Friday, September 26, 2014

More Donruss Bubblegum Cards, 1965


Happy Friday! This seems like a good day to die. NO WAIT, that's from some movie (maybe with Clint Eastwood?)! What I was trying to say is that today seems like a good day to continue looking at the set of Donruss bubblegum cards from a 1965 set of 66 cards (65 plus "one to grow on"?) - all to celebrate Disneyland's tenth anniversary.

Card #41: Aboard brightly canopied launches, Disneyland visitors become explorers on Jungle Cruise.

(I guess it was just too hard to write THE Jungle Cruise? Did the printer charge by the word?)


Card #42: King Arthur's Carousel in Disneyland is America's largest carousel.

(If this was true - even in 1965 - I don't believe that I had ever heard that factoid before)


Card #43: An aerial view of the Rivers of America in Disneyland.


Card #44: Guests thrill to climax of Disneyland bobsled ride as sleds race to a splashing halt in Glacier Lake.

(The fact that "Glacier Lake" is capitalized leads me to believe that the little pond actually bears this name - another bit of trivia that I'm not sure I was ever aware of)


Card #45: Western Mine Train departs for tour of Nature's Wonderland at Disneyland.

(Couldn't they use a nice adjective? How about an exciting tour of Nature's Wonderland? Or beautiful? Or chunky?)


Card #46: Golden Horseshoe Revue is staged serial times daily in this ornate frontier "Saloon" at Disneyland.


Twenty cards to go, homies!

9 comments:

  1. Major-

    I think Donruss was from the Jack Webb school of talking: 'Just the facts, m'am-!'

    And as for the 10th anniversary of Disneyland... make that the Tencennial-! Please, Major. I hear tell Walt was rather proud of that word.

    Thanks, Major.

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  2. Chuck5:18 AM

    Really nice collection of images today, Major. I mean, REALLY nice.

    It's always nice to see a picture of the Golden Horseshoe from back when Disneyland was a bit more promiscuous with its cola offerings.

    The aerial shot of the Rivers of America is a real gem and just screams activity (you should try that at work - it's very liberating). Cascade Peak and Fort Wilderness lovingly gaze upon each other in all their glory, and every form of river transportation except the keelboats is visible. I especially like the two canoes exchanging broadsides at the south end of Tom Sawyer Island. On TSI, Castle Rock, the suspension bridge, Tom's Treehouse, the fishing pen, and the Old Mill (in its original location) are all visible. If the image resolution was a little better, I'm sure we'd be able to see Teeter-Totter and Merry-go-round Rocks, too.

    I'd never noticed that the northeast blockhouse of Fort Wilderness is 45° off from its three sisters. I wonder why? Probably some sort of feng shui thing. I would love to be seven years old again, manning its parapets with that view of the Columbia and Cascade Peak with mountain goats prancing on her snow-dusted brow...with a Nikon F, a full compliment of Nikkor lenses and a 250-exposure back loaded with fresh, delicious Kodakchrome.

    Great way to start the day, Major! Thanks!

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  3. Pegleg Pete5:59 AM

    That aerial shot of the ROA is really quite something! Thanks for sharing.

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  4. As the old Klingon proverb goes, "It is a good day to die, but I still have two B-tickets and I haven't ridden Mike Fink's Keel Boats yet."

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  5. I'm with Chuck and Pegleg Pete. That ROA card is amazing! I think I can even see the Pack Mules passing Cascade Peak on the backside (maybe?).

    And not only was there a "Glacier Lake" but there was also "Glacier Grotto" via the Skyway, one of six spectacular new attractions that made up Disneyland '59.

    Thanks, Major.

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  6. "Glacier Lake" sounds about right as a name for that little pond since "Glacier Grotto" was the official name for the bare, un-themed interior of the Matterhorn that the skyway passed through.

    Great photos Major and your commentary is always half the fun.

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  7. Donruss must have been averse to adjectives. Myself, I prefer "minty" or "spiky" when stuck for a good descriptor.

    Love that aerial view of the ROA! Wish we had a high-res version.

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  8. Nanook, you're right… I haven't mentioned the probably-made-up word "tencennial" since the first Donruss post. It's time!

    Yeah, I do love aerial views in general… I only wish it was a larger photo, or clearer. Bubblegum card resolution leaves much to be desired! That's interesting about the corner blockhouse, I can only assume that the design of the fort was based on a real example. Those Imagineers did their research! Like you, I wish I could go back in time with a really good camera and shoot 20 rolls of transparency film!

    Pegleg Pete, you're welcome!

    Melissa, I have heard that the next Star Trek movie has Klingons coming to earth to visit Disneyland. As usual, there will be a time-travel element, so they get to meet Walt Disney.

    Tom Simpson, I'm glad you liked these!

    K. Martinez, yep, I see the Pack Mules too. I had forgotten about "Glacier Grotto" - it would follow that the lake would bear a similar name.

    Dave Meek, you mean Glacier Grotto had nothing to look at except the empty interior? I thought they might have at least added some white stalactites.

    Tom, it is odd, since there is plenty of room for more detailed descriptions. I like "crunchy" myself!

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