Walt Fensch and His Band - Gala Halloween Party, October 31, 1933

Recently, my father found this advertisement for my grandfather's band. In the spirit of the Halloween season, here's an ad for Walt Fensch's band at the Pines Club Gala Hallowe'en Party, October 31, 1933. Enjoy!

Walt Fensch with the Bob Richards Orchestra

My Dad recently found this photo of my grandfather with the Bob Richards /Westinghouse Orchestra. I love the "W.F." for Walter Fensch on his bass drum!

Walt Fensch and His Ambassadors handbill

This is a handbill used by my grandfather's band. My grandfather is pictured in the back row at the far left (to the left of the stand-up bass). The band members are (back row): Walter Fensch (drums), John Miller (bass), Al Heath (piano), Joe Mayer (sax), Art Schreiffler (sax), Dale Stevens (guitar). Front row: Sid Applegate (sax), Oscar Fensch (trumpet), Howard Wildman (trumpet) and James Rosenberry (trombone).

Walt Fensch with the Westinghouse Orchestra

Here is my grandfather with the Westinghouse Orchestra. He is pictured second from the left.

Ambassadors letterhead

Here is a picture of the letterhead the Ambassadors used during the 1930s.

Telegram to Walt Fensch

Here is a telegram to my grandfather, requesting a musician from his band. Note the salary for the gig: $22.50... BIG money for the 1930s (especially considering that many guys don't get paid one thin dime for playing today!).

Mansfield News Journal article, 1967

In 1967, a story was published in the Mansfield News Journal, recounting some of the musical memories of Mansfield in the 1930s.

Walt Fensch's Tambourine

This tambourine was owned and played by my grandfather in the Ambassadors. The skin portion is long gone. Today, it hangs proudly in my computer room.

Additional research

Do a little web research, I found some information on the person who sent the telegram to my grandfather. His name was Everett Sanderson of Fostoria, Ohio. From the web:

TED LEWIS IMITATOR PLAYED THREE INSTRUMENTS AT THE SAME TIME

One of Sanderson's great feats was to play three instruments at one...two clarinets and a saxaphone. It may seem quite impossible, but Duffield knew Sanderson personally and vouched for the authenticity of his ability.

The period of time in which Duffield knew Sanderson was when he (Duffield) was first starting his music store. Sanderson was aged then, with no income, but played at the Black Cat, his pay being free meals. Duffield kept Sanderson's instruments in repair for free. Sanderson's instruments came to the Museum through Duffield.

Also found some information about the person who was apparently the booking agent for Walt Fensch's Ambassadors, Phil Premy (see the handbill on this page). He was a lightweight boxer from Mansfield, who fought in the late 1920s, and — most likely — did other promotons and events throughout the Mansfield area.

More info about Sanderson:

http://www.fostoria.org/history/Krupp/1986/dec_4__1986.html

Bob Richards and His Orchestra / The Westinghouse Orchestra

This is a photo of my grandfather playing drums with the Bob Richards and His Orchestra, which also doubled as the Westinghouse Orchestra (Westinghouse logos are on the stands in front of the band members) . Photo is from the early 1930s, most likely 1932 or 1933.

The Westinghouse Orchestra - second photo

Another photo of the Westinghouse Orchestra, with my grandfather on the skins. not the Westinghouse logo on the bass drum.

The Ambassadors

The Ambassadors performing at a Valentine's Day event. Year and location are unknown.

The Ambassadors back a football skit

Here are the Ambassadors performing the music for a skit featuring football players and cheerleaders.

Membership Card, The Pines Club

Among my grandfather's scant band memorabilia was this membership card, for the Pines Club. My father told me that the Ambassadors often played this club, although the town is unknown. There is a possibility that the club was in Toledo, Ohio, although back in the 1930s, the distance between the Mansfield area and Toledo would have been considered significant.

My father also related a story to me that he believes happened at the Pines Club. Apparently, the Pines Club was a fairly shady place, and one night, one of the Fensch brothers (my grandfather, his older brother Edwin, and younger brother Oscar often played gigs together) lighted a firecracker in the club (the brothers were big-time pranksters). Immediately following the explosion, a bunch of revolvers were drawn. Luckily, none of the brothers were shot!

Who knows what kind of immoral activity could have been going on at the Pines? One possibility is that the Pines could have been serving hooch (this was during Prohibition). An even greater possibility is illegal gambling. As I mentioned earlier, after some research, I found that there was a place in Toledo called the Pines Club, and that it was known for having illegal gambling. I found this out via the web — there was a photo of poker chips from the club. Whether or not it's the same place, it's a great story.......

Here is a link to the photo of the poker chips. The name on the chips is possessive, as if "Pine's" was the last name of an owner, however, a few other websites don't indicate the possessive. The typeface on the chips is very similar to the face on the membership card.

http://chipster.net/ohpinx.htm

About my grandfather and his band

Today (August 26, 2006) would have been my grandfather's 98th birthday. He passed away in September, 1978 when I was just a month shy of ten years old. I remember my grandpa vividly. He was an easy-going guy with a great sense of humor. He was quite the jokester.

Walter Henry Fensch was born in Mansfield, Ohio, the second oldest of four children (Edwin (the eldest), Walter, Oscar and Hildegard). He graduated from Mansfield High School in 1925 — the middle of the Roaring 20s. In the early 1930s, he performed with the Westinghouse Orchestra as a drummer. Big band swing was just starting to trickle out of big towns such as New York City and Chicago, reaching smaller towns eager for hot, new music ripe for dancing. In 1934, he formed Walt Fensch's Ambassadors, which was billed as playing "Slow, rhythmic music... and sometimes they get hot." His younger brother Oscar played the trumpet in the band. One of the lines that my grandpa's band used in their handbills was "swing your wench with Wally Fensch." I know it's completely un-PC by today's standards, but it brings a smile to my face every time I think of it.

Being a musician during the Great Depression was no easy feat. During the day, he worked as an electrician and refrigerator repairman, and worked the swing shift as a drummer to make ends meet. And that was barely enough to get by. My grandfather met my grandmother at the height of the Ambassadors' popularity, and in 1935, my father was born.

My grandfather was also an accomplished bowler, breaking many records, and even posting a 795 series (which, in the 1940s, was a tremendous feat). I see a lot of myself in my grandfather... I also bowl in a league, have a vast interest in music and play several instruments, and share auburn as our hair color.

I know that this blog may not be seen by many more than members of my family, but I really don't mind. I would just like more to know that there was a great guy out there that loved to make people happy with music, dancing, laughter and a good drink. If you do stumble by this blog and happen to have any memory of Walt Fensch, the Ambassadors, Mansfield, Ohio or just a good anecdote, please share!