A Dodgy Day for the Beatles, 2.0, the rest of the story

Following the Beatles amazing concert at Dodger Stadium, the security plan was for the them to exit through the center field gate. There was a mix-up and as they rushed off stage and into the limousine and proceeded out of the stadium the gates opened and hundreds of fans surged toward the car. Jack said, “we were told to run along side the car, which we did. When they opened the gates, the limo couldn’t get out because a bus and 2 cars were blocking the way. Then about 1,000 kids swarmed in and all around the car! The Beatles looked really scared. Finally one limo was able to back up and they closed the gates.”

The Beatles rushed down to the locker rooms and prepared for a long wait. Jack explained, “The Beatles just sat down and began opening Pepsi’s. They handed each of us one before they had one. Every time they’d pull out a cigarette they’d offer us one first, and when we declined, they lit their own. They were really friendly!”

Jim went on, “Before long the conversation drifted to devious plots to help the Beatles escape. Everyone kept repeating the idea that a helicopter would have been the smart thing, but George wanted to leave in the armored truck and just slowly force their way through the crowd. This, however, was impossible since the crowd outside was bigger now and because someone had let all the air out of the trucks four tires with the driver inside!”

“We were alone with them for an hour and 45 minutes,” Jack said, “because their road managers were busy on the phones to the police trying to figure out how to get the Beatles out. The entire time they were talkative and asked us lots of questions. John asked me about my family and I told him that I was married and had a 2 year old son. He asked what it was like to have a child and I told him how great it was to watch him learn to talk and to watch him grow. I asked each of them for their autograph on the back of a security firm invoice and they all signed it, but then John wrote ‘Best Wishes, Jeff’ for my son. Then they all signed the back of our itinerary for me to keep. I gave the autograph framed with the picture of me with the Beatles to my son, Jeff, for his graduation present from medical school. I framed the other for my other son, Cote, beside the cover of their butcher shop album (The album Yesterday and Today which came out with the cover with headless dolls and became known as the ‘butcher shop’ album and was quickly pulled from record shelves).”

Jack told them how he had worked at Disneyland in high school and John and Paul wanted to know what it was like to work there. “How are the birds out there?” John asked Jack, “Chicks ya know?” Jack told him there were some really cute girls. John also asked Jack what it was like to date in high school in California. John told him he thought he was lucky because he didn’t have to wear all kinds or coats and sweaters. He said when he used to date he couldn’t get close to a girl “because we had so many coats on!”

“After an hour and 45 minutes someone came down and told us arrangements had been made for the Beatles get-away. The guards around the stadium had passed around a rumor that a girl had fainted. An ambulance pulled in down by the first aid station and the Beatles climbed in and laid on the floor. Then the ambulance left without lights or sirens,” Jack said. “before they left they all said good-bye and thanks.” Jack gave John his name badge, which read MOSES from his uniform and John ran over to Ringo and said, “Look at this, Ringo! You can bet I’ll wear this, thanks!” Jim gave his name badge to Paul that read CHRIST. John gave his black ace comb to Jack and I have it in my memory box to this day. Can I prove it was John’s comb? Not really, but it will stay in my special memory box and be the closest thing to getting to meet the Beatles as I will have!

So, for 48 years Jack never knew what happened with his name tag. Did John wear it like he said he would? That’s the magic of bringing the past into the present, via the internet, and in September of 2014 I get an email from Jim Mullahy who had the answer to Jack’s question.

It turns out, John did wear the name badge and was photographed with it on his lapel the next night when the Beatles played Candlestick Park in San Francisco. When someone asked him about what the Moses badge meant, John replied “I’ve been demoted.”
It was such a thrill for me to send this picture (out of the blue – 48 years later) to my brother. He had it framed with the autographs (which were signed in pencil) and it gives him a reminder every time he goes into his home office/guest room about his magical time with the Beatles. . .

back in the day.