Veteran Italian Market Festival greased pole climber: ‘It’s like running with the bulls’

  • 📰 PhillyInquirer
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 38 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 18%
  • Publisher: 68%

Philadelphia-Italian-Market-Festival-Pole-Climbing News

United States United States Latest News,United States United States Headlines

“People have come up to me years later and said ‘Do you remember me?’ and I say ‘Yes, I remember you. I stood on your shoulders. You’re a beast.’”

Frank Longo Sr., with his son, Frankie Longo Jr., at the pole in the Italian Market. Longo Sr., who won the greased pole competition three times in the 90s, offers his memories, tips, and insight ahead of this year's Italian Market Festival, in which his son, Longo Jr., will attempt to climb the greased pole.Frankie Longo was on top of the world in 1997 — or at least on top of the tallest, greasiest free-standing pole in South Philadelphia.

“That’s when my inquisitiveness began,” he said. “When you have uncles and cousins doing it, it influences you to do it, but we never thought it would take off.” “Originally, it’s a bunch of friends but once people start climbing, other people start helping,” Longo said. “You start with five friends and 25 acquaintances and you leave with 30 friends.”“Everyone is Italian at the pole — Black, white, Puerto Rican — because a hand is a hand,” Longo said. “People have come up to me years later and said, ‘Do you remember me?’ and I say ‘Yes, I remember you. I stood on your shoulders. You’re a beast.

Today, climbing the pole comes with a few caveats. Participants must be at least 18, sign a waiver, and take a breathalyzer.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 81. in US

United States United States Latest News, United States United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

South 9th Street Italian Market Festival returns, with international cuisine, shopping, and greased pole climbingHere's the schedule, vendors, road closures and parking info for the S. 9th Street Italian Market Festival.
Source: PhillyDailyNews - 🏆 89. / 67 Read more »

Chart Veteran Who Predicted Bitcoin’s 2018 Collapse Says the Bull Market May Be OverOmkar Godbole is a Co-Managing Editor on CoinDesk's Markets team.
Source: CoinDesk - 🏆 291. / 63 Read more »

Market veteran Howard Marks says Fed is ‘not going back' to ultra-low ratesThat means credit can provide a “very solid foundation” to an investment portfolio, the Oaktree Capital Management co-founder told CNBC.
Source: nbcchicago - 🏆 545. / 51 Read more »

Market veteran Howard Marks says Fed is ‘not going back' to ultra-low ratesThat means credit can provide a “very solid foundation” to an investment portfolio, the Oaktree Capital Management co-founder told CNBC.
Source: NBCLA - 🏆 319. / 59 Read more »

Market veteran Howard Marks says Fed is 'not going back' to ultra-low ratesThat means credit can provide a 'very solid foundation' to an investment portfolio, the Oaktree Capital Management co-founder told CNBC.
Source: CNBC - 🏆 12. / 72 Read more »