Another excerpt from her memoir “Newspaperwoman” (1949) about the Tournament of Roses:
The 1935 tournament was my last big story for the Record before I joined the Herald-Express. Except for the war gap I covered the tourney from 1981 to 1947. In mountain-near night-cold air, the coverage begins long before daybreak Even that early, every second is precious for a p.m. daily.
Pictures, speed-flashed in the dark, must be taken of scores of floats, some of which are still being decorated. With chilled fingers, captions must be written and keyed accurately to plate-holders, which are rushed to the office by copy boys or by motorcycle policemen retained for the day.
Reporters and photographers are responsible for covering arrests, accidents, hospital cases, the celebrities present and their activities and quotes, and a myriad of sidelights, such as bonfire pictures or visitors who have journeyed great distances or by unusual conveyances to be among the 1,500,000 spectators—a huge estimate claimed by civic enthusiasts.
Then there is the miles-long, spokes-spread traffic jam before and after the parade.
Book cover for Aggie Underwood's memoir "Newspaperwoman" which includes a quote from Gene Fowler "What a woman! What a book!"
"In mountain-near night-cold air, the [Tournament of Roses] coverage begins long before daybreak. Even that early, every second is precious for a pm daily. Pictures, speed-flashed in the dark, must be taken of scores of floats," journalist Aggie Underwood. #journalismhistory #RoseParade #Pasadena