Jan. 16, 1976: At the Alabama Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, children rode in zero-G, or something like it, with an American rocket on display behind them in this unpublished photo. Photo: Teresa Zabala/The New York Times
June 26, 1975: Michael Bennett, who conceived this production of “A Chorus Line” and ran its audition, asked one of the girls on the stage to remain. Quoted in the next day’s article about the men’s audition, where dancers gave their life stories, just as in the musical, Mr. Bennett griped, “I’m not happy at all with what I’m seeing,” he said. “No training. No technique. At least the one in the wine tights has elevation.” Photo: Jack Manning/The New York Times
Nov. 12, 1972: Roller derby action at Madison Square Garden, Jolters versus Chiefs. A match the next spring at Shea Stadium was put together by Jerry Seltzer (son of the sport’s founder, Leo P. Seltzer) at which he addressed whether roller derby was a sham. Mr. Seltzer’s reply: “Would you question the federal government?” Photo: Patrick A. Burns/The New York Times
March 8, 1971: Joe Frazier knocked down Muhammad Ali in the 15th round of the “Fight of the Century.” Viewers of the remarkable match in 350 theaters and arenas in the United States, Canada and 35 other countries saw the climactic punch 16 times via instant replay. Photo: Larry C. Morris/The New York Times
April 15, 1970: “An assembly of 300 attended a charity buffet dinner that concluded with seven bouts between amateur boxers representing teams from New York and Chicago in the newly conceived International Boxing League,” reported William N. Wallace. The Amateur Boxing Gala dispensed with tuxedos and included the participation of female boxers, including the sister of a Giants fullback and the date of a Giants halfback. Photo: Larry C. Morris/The New York Times
July 27, 1970: Jack Sogen was nudged by a bull that had just thrown him. Some 3,000 underprivileged children attended a rodeo at Weissglass Stadium on Staten Island, a preview performance for the championship at Madison Square Garden. Photo: Barton Silverman/The New York Times
Nov. 29, 1971: In time for the holidays, the O of the famous “Love” sculpture, by Robert Indiana, was lowered into place — at Fifth Avenue and 60th Street — on a cold day that foreshadowed rain. Photo: Don Hogan Charles/The New York Times
Customers make their getaway from the gorilla show, where Princess Alena changes from a “pretty girl in a leopard-skin bikini to a fearsome gorilla right before the spectators’ eyes.” explains Bob Belles of the Spookarama. “‘This is one of the oldest illusions in the world,’ Mr. Belles says. ‘We call it the Galatea effect — a statue coming to life.’” July 6, 1970. Photo: William Sauro/The New York Times
The Cyclone roller coaster at Coney Island, where the park celebrated its 142nd year in 1971. “Where else can you go on the subway and see more than 45 degrees of sky?” asked Lucy F. Becker, 24, who was being serenaded on the harmonica to “Get Back,” by her companion Norman Trabulus. Elsewhere on that day in April, a Scottish expatriate took his young children for a stroll, noting that Coney reminded him of the Portobello Fair amusement park in Edinburgh. “The only difference,” he remarked, “is that we called cotton candy fairy floss.” Photo: Barton Silverman/The New York Times
“Getting away is the best thing you can do if you live in New York,” said then 18-year-old Bonnie Salant, who was on her way to Cape Cod for the Fourth of July weekend in 1972. She was not the only one eager to escape: the Automobile Club of New York predicted “three million cars would clog metropolitan highways during the four-day weekend.” For those who stayed home, the weather was predicted to be sunny and warm. Photo: Librado Romero/The New York Times
