Retro Pick of a Fair Winner

Image September 27, 2016 Elaine Van Develde

A fair 50/50 drawing of yesteryear. Photo/FHFD — A fair 50/50 drawing of yesteryear.
Photo/FHFD

It’s one of those Mega Millions drawing nights, so it seems appropriate to take a look back at picking another winner — a 50/50 Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair winner.

So, the Retro Pic of the Day honors the picking of a winner … a fair winner … in a fair way.

In this shot, the guys are giving the tickets a tumble, poised to dig in, fetch and announce the number that will match up with the person holding the stub.

The set-up of the 50/50 Booth was similar yet a bit different back in the day. That would be Jim Butler doing something there to help and a bunch of onlookers drinking beers and hoping to get lucky … with their numbers.

Can anyone wager a guess as to how high the 50/50 has gone or did go in those days, which were likely the early 1970s? And who was the biggest winner — before the days of the Super 50/50?

Round and round she goes … Do we have a winner?

Local Life

Focus: A Special Rumson Island

Gallery September 27, 2016 Elaine Van Develde

Sometimes you just need to escape to an island. And all you need to do is look out onto the Shrewsbury River to find one.

If you can’t get in your gondola and paddle over there, the 32-acre Gunning Island preserve, 20 acres of which has been owned by Rumson since 2007, is close enough to see from the banks of Rumson or Sea Bright. For RFHers, it holds a cache of party and young pleasure boating memories.

It now seems to beckon with a sigh of serenity and solitude in its wildlife preserve state.

Exhale and take in the memories with the scenery …

(Don’t forget to click to enlarge.)

— Elaine Van Develde