Michael G wrote:
With entirely too much time on my hands this weekend, I decided to sacrifice an old Mellophone and an old student grade Peashooter Tenor Trombone I have. The result is I have a very playable OTS Alto horn, and being bored, I soldered the bell section from the mellophone on to the remains of the trombone and now have the worlds first and probably last Slide Mellophone.
Actually, the slide mellophone has an ancient and venerable history.
Among the Cahoot people of Central Iowa, the custom was (on the day of the winter equinox) to throw a mellophone as far as possble downwind. Fast runners, carrying brooms, would sweep in the path of the mellophone, the extend the distance of its slide, and to guide it toward the target. This was the origin of the sport of curling.
The Geats of southern Sweden enjoyed releasing their mellophones from the peaks of their rooftops. The instruments then slid to the roof edges, which were tilted up, allowing the instruments to achieve considerable loft and range. A panel of judges would evaluate each mellophone's performance. To ensure fairness, the judges were, of course, always hidden behind a screen.
The great Max "What a Guy" Alphonse, shortgestopft for the Boston Commons, had a special pair of shoes made from mellophones. (The cleats fitted into the lyre holders.) He claimed they helped him run faster. However, during the 1906 Word Series, the Commons lost when Max was tagged out sliding into second after a bloop hit to right field. Perhaps his mellophones (and his hits) should have been doubles, instead of singles.
Gotta go,
Kohl "Shoeless" Cabbage