"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly" WKRP

Hi,

I happen to enjoy this episode of WKRP in Cincinnati quite a bit. Les reports this event as if it were the Hindenburg exploding before him.

Five years before this episode was filmed, there was an actual turkey drop conducted in Gettysburg, South Dakota. I learned this from my friends at South Dakota Magazine. Potter County News rehashed this historical event from 1973 in Turkey Drop, Gettysburg, SD by recently reprinting a letter to the editor dated April 15, 1973.

In a nutshell, this event was inspired by a 1940's event where ping pong balls were dropped over a town with six specially marked ball that could be traded in for a turkey. Flash forward to the Chamber of Commerce circa 1973 who had heard of the turkey drop, but did not know of the ping pong ball aspect. Yes, they dropped six live turkeys from a plane flying 3,000 feet over main street. It is well worth reading the link to the actual letter to the editor.

Perhaps this event in Gettysburg, SD inspired the WKRP episode:



Happy Thanksgiving!

Regards,

That is a classic bit. Thanks for posting, Cathy2. It was a great way to start my day.

excellent !!

there used to be a turkey drop in Yellville, Arkansas. I was there once on a bike trip. I've told the story to people and they think Ive dreamt it based on this episode of WKRP. I remember there were a lot of protesters there from PETA, and others. Very bizarre. Hopefully they have discontinued the practice. thanks for the memories.

The letter from South Dakota is as good as the clip.

Schuyler wrote:there used to be a turkey drop in Yellville, Arkansas. I was there once on a bike trip. I've told the story to people and they think I've dreamt it based on this episode of WKRP. I remember there were a lot of protesters there from PETA, and others. Very bizarre. Hopefully they have discontinued the practice. thanks for the memories.

Hi,

Did they drop the turkeys from above? How far did they drop? I never expected there was a sliver of truth to the WKRP episode, that anyone could have really done this.

Regards,

That was one of the best shows ever on TV and this was one of the best episodes. I will quote Mr Carlson tomorrow at dinner, when we gather with the whole family.

Thanks for posting this Cathy2.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Yellville turkey drop
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/16921
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellville,_Arkansas
http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/ar ... urkey-trot

One of the longest traditions in Yellville is the annual Turkey Trot festival. Beginning in 1945 with the first turkey dropped from the roof of the Marion County Courthouse, the festival continues today. It is held every second weekend of October with the best-known attraction being live turkeys that are dropped from airplanes over the town square. October 2011 marked the 66th anniversary of this festival. The 1970s television show, WKRP in Cincinnati, parodied the turkey drop on one of their best-known episodes.

I was reading Farm and Ranchers Magazine this AM.

There was a turkey drop of live turkeys from the roof of a grocery store in Central Indiana. Most of the turkeys ended up escaping from the waiting crowds.


By the way, when my father started working in 1953, the company gave employees fresh turkeys - real fresh as in LIVE. He told me that it really separated the country folks from the city folks.

Hi,

If I could be in Arkansas for that turkey drop, though getting to central Indiana is far, far closer.

Yesterday, I plied my new knowledge of turkey drops on my nieces who are in their mid-twenty's. They knew nothing of what I was speaking, not even the infamous WKRP episode. Their response was more in line with P E T A would not like this. So my story fell like a turkey from 3000 feet to the ground with a big splat.

At least I have you guys to share this with some appreciation!

Regards,