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Our Rich History: It was 50 years ago — really — that The Beatles made their second visit to Cincinnati


Cincinnati media interview the Beatles.

Cincinnati media interview the Beatles.

By Paul A. Tenkotte
Special to NKyTribune

Saturday, August 20, 1966 was a very rainy evening. I remember it well. My sister Peg and her two young friends packed into my father’s 1965 Ford. My brother Tom and I went along for the ride. We were headed to Crosley Field, to drop off my sister and her friends at the Beatles’ concert.

August 1966 was the Beatles’ second visit to Cincinnati. Their first concert was two years prior, on August 27, 1964, when they appeared at Cincinnati Gardens before a crowd of 13,500. I was too young to remember it. But by 1966, though, I had turned six years old, and my brother was eleven. We listened to our transistor radios, and knew the lyrics to most of the Beatles’ songs. Peg played their 45 rpm records on her little pink record player, with two removable speakers. In our eyes, she was “super cool” beyond belief.

Dad dropped off my sister and her friends at Crosley Field, for the 8:30 p.m. concert. True Beatles’ fans, they were not about to allow some rain spoil the opportunity to see the Beatles in person. Dad, Tom, and I headed back home across the Brent Spence Bridge in a pouring rain.

Crosley Field -- Home of the Reds.

Crosley Field — Home of the Reds.

Nearly two hours later, Beatles’ management announced that the concert was being cancelled, for fear that the uncovered stage would electrocute the Fab Four. It was past my bedtime, so my parents insisted that I not accompany dad and Tom back to Crosley Field to try to locate Peg and her friends. Instead, mom and I prayed a rosary that they would all arrive home safely, and then I went to bed.

Remember, in those days, there were no cell phones. Crosley Field had pay phones, but not enough of them to handle all of the phone calls from anxious fans, too young to drive and calling back to their homes for rides. Peg and her friends were not able to call home, as the lines were simply too long.

Instead, Peg and her friends started walking out of the ballpark. On Dalton Street, my father had just parked the car, and Tom immediately spotted them coming down the sidewalk. They were so glad to see my dad and brother.

The next day, on Sunday, the Beatles held a rescheduled concert at 1:30 pm before 15,000 fans. My dad made the trek back to Crosley Field with my sister and her friends, but I didn’t go along this time. Nevertheless, I continued to appreciate the Beatles, somewhat vicariously, through my sister’s records. And I still laugh to this day, remembering how my father would imitate the Beatles, throwing in—every so often—nonsense lyrics like “I want to hold your adenoids.”

We want to learn more about the history of your business, church, school, or organization in our region (Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky). If you would like to share your rich history with others, please contact the editor of “Our Rich History,” Paul A. Tenkotte, at tenkottep@nku.edu. Paul A. Tenkotte is Professor of History and Director of the Center for Public History at NKU.


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One Comment

  1. Paul,
    Always does a great professional job in any project and he is a great contribution to Kentucky

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