Al Hunter’s Story Archive

The Treasure Hunter

This column first appeared in August 2012. Rhonda, my long-suffering wife honored me recently on the occasion of my 50th birthday with two fantastic gifts. The first was an exact replica of President John F. Kennedy’s “Carolina Rocker” rocking chair purchased from the Kennedy Museum in Massachusetts. The chair was … Read More

The 1963 State Fairground Explosion

This column appeared in July 2011. It was another rainy Halloween in Indianapolis, Oct. 31, 1963. Some 4,400 people decided the “Holiday on Ice” show scheduled that night at the Indiana State Fair Coliseum was the better alternative to the prospect of cold, wet children toting bags of soggy candy … Read More

Dancing Harry, Robota the Witch, and Colonel Super Fly, Part 2

For Game 5, the Nuggets brought out a mascot of their own: “Robota The Wicked Witch of the West.” Robota’s job? To counteract Dancing Harry hexes, Nuggets team president Carl Scheer decided to bring in a witch to put a hex of their own on the Pacers. Dressed entirely in … Read More

Dancing Harry, Robota the Witch, and Colonel Super Fly, Part 1

1974-75 for the ABA Indiana Pacers was a season of change. They moved from the State Fairgrounds Coliseum where they had won three league championships (1970, 1962 and 1973) to Market Square Arena. Three of the team’s perennial Allstars were gone: Roger Brown, Mel Daniels, and Freddie Lewis (along with … Read More

The Buzzbee Flying Disc and Other Banned Toys, Part 2

It was known as the “Buzzbee,” a flying disc sold in the 1970s. The Buzzbee disc was made by Altered Perception of Long Island. It sold for the price of $7.95. Their print ad featured the catchphrase “Catch-A-Buzz!” along with a comic strip they called ‘The Travels of Buzzbee!’ A … Read More