In the beginning
It was the height of prohibition, and the stock market was soaring to new heights in 1925. As a way to generate funds, express sportsmanship, and support the department's good and welfare, it was decided by the Hicksville firemen to host their own parade and tournament. Putting together such an event would be a new venture, but nonetheless was not a new undertaking to those in the department, as observed in the 1908 events.
A committee created by Chief Charles Schaefer oversaw these events and put Gus Wagner in charge of the affair. It was Gus who would start a tradition that carried through 81 years. For these events to succeed, Gus decided to host the first annual parade ending at the tournament site on Park Avenue. The first annual event was scheduled for Monday, September 6th (Labor Day) and was a complete wash-out due to heavy rains and was postponed for a week.
The Central Park Fire Department (now Bethpage) won the contest by capturing the most prizes: Sterling Silver Cups and Silver Certificates. The men of the Farmingdale Fire Department took top honors by winning Best Appearance and most men in line at the morning parade.
In the early years, new ideas and word of mouth were seeds to the roots of this annual event. Fred Fricke, the Chairman in 1927, promoted the newly created event by hosting various attractions. His promotion paved the way for the greatness of the weekend. During the tournament, Clyde A. Clelland, a Hicksville parachute jumper, landed on the High School grounds. Clyde teamed up with the Stunt flying pilot and noted Dare-Devil, Eddie Wells, who piloted his plane some 2,000 feet above the tournament grounds. Following Clyde's jump, Eddie thrilled the crowd with spins, loops, and rolls. Also, this year, the newest department in Nassau County marched proudly in the parade and is known as the Island Park Fire Department.
In 1928, Chairman Henry Kerbs announced that a new parade route and tournament location would be included in the events on Duffy's Lane. Henry also stepped up the promotional aspect of these events by creating a contest for the best-decorated business along the parade route in Hicksville. Chief Henry Gebhardt and Henry Kerbs awarded a $50.00 prize to Hicksville Undertaker Harry B. Tator for the best-decorated business. A highlight during this parade was the participation of the oldest living Hicksville Firemen, who included Andrew Heberer, Martin Schnepf, Nicholas Schmitt, and John Gleckler.
The Hicksville Fire Department experienced new growth at a rapid pace during the decade of the 1930s and during the Tournament of 1930 during the Motor Hook and Ladder event. Malverne Climber, Assistant Chief John Rose, fell off the ladder when the ladder failed to meet the top of the arch and crashed onto a convertible car. Chief Rose was treated by Hicksville's Doctor Rave and sent to Nassau Hospital for further treatment.
At the 1931 tournament on Duffy's Lane, the judges were forced to cancel the tournament during the Efficiency contest because teams deliberately doused the officials with the hose streams. The judges requested that one of the nozzlemen be arrested, but the man got away before the police could subdue the suspect. In the continuing promotion of these events, ex-Chief and Chairman of the 1932 events, Henry Gebhardt, William Reichert, and Michael Brigandi (my grandfather), Proprietor of "Pigeon Lofts," released 12 homing pigeons during the tournament on Fourth Street.
Since the racing events were fairly new and the speed and accuracy were improving each year, it became common to see state records broken more often. Once again, in 1937, during the 12th Annual event on Fourth Street, there were 4 State records broken.
The parade this year featured, again, another promotional tool by the Labor Day Committee as 1,500 firemen and over 150 Ladies Auxiliary members paraded with a special contest won by the Lindenhurst Fire Department who took home the "Nut Club" award for the best Comedy display in the parade.
As the decade was coming to a rapid close, it was 1938 when a decision was made to use searchlights as the contests ran until after 10 p.m. Again, a special attraction at this tournament was when Parachuter Clyde Clelland jumped from a plane and landed on the Fourth Street School grounds.
