tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post2407785792077449572..comments2024-03-18T20:46:10.605-07:00Comments on WILD ABOUT HARRY: The Pickleman punchJohn Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-1358118315220234562014-09-01T19:25:09.726-07:002014-09-01T19:25:09.726-07:00Thank you for commenting Steve. Maybe you can show...Thank you for commenting Steve. Maybe you can show the family this post and let them know it wasn't your grandfather's doing after all.John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-75882812675876619762014-09-01T18:32:27.677-07:002014-09-01T18:32:27.677-07:00You are correct John. I am Jerry's grandson an...You are correct John. I am Jerry's grandson and the family to this day believed that my grandfather was responsible for Houdini's injury.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18327766952418067208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-61089108847946970212014-05-15T08:18:24.455-07:002014-05-15T08:18:24.455-07:00Good point, Patrick. The needle through his cheek ...Good point, Patrick. The needle through his cheek certainly would have been enough to impress the students.John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-25433648949666901922014-05-14T20:01:21.183-07:002014-05-14T20:01:21.183-07:00If you buy the Pickleman punch, the idea that Houd...If you buy the Pickleman punch, the idea that Houdini's appendix was already diseased is seriously compromised. I don't think that anyone suffering a diseased appendix would allow someone to punch him in the stomach. I'm speaking as an appendicitis survivor.Patrick Cullitonhttp://www.houdinisghost.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-35504825124795980612014-05-08T17:48:49.206-07:002014-05-08T17:48:49.206-07:00Pretty damn close. Here is the exact description:...Pretty damn close. Here is the exact description:<br />he must have been at least six foot two – wearing a blue gabardine coat that seemed much too small for him, and carrying three or four books under his arm. The newcomer appeared to have known Houdini and had, in fact, come that day to return a book Houdini had loaned him a few days before; his name was Whitehead, and he was the theological Joe M. Notarohttp://harryhoudinicircumstantialevidence.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-81320080984204456842014-05-08T13:16:35.903-07:002014-05-08T13:16:35.903-07:00Is that the exact description from Smiley, Joe?Is that the exact description from Smiley, Joe?John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-65286833260576737902014-05-08T12:43:20.510-07:002014-05-08T12:43:20.510-07:00He definitely fits Smiley’s description of a rathe...He definitely fits Smiley’s description of a rather tall individual, at least six foot two, oldish young man about 27 or 28 [he actually was 30 almost 31], face ruddy, his hair very thin on top, his frame powerful though loosely-knit, and a neck that was inordinately long. Joe M. Notarohttp://harryhoudinicircumstantialevidence.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-64180911998468612462014-05-08T10:32:29.381-07:002014-05-08T10:32:29.381-07:00Thanks, Patrick. Makes more sense now. And perhaps...Thanks, Patrick. Makes more sense now. And perhaps even more info about Pickleman will rise to the surface as a result of John's piece.Tom Intervalhttp://www.intervalmagic.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-6366747315197769492014-05-08T10:25:16.285-07:002014-05-08T10:25:16.285-07:00My main doubt centered around Bell being the only ...My main doubt centered around Bell being the only source (apparently the only person to speak to Cohen, Hausner, and Pickleman's widow), but I see your and Patrick's points. Houdini obviously did these punch tests more often than once known, and the Pickleman punch was just another demo—a nonevent. That would explain why Houdini wouldn't have mentioned it to Bess, or if he did, why Tom Intervalhttp://www.intervalmagic.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-91973259881232926012014-05-07T13:07:47.958-07:002014-05-07T13:07:47.958-07:00Check out Bell on page 245-246 and chapter 13. In ...Check out Bell on page 245-246 and chapter 13. In the chapter 13, A Brother Found, Bell does not give the first name of Gordon’s brother to protect the family. Bell makes reference to a younger brother Gordon on page 90, but on page 91 we find out that Gordon was really the older brother by 8 years, which coincides with Gordon and Wally’s birthdates In fact Gordon was the oldest of the family andJoe M. Notarohttp://harryhoudinicircumstantialevidence.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-9331795884301868032014-05-07T09:42:41.575-07:002014-05-07T09:42:41.575-07:00You did indeed and what a terrific find! Sorry I o...You did indeed and what a terrific find! Sorry I omitted you in my thanks in the update. Update updated. :)John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-60334949844521346212014-05-06T22:15:49.018-07:002014-05-06T22:15:49.018-07:00This is only for houdinisghost. You all would not...This is only for houdinisghost. You all would not be doing any of this on this thread had we not given out the tip about the yearbooks having pictures and being online. It comes from our deep down research and knowledge.<br /><br />Respectfully<br />Dorothy and DickDorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookzhttp://houdini.org/houdinimurdered.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-18496839968272348372014-05-06T18:38:54.791-07:002014-05-06T18:38:54.791-07:00Thats him. He looks older...thinning hair and I s...Thats him. He looks older...thinning hair and I see a resemblance with photo of the older Whitehead in the bookstore.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-1166046370335205292014-05-06T18:18:30.042-07:002014-05-06T18:18:30.042-07:00Yes. Older, tall, with thinning hair. Look at Smil...Yes. Older, tall, with thinning hair. Look at <a href="http://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2011/08/eyewitness-smileys-sketch.html" rel="nofollow">Smiley's sketch</a>. That's why I like <a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-pCPvpoe4Ltc/U2lcK2FN5oI/AAAAAAAAXhs/71ON-T-91KQ/s201/whitehead%253F.jpg" rel="nofollow">this guy</a>.John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-44971688115380434852014-05-06T18:11:16.166-07:002014-05-06T18:11:16.166-07:00I think Smilovitz said Whitehead had thinning hair...I think Smilovitz said Whitehead had thinning hair. Can we match him forensically with the one known photo?Patrick Cullitonhttp://www.houdinisghost.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-16283768285385423892014-05-06T18:05:08.733-07:002014-05-06T18:05:08.733-07:00I don't think WG is our Whitehead. He looks to...I don't think WG is our Whitehead. He looks too young to me (Whitehead was 30-31). There is a photo that has JG among a large group, but we don't know which one he is. That's as close as we've come at the moment.John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-69497012723134068382014-05-06T17:56:02.274-07:002014-05-06T17:56:02.274-07:00Im confused....is the photo of WG Whitehead THE Wh...Im confused....is the photo of WG Whitehead THE Whitehead? If not...... Is there a photo of J G Whitehead in any if these yearbooks??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-5968433585035094632014-05-06T17:52:55.318-07:002014-05-06T17:52:55.318-07:00Yes. He was a boxer and Bell did write about him. ...Yes. He was a boxer and Bell did write about him. But, Houdini told Collins and Rosenblatt and maybe others that the Whitehead punch earlier that day was the first time a blow like that had ever hurt him. So, we know he was a "punch me in the stomach" guy. The only time it ever hurt him was when he tried it lying on his back.Patrick Cullitonhttp://www.houdinisghost.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-54787306449658741752014-05-06T17:43:03.475-07:002014-05-06T17:43:03.475-07:00Also, some reporters did investigate the punch eno...Also, some reporters did investigate the punch enough to get a denial from William Tait that anything had happened at the lecture. So that suggests that at least some reporters had heard something about this. But I think that denial was were most "investigations" ended. They weren't as obsessed with this as we are. :)John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-24721083176518295932014-05-06T17:33:47.296-07:002014-05-06T17:33:47.296-07:00This Nusselman thing is new to me. That wasn't...This Nusselman thing is new to me. That wasn't in Bell, was it?John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-42091571080410824342014-05-06T17:31:09.222-07:002014-05-06T17:31:09.222-07:00I think the Pickleman punch was probably a pretty ...I think the Pickleman punch was probably a pretty typical thing in Houdini's world. He met a group of students before a lecture. Put a needle through his cheek and let a student punch him. The punch didn't injure him, so it's not really legally or medically applicable to what happened later. Bess wasn't there. There were no reporters there. And he could have done this ALL the timeJohn Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-14702524566547589372014-05-06T17:30:57.741-07:002014-05-06T17:30:57.741-07:00Because when Houdini took the Pickleman punch, it ...Because when Houdini took the Pickleman punch, it had no physical effect on him. Houdini had incredibly strong abbs. It was just a stunt. A stunt he had performed more than once--we know that. He'd been a boxer. I am surprised that Pickleman never figured out that he wasn't the deliverer of the death blow. The dressing room story was very common going all the way back. Maybe he thought Patrick Cullitonhttp://www.houdinisghost.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-35402602750689655962014-05-06T17:03:44.818-07:002014-05-06T17:03:44.818-07:00Yes, we have anecdotes and memories based on Bell&...Yes, we have anecdotes and memories based on Bell's research, but I have to ask: Why didn't even one news reporter of the day uncover the Pickleman punch? And why wasn't Pickleman mentioned in any affidavits? And why didn't Bess or anyone associated with Houdini ever mention Pickleman to anyone in the years following Houdini's death? Am I missing something? I just haven't Tom Intervalhttp://www.intervalmagic.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-33233740460620887252014-05-06T16:20:10.806-07:002014-05-06T16:20:10.806-07:00Go through the whole yearbook for 1928 or 1929. Th...Go through the whole yearbook for 1928 or 1929. There were definitely women at some part of the school. One of those years, violins were included in the Banjo and Mandolin Club (any ukeleles?) and at some point the club played a local theatre for a week. Pickleman was in the club.<br />Patrick Cullitonhttp://www.houdinisghost.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-54475318322418144542014-05-06T16:09:28.191-07:002014-05-06T16:09:28.191-07:00BTW, was McGill an all-male school? Or was this ju...BTW, was McGill an all-male school? Or was this just typical of Universities at the time. I see no women anywhere.John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.com