I heard this great story when I was tasked with picking up a delivery of Lowell Green’s latest book for the Pontiac Printshop. After driving out of Ottawa for what seemed like forever, I ended up at what turned out to be the home of the man himself.
I was expecting to arrive at an office of some sort, as per the norm, where I’d pick up a case of the books and be on my way. Confused, I knocked on the front door, unaware my pick-up was sitting ten feet in the other direction, clearly labelled and waiting for me.
Soon, Green popped out, just as confused as I was. He must’ve thought I was a maintenance guy or something, but I quickly set him on the right course. Once he pointed the box of books out to me, he mentioned that he had been meaning to get in touch with our newsroom.
He had wanted to share a story, his story in fact, of the first time he covered the Shawville Fair. Not being entirely familiar with the man myself, but knowing that he’s quite popular in the area, I asked him to send it in. This story turned out to be a good one, and better only when he told it to me in person that July morning. As he aptly says, the Shawville Fair helped him keep his job.
Here it is, so enjoy.
It’s the fall of 1960.
The late Frank Ryan has hired me at the huge salary of $100 a week (six days) and he’s not too sure if I’m worth that much.
He sends me up to cover the Shawville Fair live as my first on air assignment. I’ve got to somehow fill 30 minutes of air time and it scares the heck out of me.
I forget some of what I broadcast that day but the highlight was some kind of competition in the arena during which horse drawn wagons had to be backed up through some posts. No problem for most and I congratulated several of the drivers on their skill. Then came the fun.
A team of obviously very young and balky horses refused to co-operate with the driver who became increasingly frustrated as he gee and hawed from pillar to post. They knocked over several of the posts and the large crowd began to laugh and cheer, sometimes jeer, as the wagon twisted and turned every which way but right. I began doing an animated play by play of the unfolding drama, not too kind I am afraid, of the poor fellow at the reins.
It lasted a good five or six minutes until a judge came out and led the outfit out of the ring to loud cheers.
When I came back to the station Frank Ryan was waiting for me. “Oh, Oh” I said to myself, this could be the end of my career in Ottawa. Frank was known to have a very quick temper. He grabbed me and began pounding me on the back. “The funniest things I’ve ever heard,” he said. “I haven’t laughed so hard in years, let me tell you young man—I can see a great career ahead of you!”
I never again heard rumblings of paying me too much and I guess Frank was right, I’ve had a pretty good career, 57 years of it, thanks, at least in part to the good old Shawville Fair! I’ll include the story in my next book!
Lowell Green
