Tuesday, December 15, 2015

the Billy Goat Acres Mob, Time Magazine "events of 1952."

46 comments:

  1. Awesome!
    Now Jesse, your mission, do a "where are they now" follow up.

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    1. That isn't, hasn't been, and won't be my mission... I really don't have time to do anything more than find this stuff. Normally. It's rare, and very enjoyable, to find out more about stuff, but I seriously spend about 12 hours a day finding content for the blog when I don't have photos from a car show to share. Plus my day job that pays the bills... and that leaves about 4 hours to sleep. Which is why I make so many mistakes

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    2. Finally have enough info to try! See todays post

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  2. We want to know we're was Billy Goat Acres back then in Bakersfield. Cute story. It would be fun to know what happened to them. Thanks for the picture n story.

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    1. I agree, and you're welcome!

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    2. I just read an article on the Internet. A man mentioned that " Billy Goat Acres " is a name for FORD CITY just on the outskirts of Bakersfield

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    3. see today's post!

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    4. Ford City is by Taft CA

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  3. And thank you Jesse for your contributions and dedication! Your content is just amazing!
    Keep up the great work!!
    Hopefully, someone following you will see this and have more info on the story.

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    1. thank you! I hope to learn something, because a lot of people on Facebook have been asking the same thing, who were the Billy Goat Acres Mob, and where are they now

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    2. 27 months later it finally happened! See today's post!

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  4. I've heard this story a lot over the years from my grandfather. I could add more to it but that would just disappoint him

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    1. how would he be disappointed?

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    2. Who is your grandpa I know all the boys it that picture

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  5. The 8 year old is my uncle Ted

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    1. WOW!
      He had one hell of a crazy fun childhood!
      Can I talk to him? I'd love to hear the story from him!

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  6. Hi, The names of the six boys were Howard-The Driver, Jack,Steve Bales,Joe Bales,Dale and Roy Bales and their dog Butch. Ted was a good friend but was said not to have gone with them that night but was with them on other escapades. Steve was my brother in law and told me the story many times I told them they should make a movie about their story.

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    1. that would be a lot of fun to watch!

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  7. Ford City is part of Taft.Could the boys be from Valley Acres.

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  8. Roy Bales was my grandfather. Ive heard this story a million times as well...

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    1. I bet the version you heard was more fun than this one that the reporters stated... I've been surprised to see any relatives find this post, and now you make the 3rd person related to the boys... that's pretty cool too!
      When your grandfather told you this story, what did he say about how his brothers handled getting the driving assigned? With that many boys, did they naturally have one kid that was the leader - type, who they deferred to as the driver, or was it whoever could reach the pedals? Did they have a goal, a reason to steal the cars, or were they off on adventures?

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    2. Hi Ashley Roy was only 8 years old that night, the youngest of the group
      They were all so lucky to have lived through that. Roy and his dog butch

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    3. Howard was the driver because he was taller then Steven and said he knew how to drive. The three oldest went to jail for boys for what they had done.

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    4. Oh I wish someone would write this up as a full story, even make a movie about it

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  9. This gang is my cousins, they grew up and had families.

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    1. Cool! They sure made a great story happen, do they ever talk about it? I would love to see this story made into a tv show or movie.

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    2. Before my grandpa Steve died, he was writing a book..

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    3. would that book's location be unknown, or known?

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    4. I have a copy of what my Uncle Steve started.

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    5. Will you be sharing it by publishing it? Or copying it? Or putting it on a website, facebook page, or somewhere online where people can read it? There is a LOT of interest as indicated by the number of people reading along on just my blog

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    6. Let me try and fight out how to post the file online and if you're okay with it I'll add it in one of these comment boxes.

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    7. I already know it won't work in the comments section. Just email me directly, jbohjkl@yahoo.com and I'll make a new post, add it to this or the other more complete post. Your choice. https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2018/02/this-amazing-crazy-true-story-of-billy.html to read the rest!

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  10. Would anyone like to here more of this story maybe I could find old papers of it, I will look

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  11. Me to. I think we all would.

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  12. I found the story that Steven wrote before he passed away. He was the oldest of the group at 13 and I guess he was the one who started the story that night. Because of a problem at home he decided to run away from home. His two young Brothers Joe & Roy not to be left out went with him. The other boys Howard, Jack and Dale all seen them and just had to joined in on the fun. They went from Billy goat acres in a stolen car out of Bakersfield. This car broke down after flat tires. Then then stole a car in the mountains only to run out of gas in Mohave. They then stole another car and drove to New Hall where the were all stopped by the police who shot into the car not knowing they were all just kids that were to scared to stop. I will try to post his story it is a good read. Location of Billy Goat Acres was just 2 miles outside Bakersfield. It is now called "South Gate".

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    1. Thank you Carl! This comment was misdirected to my Spam folder, which only happens once every other week or so, and that's out of my control. I have no clue why any comment is directed to the spam folder, but I try to look in it once a week to see what's in their by accident. So, my apologies for this comment not getting posted right away! But since you've now helped out with the real story about what happened that night I can finally make a new post about this event!
      I sure do appreciate your info!

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  13. Join Billy Goat Acres on Face Book here is the link

    https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=billy%20goat%20acres

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    1. that's not a link. That is a "search function" on facebook. I read URL pretty well, and ".com/search/top/?" means go to that site and see what results occur.
      Umm, if you have a page for the Billy Goat Acres, cool. I'd love to see it, but, so far, there isn't one.

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    2. maybe I'm just not understanding why you are saying that anyone can "Joing Billy Goat Acres" on facebook. Since there is no Billy Goat Acres facebook page, what you say about a page for Billy Goat Acres makes no sense. Perhaps you meant to say something else, something about reading what I've posted here, but reading it on Facebook.
      That doesn't make any sense either, as I've already posted all there is to read about the boys. I've posted what you've said, I've posted what the Life and Time magazines said, and I've posted what the letter to the editor said.
      I'll post anything else written about them too.
      But there's nothing on facebook about them that you're trying to direct me to that I can understand your reason to get me to look at.

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  14. Does anyone know who the police officer was, in this story? Any idea if he was in trouble for shooting-up the car, and if he continued in law enforcement?

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    1. No one has ever asked, or mentioned him.

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  15. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Jpx615Cv9n5yRGoN7

    Here is a newspaper clipping from back then with the officers names in it.

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    1. thank you! The computer I'm currently on has a firewall that blocks me from seeing that website, but I'll try to remember to look that up at home on my laptop. Thanks!

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  16. Steve Bales was my grandfather.

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  17. By the way, there is a lot of follow up at https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2018/02/this-amazing-crazy-true-story-of-billy.html

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