U-Matic

Piston Parade #1 1990
6-18-90

U-Matic S tape containing footage from the parade along Woodward Avenue for the Detroit Pistons on June 18, 1990, following their 1990 National Basketball Association's World Championship victory. The footage from that day is continued on tape 2015.008.229 with the post-parade rally.

The tape begins with a series of shots of fans waiting behind barricades along Woodward Avenue in the vicinity of the Fisher Freeway overpass, in advance of the parade. Many fans wear Pistons shirts, and some hold home-made signs. The camera gets a shot of the Fox Theatre marquee message, "Congratulations Detroit Pistons from Little Caesars," as well as a giant inflatable basketball directly across Woodward decorated to read "Little Caesars Congratulates Pistons." The marquee for Club Land in the State Theatre promotes a Pistons Victory Party on June 22nd. A WXYZ-TV crew is also shown filming fans.

After a brief cut, the Ann Arbor Trail Middle School marching band performs on Woodward Avenue in front of the Fox Theatre. The camera weaves between marching band members, cheerleaders, and color guard members as they perform.

Next, Sundiata Keita and a group of hand drummers perform along with several dancers just north of the Fox Theatre.

Brief clips follow of mounted police officers, and Bill Laimbeer stepping off a charter bus at the start of the route, fans waiting in front of St. John's Episcopal Church, and of a group of convertibles and floats waiting on the parade route. During the shot of the mount police officers horse, a smudge appears on the lens that remains through the rest of this tape, and much of the next.

Next the members of Cody High School's marching band and cheerleader squad turn from East Fisher Service Drive, onto Woodward Avenue, where they head south. They are followed by a pick-up truck with a sign on its rear gate that reads, "Portland got Pist-On!"

Following another cut, a flying saucer-shaped float passes, carrying Pistons announcer George Blaha. It is followed by another float consisting of a platform containing large toy blocks, carrying William Bedford and team doctor Dr. Ben Paolucci.

The Drummer Boys of Mason Elementary School follow behind the float, along with their cheer and color guard squads. They pause to perform a routine.

Following another cut, a float decorated with oversized school supplies passes the camera. Mark Aquire, David Greenwood, and public relations director Matt Dobek ride on this float.

The Isiserettes of Harracci Court, a group of young cheerleaders and dancers, are shown marching past next. They are followed by a high school marching band and cheer group from Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Hills.

Following a cut, another float passes, this one carrying John Sally, and decorated to include a globe and a small platform at the rear. The float is followed by someone in a Big Head Corps-style costume of Dennis Rodman, and by a caravan of convertibles and Indian Trails charter buses.

The White Lake Junior High marching band and color guard march behind the buses.

The camera then cuts to another float, this one featuring small folding chairs atop a blue platform. Dennis Rodman, James Edwards, and Bill Laimbeer ride past on it. The camera crew manages to get the attention of Laimbeer who spins around in his seat to wave to the camera.

A giant boom box-shaped float passes next. M.C. Hammer's "U Can't Touch This" emanates from the float, and both Jack McClosky and Mike Adbenour are perched aboard it.

The camera then cuts to the final float, which features tiered seating. Among the people riding on this float are Vinnie Johnson, Chuck Daly, Isiah Thomas, and Joe Dumars.

The Big Red Marching Machine from Port Huron is then shown briefly, performing "Louie Louie." They are followed by Sundiata Keita, several other hand drummers, and several dancers.

Next, a minivan precedes a marching band and cheerleader squad from Kettering High School. As they pass, the camera rotates around to show fans marching along the parade route beside the final float, as police cars try to force them back onto the sidewalk. The camera proceeds south along Woodward along with the fans into Grand Circus Park. Here the camera catches Dumars gesturing to the crowd with three fingers--in anticipation of a third championship in 1991.

The camera pans past more fans along Woodward Avenue, as it reaches the Merchants Row area. Here the Dennis Rodman Big Head character is accompanies by similar likenesses of Joe Dumars and Bill Laimbeer.

More fans are filmed along the edges of Cadillac Square, and further shots follow of both the Big Red Machine and the Kettering Marching Band.

After a cut, the camera is then positioned in Hart Plaza's amphitheater where WJLB radio personality John Mason warms up the crowd with chants. M.C. Hammer's "U Can't Touch This" begins to play over the loudspeakers and cheers erupt from the crowd. The Drummer Boys of Mason Elementary School are then shown playing along to the song from the floor of the amphitheater, then doing an original routine. The recording ends during their routine after several more shots of the crowd.

The recording is on a 3M UCA 30S U-Matic S tape with a handwritten 3M label on its top, marked "Piston Parade #1 1990, 6-18-90." The tape is housed within a black plastic latching case with a matching label on its cover.