Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Mystery History


Where are we? And what's happening?

The first person to guess correctly will sleep soundly in the knowledge that he or she is the smartest thing on the face of the planet.

I'll have the full scoop on Friday. (I know, it's usually Thursday, but that's Thanksgiving and I'll have a special post that day.)

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

At 1st I thot the Pasadena cop was holding a baby or a cat.

But this Pasadena officer is holding a dozen Roses & sitting in a wheelchair given to him by one of the nice people he gave a ticket for overnite or overtime parking, of all things!

I can feel the pain of the kindly law abiding citizen who bot these gifts for the cop.

I believe the officer' last name is Hultzman or Holtmanz. From the cars, badge, and uniform, it looks to be around post-war early 1950's.

Happy Thanksgiving, PIO!

Bellis said...

Maybe this is a policeman shot and paralysed in the line of duty? Maybe they named something after him? I'm always saddened when I see Memorial Highway signs. Or...can I have a second guess? ... he got a bravery award?

Patrizzi Intergarlictica said...

Is it one of the seven Medal of Honor recipients and honored Grand Marshals of the 1952 TofR?

I found this interesting bit while scouring the interwebs for an answer:

On April 24, 1952, Rodriguez and his fiancĂ©e Miss Rose Aranda were the invited guest on “You Bet Your Life”, a 1950s television gameshow hosted by Groucho Marx. The following is part of the conversation between Rodriguez and Marx in the show:

Groucho: If you don’t win any money here tonight it won’t be my fault, son! Well, Joe, that’s the most amazing thing I ever heard. There’s just one thing I’d like to know – when you were running through all that lead, what were you thinking about?

Joe: Well, I wasn’t thinking – I was just mad, I guess.

Groucho: You wiped out a whole army just because you got mad? Joe...if I said anything here tonight that you resent, I was just being facetious.

Groucho: What are your plans for the future, Joe?

Joe: I hope to make a career in the Army.

Groucho: Well, I’m sure glad you’re on our side. Rose, take good care of this fella. My advice is, don’t ever make him mad – he’s liable to wipe out Los Angeles! Well, you’re a fine couple, and I’m sure you’re going to have many happy, handsome, bright, and brave children.[2]

In 1953, Rodriguez married Rose and together they had three children. He subsequently became a commissioned officer in the US Army Corps of Engineers, serving more than 30 years in the U.S., through four Latin American assignments, and unaccompanied tours in Korea and Vietnam. In 1980, Rodriguez retired from the Army with the rank of Colonel.

Patrizzi Intergarlictica said...

Okay, forget that guess. He's obviously a parking enforcement guy. My Uncle Charlie probably broke his knees.

Kevin @ Time River Productions said...

This officer contracted the paralyzing disease polio about 1951. The Pasadena Police Department supported him by assigning him to parking enforcement division. In his right hand he is holding a chalk stick used to mark tires. In his lap is a ticket book for writing parking infraction tickets. The police department gave him the roses to commemorate his long years of service.

Pasadena Adjacent said...

We see a policemen - 1950(ish) near the Rosebowl, trying to parallel park his wheelchair between two cars. Having to hold a dozen roses does not make this task any easier

Bellis said...

Kevin, I think you've got it! If he tried to mark the tires like that along Del Mar or California nowadays, he'd be killed by some careless driver.