animals are another up-and-coming singing group from England.)

     More annoying to the trio was the fact that some girl was able to get up on the stage and snatch Ringo St Christopher medal off his neck, and "she left a burn mark on his neck!"

     They said the Beatles performed for 30 minutes, sang 11 songs, and had a 20-minute ovation. "I cried when Ringo sang, and I don't know why," said Mary Ryan, "they're just so good, I guess."

     But amid all the screams and tears, the girls are able to get a clear view of their favorites. "They are better looking in person. John has auburn hair. Paul has jet black hair, is five feet 11 inches tall, and weighs 158 pounds. His collar size is 15 inches. George is six feet tall with his boots on," the girls related.

     But their contact with the Beatles did not end Friday evening. Saturday night, while waiting for a cab around Times Square, Mary Keith said she noticed a black limousine.  "I saw John Lennon. I yelled out, 'Are you John Lennon?' And he looked out the window and said, 'Yes'." she said. "I couldn't move," Mary Ryan said. "I ran up to the car to make sure," Kathy said, and Mary Keith screamed. 

    Then, as all good things must come to an end, "The light changed, and the car drove away.,"Mary Ryan said, but they had had their opportunity to get close to one of them. "This was the most thrilling thing in our lives," they said.

     Even more so than the Beatles pins, Beatles books, John Lennon books, or other Beatles paraphernalia the girls have collected. But one important factor was revealed to the girls over the weekend. The Beatles are human beings and are subject to some of the everyday crises people meet, one of which was being late for their performance because the hotel where the Beatles were staying forgot to iron their blue-gray suits with the black velvet collars.