[BC] Pranksters put dummy on 1200' TV tower

Thomas G. Osenkowsky tosenkowsky
Sat Dec 23 13:40:38 CST 2006


I recall hearing a story many years ago about a
tall tower erection where a nearby elderly couple
watched the construction using binoculars. They
called the police a couple of times after seeing
workers urinating from up the tower. The police
found no crime and no one was arrested.

The crew one day dressed a dummy in clothing
similar to theirs, loaded it with ketchup or some
other red liquid, hoisted it up the tower wrapped
in cloth or other material. They then started a ruckus
on the ground and continued yelling as they climbed
up the tower.

Once they got up to the top, the ground crew made sure
the couple was watching the tower crew. They cast
off the dummy and it hit the ground and splattered. 
One of the elders had a heart attack and died. The
spouse sued. I don't know where this was but it
turned out an ugly scene.

I remember a 16 year old girl climbing an 800' TV tower
in CT. She hung an American flag up there. Some boys
in school said she didn't have the ba**s to do it. She proved
them wrong. It took resue crews a while to talk her down.
This was around 1983 or so.

Tom Osenkowsky, CPBE


More information about the Broadcast mailing list