it flew. Among those taking notice were the folks at 770 KOB Radio who were looking for a way to promote the 50th anniversary of their station. They asked Sid for help with the idea, and together they brainstormed a plan for Sid and KOB radio to host a balloon race that, with 21 balloons, would be the largest balloon gathering ever held in the United States at the time. A storm in the Midwest prevented the shipment of some of the YNT balloons, but 13 made it. The show, on April 8, 1972, attracted an estimated 10,000-20,000 spectators to the ON FL T launch site on vacant land surrounding the Coronado AL Mall in northeast Albuquerque. In anticipation of a W small attendance, the city police had provided only O: BILL a couple of officers on horseback for crowd control! T That race is now considered the first Albuquerque PHO International Balloon Fiesta. Already Sid was realizing In 1974: Tom Rutherford and Sid Cutter, center and right, the opportunities ballooning would offer up! with Wally Book. Sid went on to host the First World Hot Air Balloon Championship in February of 1973. Thirteen countries were represented by 38 balloons, with non-competing “Fiesta” fun flyers bringing the total number of balloons to 142. 1974 saw another Albuquerque International Sid’s Right Hand, Balloon Fiesta in February. In 1975 (the year of two events) there was a Cloudbouncer Rally held in February, and the Second World Hot Air Balloon Championship Tom Rutherford was held in October with 170 balloons taking to the air in the even-better fall flying weather. In 1972, Albuquerque radio station KOB (now KKOB) wanted to celebrate its golden anniversary in grand style. The stories vary about who at KOB first OIS approached Sid Cutter about bringing his balloon to JE the big event – some say it was the station’s general manager, Dick McKee, and others a young guy doing DEBER UL promotions for the station, Tom Rutherford. A What is certain is that Tom played a large role in O: P T bringing to fruition the balloon rally at Coronado Center PHO which is now known as the first Albuquerque Inter- national Balloon Fiesta. What’s more, the experience changed Tom’s life. He became Sid’s close friend and partner in World Balloon Championships, the company Sid founded to conduct the First World Hot Air Balloon Championships. Over the years, the company evolved into one of the largest corporate balloon operators in the world, and Tom and his then-wife Linda (the Balloon Fiesta’s first Executive Director) became well-known as pilots of the Budweiser balloon. Tom, a lawyer by training, later served 12 years as a New Mexico State Senator and two terms on the Bernalillo County Commission. He became a respected lobbyist in Santa Fe and a tireless advocate for balloon- ing, the Balloon Fiesta, and the Balloon Museum. To the public, as a TV commentator and (with Glen Moyer) event announcer for more than a quarter-century, he was the golden voice of the Balloon Fiesta. Tom retired from active involvement in the event several years ago due to ill health, but remains a fondly-remembered face and force in the Balloon Fiesta’s history. ® 40 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta