Gene Duffy

Do you know how I could locate people that worked at the park during August 1967? I was at the park and was shot by one of the cowboys. I was taken to Melrose Wakefield hospital. I spent a few months in the hospital and never knew the guy that shot me.

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I think the exact date was August 16 1967. I was on a trip to the park with the little league from Burlington Mass. I was in the wild west section of the park talking with one of the cowboys. He was young, could have been early twenties. After bugging him for a bit asking him to shoot me to my amazement he did. I remember the shot and the smoke. I took a few steps back , turned and went through the doors of the saloon. At that point I fell over. Lots of people were applauding. The next thing I remember was the cowboy picking me up. He tried to stop the bleeding , he put me over his shoulder and ran with me to the medical trailer. After that day I never had any contact with anyone from Pleasure Island. When I recovered the park was pretty much closed down. If I could reach the fellow that shot me just to let him know every thing turned out fine. I have no bad feelings towards him. It was an accident nothing more.

Geneduffy@aol.com

Answer from Bill Valentine...

I think a guy by the name of Dan Corey shot you. Dan was a stunt man and cowboy actor. I think Dan came from the west coast (Hollywood maybe). As I recall, Dan lost his job immediately for firing his blank-loaded pistol at a you at close range. (A blank round has wax or cardboard wadding to keep the gunpowder in the shell. When fired, in addition to the hot gasses coming from the barrel, the wadding becomes a projectile and can cause injury at close range.)

As I recall, previous to the gun incident, Dan injured his ankle by stepping in a woodchuck hole. He was a cowboy on crutches for a while. I haven't seen Dan since that incident in '67 and have no idea where he is? Maybe he's at the OK Corral or on Boot Hill?

k1wv@yahoo.com