1946 … Sinatra fever brings on the “flu”

The spotlight is on Frank Sinatra once again. He would have turned 100 this year and when I read about all the hoopla being planned in his honor it brought back this memory.

In 1946 Frank Sinatra, “The Voice”, was fast becoming a teen age idol. At every appearance he would be swamped by screaming teenaged girls who were called “Bobby Soxers” because of their attire … poodle skirts and socks rolled down to the ankles. My 17 year old sister Barbara fit the description perfectly.

We were living in the Boston suburbs then and when Barbara and her friends read that Frank was going to perform there they were in a frenzy. They couldn't possibly miss this opportunity to see him but it was a one day “gig” in the middle of a school week.

What to do? 

Strangely, on the day of Frank’s appearance over a third of the females in the senior class of our small High School were home “sick”. It must have been a 24 hr flu because all the girls were back in school the next day ... complete with forged excuse notes. The Principal was at a loss and, being a nice man and a little overwhelmed, he just decided to let it drop.

It would have ended there except for one thing. That day's edition of the Boston Globe ran a front page review of his show… complete with a picture taken from the stage. It showed the back of Frank crooning into a microphone and his adoring fans, including Barbara, in the front row cheering him on ! Ouch, busted in black and white. !!