February, 27 1999 - The fat lady sung

I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri.as such I saw Cardinal's Baseball and Football games at Busch Stadium, I watched The Blues and The Steamers at the St. Louis Arena (aka The Checkerdome or the The Barn), wrestling at the Chase and Kiel Auditorium.  Concerts at the Kiel Opera House, and again at the Checkerdome and a few at Busch Stadium.  I watched Rams football at the Trans World Dome.

But the most memorable thing I remember is being one of over a dozen Security and Police Officers assigned to keep people out of the planned demolition of The Old Barn.



All through night before the planned demolition I and about 17 other Security and Police Officers ran off over 80 people and arrested a few who were trying to get in to grab a piece of the "Dome" before it was imploded.  I was assigned to work with a Police Sergeant who spent most of his time sitting in his patrol car while I wound up chasing people who were trying to skivy under, climb over and in one case cut through the safety fence.  That guy got himself cuffed and the transport van picked him up.  He had wire cutters, bolt cutters, a prybar, wrecking bar and a small sledge hammer in his sack.

Thirty minutes before the blast, Several of us, with demolition workers walked the property to ensure it safe.  While the Demolition guys also checked their firing wires.  We couldn't use any radio's, so I wound up pulling a wire reel with an old Sound powered phone hooked up, that I need to rewind after we were done.

Ten minutes before the blast we were told to pull back away from the fenceline and to get behind "Blast Walls" of some type of heavy fabric, while keeping an eye out for anyone foolish enough or stupid enough to try to get in.

Then it was called out to put on our earmuffs or cover our ears.

I thought I was ready for what was coming.

I was wrong.

The first explosion I felt deep inside my chest.  Louder than any fireworks display.  It was actually painful.  and the explosions just kept on coming. 

And then it was over.

In less than 90 seconds, something I had spent many hours in as a kid and young adult, was gone.  A pile of rubble on the ground.

And despite being behind a "Blast Wall" I was covered in dust.  I was kicking myself for not using the face mask that was offered because I was too stupid that I wanted to be able to smoke a cigarette.

Forty five minutes after the blast my shift was over, and I was sent home because I couldn't go to another post being covered in the dust and detritus of the implosion.

I was sad for the rest of the day.

A part of my history growing up was gone.

Memories of watching The Blues and The Steamers with my dad and older brother.  Watching several concerts there with my older brother and my cousins.

That place was no longer there.

Today there is an office park and a hotel where the Dome used to be.

And that is kinda sad.