Austin Behlert

Now that all the horrors of New Orleans unfolds, Im going to tell about the first of three triops there in its glory day. I was setup at the Police Natls in Jackson, Miss. mid 80s and got aquainted with a cop who issued all the pistol permits in NOrleans. I told him my wife and I were going there after the match. He asked me what I wanted to do & see. I mentioned the famous Monte Leone Hotel in the Fr qtr and he gave me a card that would get us a room. We also wanted to see Pete Fountain playing there his first year. He gave me a card to the ballroom for a front row table. It all worked out great and we had a ball. You cant imagine New Orl if you werent there, with the street music, Preservation Hall jazz, a place where all the musicins played for free and would play a while and leave and someone else would sitin.Getting on a block long line to have doughnuts at the Cafe Du Monde or standing at the oysterbar eating oysters. They just kept schucking them and putting the shells in front of you, when done they would count the shells and divde by 2 and you paid. Ill continue later. Austin

rscalzo

My wife worked with the New Orleans Saints for amny years through here job at the NFL. We still have many friends down there who thankfully are ok although their lives have been uprooted.

She also became friends with Pete Fountain and ever time we went to the city, Pete always had us at a table in the front row..Sad to say those days are over.

On another happier note, I saw on EBay someone selling patches from the Old Big T's 2700 matches in the 60's. I remeber working the target detail as a kid way back when...

Austin Behlert

Hi Richard, Pete Fountain really put on a show. That cop I met at the Natls in Jackson sure knew all the ins and outs in town. The Shot Show was quite a convention too. I remember one year there, Dave Ecker CEO of Charter Arms and a good friend rented the Natches steamboat for an evening cruise for about 200 friends. We were on our way about an hour and Dan Becktls wife asked me if I saw Dan. I hunted around and finally got to the pilot house and there he was steering the Natches. He told me he took steam engineering in college and this is the first time hes used it. Wife and I had a ball on the trip as the food and drinks were terrific. I asked Dave the next day what that party cost him and he said he was afraid to ask.
I setup shop at most of the Big T pistol matches doing smithing for years. They were the years when BE was really the rage. Teaneck had quite a range and so did Secaucus. Is it still there?? Austin

rscalzo

The Bit T was torn down about a year ago. The agency that controls the Meadowlands didn't think a pistol range was a suitable facility for their Enviromental Center. As the club only had a month to month lease, they didn't want to put any funds into the upkeep. It was the last dencent outdoor range in the area. But it was the club that got me hooked. Now I'm retired from the Secaucus Police Dept. and very active in a large club here in New Hampshire. It was a great club to learn the basics and outstanding members. I still remeber your VW van that served as your moble shop.

I hope that New Orleans can come back to what it once was...I spend many weeks down in the Big Easy and still have many friends in that area. Hope they can put their lives back together.

Ned Christiansen

Austin, I have a friend who was born there, and man the stories he has, about how utterly lawless it was in the surrounding rural areas when he was a kid.

SWAT Magazine is running a deal right now where all subscriptions and other purchases off their site, the proceeds go to Katrina relief funds. This is a great way to contribute and get some freebies at the same time, basically. 100% of the money they take in for a week, beginning Sept 4th, goes here:
- The American Red Cross
- The Salvation Army
- The American Humane Association