A Buffalo legend hung up his sweater vest after a quarter of a century last night. Kevin O’Connell is certainly one of the people that makes Buffalo Buffalo. “I’m not saying goodbye, just, ‘I’ll see you down the road,’” said O’Connell in a recorded message which aired during Channel 2’s 6pm newscast. He’s been the … Continue reading Kevin O’Connell makes Buffalo Buffalo
“Stay inside. Grab a six-pack.” It’s almost difficult to imagine Western New York and especially a Western New York snowfall without the phrase that Jimmy Griffin joked would wind up on his tombstone. But while Buffalonians have likely been drinking their way through snowstorms for as long as there have been people here, we’ve only … Continue reading Buffalo in the ’80s: When ‘Grab a six-pack’ became our mantra
Maybe it was right up until January 27, 1977 that Buffalo was known as a blue collar town. A hardscrabble steel making town. A simple, shot-and-a-beer, look-a- guy-in-the-eye town. It was known as a place with long winters and a string of rotten luck— getting hit hard by the changes in the world through the 1970s. … Continue reading January 28, 1977: 40 years ago today, a new identity for Buffalo
In the run-up to what was being billed as “The World’s Largest Disco — 64,000 square feet,” one organizer promised the dance party in Buffalo’s new convention center would be remembered as “the Woodstock of disco.” Downtown boomed with a 100-speaker, 30,000-watt sound system in “holophonic three-dimensional sound,” and a $25,000 light show designed and … Continue reading Buffalo in the ’70s: The first ‘World’s Largest Disco’
At the time, M&T President Andrew Craig called it “the most extensive and far reaching effort in the history of Buffalo aimed at upgrading and improving Buffalo’s image.” Thirty-four years later, any Buffalonian over the age of 40 still instantly recognizes the face and stance of actress Terry Licata (now Licata-Braunstein), who proudly led the … Continue reading Buffalo in the ’80s: Talking Proud!
Stan Makowski was a pretty good bowler, and even as mayor played in tournaments for Tippie’s Social & Athletic Club. Buffalo News archives At one time or another during his 10 years at Allied Mills, he lost the tip of an index finger in an accident. Even as mayor, when the guys were playing softball and … Continue reading Buffalo in the ’70s: Stan Makowski, Buffalo’s guy-next-door mayor
Now it’s generally accepted that the neon sculpture “Green Lightning” by Billie Lawless was “pubic art as public art,” although the artist has maintained from the very beginning that “people’s interpretation (of neon panels depicting what most people say look like dancing cartoon penises) is up to them.” Billie Lawless shows a scale model of … Continue reading Torn-Down Tuesday: ‘Green Lightning’ sculpture – an amplified hoax?
The most famous (and infamous) owner in the history of sports, George Steinbrenner had a soft space in his hardened heart for Buffalo — a city that has been like a second home for generations of Steinbrenners. Above: The SS George Steinbrenner in the Buffalo River. The freighter was named after the grandfather of the Yankees … Continue reading Buffalo in the ’60s: George Steinbrenner- ‘The Boss’ loved Buffalo
When Don Paul retired as Buffalo’s pre-eminent weather authority last month, the folks at Channel 4 wished him luck on the message board in front of the station’s Elmwood Avenue studios. The high-definition display replaces a scrolling light sign which had been in place for at least 40 years. Steve Cichon/Buffalo Stories photo The station … Continue reading What it looked like Wednesday: The changing look in front of Channel 4, 1960 -2016
This oft-quoted billboard was posted near Buffalo City Hall in September 1977, and is looked upon as Buffalo’s darkest moment, reading, “Will the last worker out of Western New York please turn out the light?” The bitter and deadly Blizzard of ’77 cemented Buffalo’s place in the punchlines of Johnny Carson and funny people everywhere. By … Continue reading Buffalo’s most infamous billboard: Will the last worker out of WNY turn out the light?
