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Origins and History of the... Greater Tampa Showmen's Association - From the “Billboard” November 26th, 1949 Back in 1945, Gene Bernie (formerly connected with the Rubin & Cherry Shows) dreamed about organizing a showmen’s club in Tampa, Florida. It took Gene some two years to arouse interest in the project, but he gave unselfishly of his time, efforts and money. Today [1949] his dream is a reality – even greater than he thought. The Greater Tampa Showmen’s Association (GTSA) recently opened clubhouse is one of the best in the country and a showplace of Tampa. Located at Carmen and Willow Streets, adjacent to the fairgrounds [1949], the new clubhouse was built at a cost of approximately $65,000. The building on a lot 247 feet by 206 feet is 72 feet wide and 116 feet deep. The north side is occupied by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Greater Tampa Showmen’s Association (LAGTSA) and includes offices, a board room, general clubroom, powder rooms and a private patio surrounded by a 5 foot wall. The main meeting hall some 84 feet by 32 feet is in the center of the building and will be used for dances and other entertainment. The south side of the structure is given over to the men and includes an office, library, game room with a huge fireplace, a kitchen and bar. A 16 foot porch is at the rear of the building. The entire west end is a covered patio which will be used as a men’s lounge. The lobby or reception room is 24 feet by 35 feet with a 12 feet ceiling from which hangs an elaborate chandelier imported from Italy. Entrance to the lobby is through two double aluminum encased glass doors costing $1,100 each! The east wall of the reception room features 12 inch glass blocks. Floors throughout the building are [were] 3/16th inch asbestos tile in patterns to conform with the furnishings. Ceilings are acoustically treated. Basic construction of the building is concrete, steel and glass. The reception room will house a huge 27 inch by 55 inch plaque cast in bronze. The plaque bears the club name and emblem. All names listed on the plaque are those of the $100 donors. Adjacent to the clubhouse proper are the parking grounds, 100 feet by 197 feet. At the end of the club yard is a large barbeque pit with facilities for feeding approximately 600 guests. A yard, beautifully landscaped, covers 150 feet by 160 feet. It is surrounded by a stone wall 5 feet high. The area is furnished with stone tables, benches, umbrellas and portable lounging chairs. Exterior of the clubhouse is a light pastel green. Interior is of pearl gray throughout the main structure, with varied light pastel shades in the women’s quarters. Entire lighting system is fluorescent and in the center of the auditorium are two large blowers, capable of changing the air every two minutes. How all this happened in such a short time is a story of hard work, cooperation and the generosity of many show folks...
Once Gene Bernie dreamed of a Tampa showmen’s club, he started to work. Two years later, the first meeting was held to discuss the possibility of a Tampa club. The gathering was held December 28th, 1947 at Eddy’s Hut, owned by showman, Eddie LaMay. Surprising, even to Gene, was the attendance of some 50 showmen. He took over as organizer and made immediate arrangements for a charter. A second meeting was held January 8th, 1948 at the “Hut”. This time, temporary officers were appointed. Eddie LaMay was named chairman; Harry Wilson, Secretary; and Gene Bernie, Treasurer. Contributions of $10 each and some $400 was collected. Each meeting thereafter grew in attendance and each new showman reporting for a meeting was asked to donate. The 3rd and 4th meetings of the organization were held at Ray Meyer’s Trailer Village out on Tampa’s Nebraska Avenue. The club’s first “home” became a reality through the generosity of Eddie Taylor, a Tampa jeweler, who became interested in the club and offered the 1st floor of a fully-equipped building in the 100 block of Fortune Street. Because of the financial condition of the club, Taylor’s rent request was almost nil. The first meeting in the clubrooms was held January 18th, 1948. Some 150 overjoyed showmen attended. At this meeting a by-laws committee was named, with Edward M. Hunter as chairman. Temporary President LaMay appointed pro temp officers: Carl J. Sedlmayr, Jr., 1st Vice President; Doc Hartwick, 2md Vice President; Harry Wilson, 3rd Vice President; and Bernie continued as Secretary-Treasurer. A week later, attorney Louis Schonbrun, club counsel, drew up a charter. Membership was growing and the secretary reported 243 members as of that date. The first Board of Governors was named February 5th, 1948. The list included Carl J. Sedlmayr, Sr., Eddie Young, T.W. “Slim” Kelly, Dick Harris, Ed Lowe, George Golden, George Ringlin, William Clain, Joe Sciortino, Sam Gordon, Lloyd Serfass, Dave Wise, Harry Gaugh, Earl Maddox, Edward Hunter, Nat Lorow, Ray Myers, Charles Fogle, Edward Taylor and Andy Markham. With the club organized less than a month, Bernie reported $2,500 in the treasury. Ten days later, that amount swelled to $3,800 and by February 22nd, the total was $4,300. Meetings continued to be held every Sunday night. The women climbed on the bandwagon. An auxiliary was organized and met in the clubrooms on Monday nights. They competed with the men for fund-raising honors. The first benefit for the new club was held at the Largo Fair on the midway of Royal Crown Shows, January 30th, 1948. A total of $947 was realized. Meetings continued through the winter months and soon, all too soon, it was time for the showmen to hit the road. Final meeting was held March 4th and Gene was instructed to carry on at the home base. Realizing, because of the increasing membership, that more space was needed, Gene located new quarters at 205 W. Cass Street. The first meeting at the Cass Street location resulted in the appointment of a nominating committee to select the first slate of officers. Unanimously voted were: Carl J. Sedlmayr, Jr., President; Eddie Young, 1st Vice President; James E. Strates, 2nd Vice President; Nat D. Rogers, 3rd Vice President; Gene Bernie, Secretary-Treasurer; Hal Hall, Recording secretary; George Ringlin, Chaplain; and Harry “Irish” Gaugh, Earl Maddox and Everett Fillingham, Sergeants-at-Arms. Named to the Board of Governors were: Leo Carrell, W.M. “Bill” Clain, Charles Fogle, Irish Gaugh, Hal Hall, Dick Harris, H.D. “Doc” Hartwick, Edward M. Hunter, Eddie LaMay, Eddie Lowe, Earl Maddox, Ray Myers, Steve Pelak, George Ringlin, Joe Sciortino, C.J. Sedlmayr, Sr., Lloyd Serfass, Paul Sprague, Dave Wise, Snap Wyatt and Eddie Yeager. President Sedlmayr called for a whirlwind fund raising campaign. First on the list was the purchase of a car to be raffled off. Eddie Hunter was in charge of the car award and devoted his entire time to the inking of new members. That Hunter did a magnificent job is shown by the fact that the car award raised $3,500. In appreciation of his work, the club voted him the first gold life membership card. The Club’s first benefit show was held at the Largo Fair, January 25th on the James E. Strates midway. Some $2,000 was realized and visions of a new clubhouse were slowly but surely coming into view. It was at this point that President Sedlmayr warned the members against overconfidence. “Work and more work,” he said, “is the only key to success.” Members followed his advice and the time finally came arrived when the building committee was told to shop for a site. The Carman and Willow Street’s spot was selected. Next, the Club awarded the architectural contract to Norman Six, prominent Tampa architect, and one of Tampa’s civic leaders. Several plans were submitted and each was carefully gone over. Finally the sketch was a approved and the construction contract was awarded to E.M. Scott, a Tampa contractor. The building committee figured the cost would be around $45,000. However, with the completion of the building and the purchase of interior decorations and furniture, the final cost will be closer $65,000. Once the contract was let, Club members knew their work was not yet done. A Ways and Means Committee was named with Pete Burkhardt as chairman. A benefit was held by Royal American Shows during the Florida State Fair in February of 1949. Both Gypsy Rose Lee and Sally Rand appeared on the program. The largest amount ever raised at any one benefit, $5,325 was realized. The next benefit was at the Orange Festival in Winter Haven on the Royal Crown Shows with Sally Rand as the emcee. Through that event, $2,800 was realized. Debentures also were sold to members and the building fund began to grow. A total of $24,000 was in the treasury. Ground for the new clubhouse was broken on April 29th, 1949 with President Sedlmayr officiating. Attending the ceremonies were Mayor Curtis Hixon; J.H. Dolcater, President of the Tampa Chamber of Commerce; L.B. McSwain, Grand Potentate of the Egypt Temple Shrine; C.J. Sedlmayr, Sr.; Gypsy Rose Lee and her husband, Julio de Diego; Norman Six, the architect; Edward Hunter, Hall Hall, Nat Rogers, Gene Bernie and Dick Harris. By this time, showmen were returning to the road. Gene remained to watch his dream become a reality. He kept the travelling showmen informed of the progress of the Club and building. He sent out a bulletin ever so often, titled “Heads and Tales”. Gene was determined that everything should be readiness when the members returned. The spacious yard of the club site was covered with gray sandy soil. Realizing it would take a year or more to grow a lawn, Gene visited a sod farm in Miami, purchased 8,000 blocks of turf and load them into two semi trailers. Several days later a lawn, trimmed and neat, covered the grounds. With the show season over, showmen are [were] arriving in Tampa for the winter. One of their first steps is [was] to look over the new clubhouse. What they see is [was] something they dared not even imagine two years earlier. It is the fulfillment of Gene Bernie’s dream… a beautiful structure built by the toil of show folks. - A special thank you to Jim Elliot for hand transcribing this document (March 21st, 2007) |
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