Jan 12, 2005, 7:39 PM
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First All Collegiant - 8-way
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Did you know that I was once world famous!....Yes it's true....Back in 73' B.J. Worth put together a ten- way team that built the 1st and 2nd all collegiant eight-way stars ever....That was in Star, Idaho at an all collegiant meet.
Your next probable thought might be, that I must have been really really good to be on B.J.'s team. I wish I could answer yes, to that one. Actually I only had 85 jumps at the time. I was undoubtedly the most unskilled guy on the team, and B.J. must have been really hard up for collegiant jumpers to pick me. If you look closely in this picture you'll see SCR's, SCS's, and even night SCR's on most everyone. (Everyone was into patches back then, and you were considered really hot to have any of these.) The only patch I had, at the time, said skydiver on it. I was so embarassed I had to hide behind B.J.'s sister in the picture. Can you pick out B.J.. I'm the least hairy person in the picture. Have you ever seen so many handles in your life?
The photo was taken by Ray Cottingham. I hope this picture comes up. This is the first picture I've scanned and tried to put on here without help. (Yes, I'm almost computer illiterate)....So if the picture isn't there I'll get someone to help me tomorrow, get it on.
P.S. if any of you all would like my autograph, I'm running a special on them this week for 25 cents each.
(This post was edited by steve1 on Jan 12, 2005, 7:49 PM)
Jan 13, 2005, 10:20 AM
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Re: [steve1] First All Collegiant - 8-way
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A couple of these guys are now dead. Sully (Sullivan) is 2nd from the left, on the bottom (died cutting away too low to the ground in Idaho). Billy Blair is in the upper right. I went to grade school with him. He died supposedly from food poison, but it may have been something else. That's another story. B.J. is in the upper left corner. His sister is in the bottom right.
The name of our team was Nine and a Piece. Yes, skydivers were crude, even back in those days. We took first, even beating the Air Force Academy in the 10 way event. (Even though we only built a couple 8-ways.)
I asked Bill Newell if it was true that this was the first couple of all collegiant 8-ways. He said yes. B.J. even started a numbering system and patch. This was called an ACE award and looked just like the SCR but was colored different. According to Bill this award never really caught on. This is probably where B.J. got his start as an organizer though.......Steve1
Jan 13, 2005, 4:29 PM
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ah yes, Bill Blair. I landed on the windshield of his van at a 10-way competition in Challis, Idaho in 1974. We held a 9-way until about 1600-1800 feet waiting for #10 to get in. He did as I recall. I opened at about 600 feet and made a bad decision trying to land in the parking area. I bounced off of his windshield, breaking it, and landed on a blanket the judges were using. They were impressed.
I bet Fred Sand, at Lost Prairie, could identify others.
Jan 13, 2005, 5:50 PM
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Re: [darkwing] First All Collegiant - 8-way
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Darkwing, I've got some old pictures of Fred Sands too. Once I get this damn scanner figured out, I'll post them....
The people in the photo from top left to right are B.J. Worth, Tom Kaiser, Jack Christian, Fuzzy-Rich Swenderman, Bill Blair.
Bottom- left to right Steve Nardi (brother of Greg Nardi in Florida), Sully (Sullivan), Bob Murray, me. Chris (Sam) Worth is in front. All of us were Montana jumpers except Sully and Jack.....Steve1
Jan 18, 2005, 5:26 PM
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Here's one picture of one of the stars we built. We were getting really low in this picture. I think I was the only one who realized it when the picture was snapped. Everybody was too busy grinning at each other to look at altimeters. Notice I'm pointing at Jack's altimeter who was directly across from me. Remember I only had 85 jumps, and I wasn't smart enough to do much else. I figured if me team-mates wanted to hum it down it must be okay. We were all in the saddle by about 1,500 ft.
Ray Cottingham took this picture with both an old reel type movie camera and still camera on his motorcycle helmet. Video cameras weren' invented yet. This was back in the days when cameramen all had overly developed, muscle bound necks.....Steve1
Jan 19, 2005, 2:59 PM
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Steve - Wow!!! does this bring back memories.
I'm the one in the white jumpsuit with the black stars.
I remember that I was so nervous closing on the star, because I knew that it was being filmed by the fampous Ray cottingham.
Actually this was the 2nd All Collegeate star.
I had a 16mm film of the jump, but rarely showed it because of my sloppy dock on the star. B.J. showed it a lot in those days and it took a long time to clean up my reputation.
After tom Sullivan died, I gave the film to his wife, Jan. Maybe she still has it.
blue skies.... Jack DeChristopher ACE 13 (I think.....I'll have to find my card)
Jan 19, 2005, 4:38 PM
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Jack, Good to hear from you again. I remember also making some jumps with you out of Ted Mayfield's beech (in about 74), at Sheridan. I talked to one of the managers at Mallala last summer and he remembered you well. Bob Murray mentioned you at a Boogie last summer. Sorry I mispelled your name. I remembered Jack, but wasn't sure on the last name. I didn't know you still jumped.
I never did get an ACE number. I regret it now. Sure too bad about Sully. I didn't know him too well. He was one of the jumpers we all looked up to. I hope to jump with you again some time....Steve1
Jan 20, 2005, 10:34 AM
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I remember that I was so nervous closing on the star, because I knew that it was being filmed by the fampous Ray cottingham.
I had a 16mm film of the jump, but rarely showed it because of my sloppy dock on the star. B.J. showed it a lot in those days and it took a long time to clean up my reputation.
)
Jack, B.J. had a copy of this movie soon after we returned to Montana. He did show this movie a lot, like you say, but I don't remember your dock being bad.
One night most of our club was down at the local bar showing this movie over and over again on the wall. Everybody was oohing and awing, on all the good parts.
Apparently this pissed off some of the local "Wuffo's". When noone was looking, some "low life" stole the movie. My roommate at the time told me he knew who in Missoula stole it. Luckily I was able to get it back and return it to B.J.
My entry into the star looked really cool for an 85 jump wonder. It looked cool from above (where Ray was), but in reality it was way too steep for a proper approach. From above it looked like a nice smooth entry. But what the heck, it all worked out , and looked good on film. I'd love to see that movie again.
I'll check my old log book and see if I can find the dates I jumped with you in Oregon....Steve1
Jan 20, 2005, 3:46 PM
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Steve -
I hung up my rig back in '86, but I still try to keep up with as much as I can with what's happening in the skydiving community. My brother and sister continued to skydive a few years after that.
I remember that you did a good job on the load with the amont of jumps that you had at the time.
I'll look at my logbooks to see when we jumped together at Sheridan.
Since haniging it up, I've been doing closed course roadracing in the Northwest for the past 15 years.
I guess I got burned out after witnessing losts of injuries and bounces at Sheridan and also loosing a lot of friends on the Loadstar crash in Arlington Wa.
Jan 21, 2005, 3:27 PM
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Jack, I made some jumps at Sheridan in March of 74. I showed up and noticed that Ted had a new chief pilot. He looked like he was about 16 and everyone called him "Elevator". I couldn't help but wonder if he really did have a pilot's license. You could tell Ted really was proud of this ballsy kid who never seemed to quit talking.
Anyhow two of the funnest jumps that I had made up to that point were on the 24th of March out of Ted's beech. It had a really big door, which worked great for exit. We landed on the Mackminville Airport. If I remember right you were on those loads. First we made a 10 way. The next load was and eleven way which we broke into a line, then a five and six round. (This was pretty hot stuff for that time period, and everyone was jacked). The last load, we tried a formation load with a 180. Someone funnelled it.
I went back to Montana and bragged to everyone that I had just been to Oregon jumping with all the big boys. Does this match up with your log books?
Sorry to hear about the loss of so many friends due to jumping. I quit for 25 years and only started up again about four years ago. So I'm still having lot's of fun at it.....Steve1
Jan 21, 2005, 4:14 PM
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Steve -
March of '74 it was. just as you stated. I could go on forever about the people and the environment of those days.
My body is definitely giving me signals about how I beat myself up with lots of PC, Piglet and Strato-Flyer openings and landings, before going to better equipment.
Yea, Elevator was a "hoot". I was on the first load that he ever flew as a jump pilot. He was only 16!!! I was a little concerned, but he was a very conscientious and skilled pilot.
Good to hear from you and I'm glad you're having a good time as a reincarnated skydiver.
Jan 22, 2005, 4:49 PM
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Re: [skypuppy] First All Collegiant - 8-way
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Have a couple of ringers on that team?
Most of these guys were more interested in skydiving than school. It took me almost 15 years to get my B.A. Mostly because I was broke. I assure you everyone in these formations were registered in college during that date. B.J. was one of the few skydivers I knew in those days who finished in four years. On graduation day he jumped into the ceremonies in his cap and gown at the U.of M.
Jan 22, 2005, 5:20 PM
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Our college jump club (the Silvertip Skydivers) is supposed to be the oldest in the nation. It was in Missoula, now in Stevensville. While in Missoula we were able to rent smokejumper aircraft from Johnson's flying service. Whenever we had enough people gathered up all we had to do was give Johnson's a call and we had either a DC-3 or Twin Beech to jump from. Here's a picture of a Beech we rented taken in about 73. B.J. is second from right.
Jan 22, 2005, 5:40 PM
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These were the hot canopy to own during the early 70's. B.J. had the nice checker pattern on the right. I really liked my Red Devil on the left. Most jumpers had long retainer lines to keep the sleeve and pilot chute away from the holes in the back of their canopy. If you notice in this picture my retainer line is way too short. Everything is resting on the back of my chute. I had two malfunctions because of this. I didn't figure this out till years later.....Steve1
skydive 73
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