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December 2024-Bellringer
CARNIVALE ON THE GREEN: A Railcar Based Traveling CARNIVAL
BELLRINGER Railcar #74
Also known as the HIGH STRIKER, this attraction has always been a standard at carnivals, which was designed specifically to profit from the male ego. Most men with strong egos, always came to carnivals with others of his peer group, or with a female he is itching to impress. The Barker would quickly single out the alpha male in the passing group, and the challenge would be made to ring the bell. The mark would usually respond quickly and step up to prove his machismo. But if he resisted, the Barker's skill and timing was always impeccable using various ploys to pull him in, usually challenging his physical ability to hit the bell.
Dollar paid, mallet in hand, only one in five players would ring the bell on the first try. Even if successful, the prize was a plastic 'trophy' key chain costing a dime wholesale, would still give the Carney a profit. With failure and ego being deflated, the mark would quickly try again. Dollar paid, ringing the bell is now a one chance in three. If this second try failed, and the mark is still determined to hit the bell, the Carney quietly takes the money. If he appears wanting to depart, the Carney will turn to the crowd announcing the player only clipped the edge of the strike plate and will be given a redo. Quietly, the Carney will suggest that by hitting just the front edge of the strike plate with enough force it will add more snap to the donger assuring a ring. Success......crowd cheers......ego intact. Repeat.
FRONT EDGE ADVANTAGE
Free of the illegal rigging a game of chance, the altered strike plate assembly allowed every player equal advantage, but the player has to know the trick. Besides the standard resistance spring below the strike plate, a secret secondary spring is fitted below the rocker pin allowing it to absorb some of the upward thrust resulting in a failed try. Assuring a strike in this area, a worn but visible red circle in this area attracts the players attention as the possible 'sweet spot'. It is believed that this strike plate design was unique to CARNIVALE.
THE HISTORY OF THE BELL RINGER......TRUE
Amsterdam, Holland, 1876. Humphrey ('HUM') Dhinghah was the town's fire chief and resided on the second floor of the firehouse. Being almost deaf, and often not hearing emergency calls from the street below to his window......not good. To get his attention, he rigged up a bell at the top of a pole allowing a hockey puck to hurl up from a strike by a mallet to an altered child's tetter-totter. Years passed, Chief Dhinghah retired, to supplement his pension, Hum setup the Bell Ringer as a game of strength at the local street fair, becoming an instant hit (A good pun). With a patent pending, he began producing and marketing them to carnivals and amusement parks.
To this day, one might hear the catch phrase that was first spoken that day in Amsterdam......LOOK, THATS A REAL HUMDINGER.
