The Age of Innocence and Baby Boomers
During the 1950s, housing development was booming, and many new families were making homes in Hicksville. The enrollment to join the fire department was so overwhelming that a waiting list was established. William Levitt was constructing homes for our G.I.'s in the late 1940s and by 1951, the Levittown Fire Department was organized and participating in our annual events. The racing circuit was even more popular, and the location throughout the decade tended to believe that a caravan of gypsies was running the events. The location went from Cedar Street to Burns Avenue, to New South Road, and to Levittown Parkway, before finding a home at the newly opened Mid-Island Shopping Plaza.
During the Labor Day 25th Anniversary in 1953, over 4,000 volunteer firefighters and hundreds of Ladies Auxiliary members participated in the events. A special event took place on the Saturday prior to Labor Day with the "Bug House" Comedy Parade, which was well attended by many Nassau County departments. Following this was a block party opposite the firehouse, complete with a 5-piece orchestra, lasting until the wee hours of the morning.
Before the beginning of the 27th Annual Drill in 1955, Mr. Jerome Zettler, from the Ambulance Community Committee, presented to Chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners, Mr. Jack Leckie and Chief Larry Huttle. The presentation was a set of keys to a newly donated, fully equipped 1956 Chevrolet Ambulance.
Tragedy struck the 28th Annual event in 1956 when a spectator, Joseph Quinn, suffered a heart attack at the tournament grounds on Levittown Parkway. Joseph was watching his three sons compete in the events as they represented the East Meadow and Levittown Fire Departments. The tournament was halted, and the crowd was asked to bow their heads and observe a moment of silence in his honor.
With the Grand Opening of the Mid-Island Shopping Plaza in 1957, the fire department welcomed the proposal from Stackler and Frank to host the 29th Annual tournament at their location. Stanford Weiss, ex-Chief and Chairman, worked out the details that would become a long-lasting agreement with the Mid-Island Plaza. This parade was attended by 4,104 firemen and ladies, with a record 25,000 spectators who showed up to witness the day's events. The events ended around midnight, with fewer than 1,000 people remaining.
During the 29th Annual Tournament in 1958, the drill had to be halted when a 15-tier section of grandstands became loose and began to slide. The asphalt loosened the anchor pins, and repairs were unsuccessful. It was determined unrepairable by the Tournament Committee, and money was refunded to 500 people.
The most significant change in the Labor Day events came at the 30th Annual Drill when the Drill Team Captains Association introduced the electronic timing device that would be used to record times. This replaced the old way of comparing big pocket watches and splitting the difference between judges and hand-time using stopwatches. Over 10,000 spectators watched Uniondale and Oyster Bay for the second consecutive year ending in a tie at the tournament.
