Frank Hrubetz Hi-Ball Carnival Ride
The Hi-Ball ride, first built in 1948, was a Frank Hrubetz design. Frank worked for Jack Eyerly (Eyerly Aircraft) designing rides until he ventured off on his own with his Hrubetz Manufacturing Company, also out of Salem, Oregon, in the 1930’s with his famous “Spitfire” ride, which turned out to be a rousing success.
The idea of a telescoping ride wasn’t new; there had been a ride called the “Swirl Swing” at Coney Island as early as 1905. What made this ride unique was that the operator controlled the speed of the ride, making the tubs swing straight out past 10 R.P.M. while the center pole telescoped, raising the ride to 52 feet. Loading on a single trailer and selling initially for $13,500, it was affordable and served as a high ride for the smaller shows. One would think this piece would have been a popular ride on every midway, but for some reason,n few were ever built. Perhaps it was the inherent design flaws that plagued the ride that saw operators climbing to the top of the piece with a crowbar on many occasions, to persuade the ride, which had a tendency to get stuck at the top, to descend. On more than one occasion, the local fire department had to be called out with their ladder truck to unload the ride.
The Royal American Shows operated one until C.J. Sedalmayer himself, while strolling down the midway, was almost struck by a falling piece while the ride was in operation. He ordered the ride torn down immediately, and it was never used again and promptly sold.
The last known Hi-Ball operated on Buster Westbrook’s show in Chicago in the 1970’s.
