A special honor went to retiring Executive Director/CEO Bill Flinn with a ride in a 1936 Packard Phaeton, one of only 10 made in the last year of production. Floral designers chose reds and hot pinks to contrast the silver finish.
by Laura Berthold Monteros
Celebrities are not a big part of the Tournament of Roses Parade. Some float sponsors have celebrity riders, of course, but the Tournament itself generally only has four: Grand Marshal, Rose Bowl Hall of Fame inductees, Pasadena Mayor, and TOR President. The 128th Rose Parade had a whole slew of them, with three Grand Marshals, each in her/his own car, and retiring Executive Director/CEO Bill Flinn followed by his beloved Salvation Army Band added to the usual subjects.
All the cars were decorated by FTD floral designers J. Keith White, AIFD CFD and Peter Samek, AIFD. We wrote up the parade appearances of the Grand Marshals and Pres. Brad Ratliff with his 20 mules with great photos of the people and rides. Check out the photo gallery below for the rest of the 2017 Rose Parade celebrities.
The late Tommy Prothro has the distinction of being one of the few men who played in the only Rose Bowl Game not played in the Rose Bowl Stadium. This year is the 75th anniversary of the 1942 game, which was moved to Durham, N.C. following the attack on Pearl Harbor.
A rare special entry underscored the appreciation the Tournament of Roses has for Bill Flinn. He joined the TOR as Director of Public Relations and over the years advanced through the ranks to Executive Director/CEO. He is credited with bringing the B-2 flyover to the Rose Parade. Flinn led the professional staff that supports the 935 Tournament volunteers and works with the media. He has received many awards and recognitions, including induction into the International Festival and Events Association’s World Hall of Fame.
He has been admitted to the Order of the Founder, The Salvation Army’s highest international recognition for excellence in volunteer service, and is the conductor of the 42 member Pasadena Tabernacle Band. It is fitting that The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band accompanied his journey down the Rose Parade route.
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Car trouble? A Tournament of Roses mechanic and a white suiter step up to the Lincoln carrying the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame Class of 2016 to check out the smoking at the 2017 Rose Parade.
Rose Bowl Hall of Fame inductees rode in 1925 Lincoln Dual Cowl Sports Phaeton owned by The Kidd family, Tired Iron Works in Monrovia, Calif. Bright orange roses, tulips, calla lilies, and other flowers stand out against the black finish.
Hall of Famers and years in the Rose Bowl Game, left to right: lineman Bobby Bell, University of Minnesota (1961 & 1962); representative for athlete and coach Tommy Prothro (player 1942, coach 1957, 1965, 1966); journalist Art Spander, American sports writer who has attended 63 consecutive Rose Bowl Games and covered the last 53 as a journalist; and local hero, USC running back Ricky Ervins, graduate of John Muir High School (1988, 1989, 1990).
Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek rode in a decommissioned 1907 Autocar Bus, built in Hagerstown, Ind. and owned by Vicky Trepanier, Rosemead, Calif.
This is Terry Tornek’s second ride down Colorado Blvd. as Mayor of Pasadena. Riding with him are his wife Maria and their family and friends. The brilliant colors of the botanicals brighten the “plain deal” car.
A special honor went to retiring Executive Director/CEO Bill Flinn with a ride in a 1936 Packard Phaeton, one of only 10 made in the last year of production. Floral designers chose reds and hot pinks to contrast the silver finish.
Bill Flinn was joined by his family, wife Catherine, a registered nurse and perinatal educator at
Huntington Hospital in Pasadena; son Derek Flinn, an Infantry Officer in the United States
Army, 1st Cavalry Division; and daughter and son-in-law Meredith and Shaun Thomas with Madelyn Rose.
Playing stirring marches from hymnody, The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band marched behind TOR Executive Director/CEO Bill Flinn. Flinn is the conductor of the Pasadena Tabernacle Band.
“We believe this is The Salvation Army's 98th consecutive year in the parade,” the press material from the band read. The participation in America’s New Year Celebration goes back so far, no one is sure when it started. The band is under the direction of Bandmaster Kevin Larsson.
Salvation Army bands are primarily brass and drums. The musicians in the Tournament band are among the best and play and march with precision.
Salvation Army women play the distinctive and always well-received timbrels in the 2017 Rose Parade.
Red, blue, and gold flags carry the motto The Salvation Army: “Blood and Fire.” It describes the blood of Jesus shed on the cross and the fire of the Holy Spirit.
