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Made No Guarantees But Stepped In To Protect Local Merchants At Last Minute The local post of the American Legion, through its commander, Hal Ramsey, today declared that it was in no sense a sponsor of the ill fated rodeo recently staged here and had nothing to do with the ar rangements for the exhibition which is said to have left a dozen or more riders stranded here The post did not guarantee anybody anything, Commander Ramsey said, but merely undertook to furnish certain accomodations to the pro moters .The American Legion did not sponsor the Milt Hinkle rodeo The Legion merely agreed with Hinkle that it would provide the redegwarena, lights and water, and for this the Legion was t receive 20 percent of the gross receipts.” Hal Ramsey, commander, said in an authorized statement Thursday Ramsey further stated: “Any advertising that was done in “Billboard” or any other news paper, publication, by handbill or radio that stated the American Le gion Post of McAllen sponsored the rodeo, or that it was an ‘Ameri can Legion Rodeo’ was an error and such was never authorized “The American Legion post had no legal liability, nor any moral liability. McAllen merchants who sold supplies or services to any ro deo performers or officials with out a written order from the Le gion post were merely taking their own chances. It is ridiculous to think, that the Legion post would stand good for the debts of a group of people it never saw before. “However, when Legion officials saw that the rodeo was not ade quately financed, they stepped in, acting as friends and fellow citi zens to local merchants, and han dled all finances to try to save lo cal merchants from as much loss as possible. By stepping in, the rodeo receipts were conserved, and all concerned, including the perform ers, are receiving their proportion ate share of the amount salvage. In two or three instances, the Le gion guaranteed a feed bill or a seating bill, and all of these bills will be paid in full, because the Legion definitely stood for them .In no instance, did the Legion invite, urge or induce performers to come to McAllen. These per formers must have known the promoter or promoters, and if they did not know, they still came of their own free will and accord, hence, the Legion, nor no other McAllen group nor individual can rightly be held to blame for these performers coming here and getting stranded. “We are sorry for them. It is certainly unfortunate, but they can blame only themselves or the pro moters, as the case may be for their plight. They are good performers, and deserved bigger crowds than they had. However, due to strike talk and threats of a tie-up, the gate receipts were cut far below what they would otherwise have been, had this talk of a walk-out by the performers not arisen. “efforts to cast any reflection on the Legion by appeals to maudlin sympathy from any disgruntled en emy of the Legion post are like bread cast on the waters — stale bread — many days hence, it will come back and it will still be stale bread. “Many of the orders signed by announced rodeo officials were signed by good boys undoubtedly, but boys who were recruited late ly from shows already more or less stranded. Such orders were the re sponsibility of the promoters, not the Legion, which had absolutely nothing to do with them. “Finally, Loyal Service post of the American Legion denies all blame; the Legion post made no fees, except the few referred which it is guaran te above, ich in full. The Legion pealty cabsects
Newspaper Details
McAllen Daily Press
McAllen, Texas, US
Tue, Dec 19, 1939
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Bruce L.
USA 17 Jun 2026
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