Anton love thread time!

Thanks to Dave "Rideman" Althoff, I was just reminded that today is Anton Schwarzkopf's birthday...

Known mostly for his SUPREME creations in steel coasters, he also left quite a legacy in flat rides as well.

Schwarzkopf....no matter HOW you spell it, it always means FUN!

And now, my personal top five Anton coaster creations:
Shockwave, SFoT
Mindbender, SFoG
Flywheel launches at KBF and SFAW
Whizzer, SFGAm

Honorable mentions to the Wildcats, Dorney's Laser, Hershey's SDL, *my* Scorpion, and the twins at SFAW and Frontier City. Anton's genius, IMO, is AT LEAST as responsible for the rollercoaster boom of today as the John Allen creations that get so much credit...

Quick note to any parks "storing" Anton creations...take a clue from SFKK, they can STILL draw a crowd and thrill your guests, but only if they're OPERATING...:)

These rides have held up well and kept their smoothness over time.

Anton Schwartzkopf is the reason we have many of the newer designs we enjoy riding today.

And in celebration of his birthday a few of my favorites:

Mindbender at SFoG - just shouts CLASSIC!, I've loved it since I was a kid (which was a LONG time ago)

Scorpion at Busch Gardens Tampa - great ride and tons of fun for everyone

Montezooma's Revenge at Knott's - what else can I say, perfectly maintained flywheel launch at its finest

Wildcat at Williams Grove - rusty, dirty and who knows what else but its FUN!

Have Fun!

George

I love about any Schwarzkopf ride I've ever ridden, The Bayrne Curve, Calyspos's and coasters, They were all forceful for their time :)

Chuck

Gotta get on this one. Not only fun, but sights to behold!

To modify a line from the 1994 classic, Airheads:

Who'd win in a fight between Schwarzkopf and God?

Trick question - Schwarzkopf is God!

(humor, not blasphemy - don't get on my case about it :) )

I do dig the Schwarzkopf's. Laser Loop at KW was my first loop. I love taking first timers on Wildcat at CP - they're never ready for the little punch this 'tame' ride delivers. Dorney's Laser still has some of the most powerful positive G's of any coaster I've had the pleasure of sampling.

I've yet to meet a Schwarzkopf I didn't like. (ok, Revolution at SFMM, but that's an OTSR issue)

Imagine my shame when I misread the topic line thinking it was about me. I was happy for a minute....considering it was from gator too. Fine time I did something about this dyslexia. :)

Anyway, my favorite schwarz...definitely Doppel Looping. I think if they remove the horrendous OTRS from Revolution and Zonga, they would be wonders too.

My personal favorites are Shockwave (SFoT), WILDCAT (Bell's; now travelling), Zambezi Zinger (WoF), Whizzer (SFGAm), and Silver Bullet (Frontier City); all for sentimental reasons as well as coaster excellency!
Go Anton!

Scott

edit: clarity AND... I forgot to mention Jumbo Jet (Coney's) *** Edited 7/8/2004 7:23:14 PM UTC by Zingo!***

^Totally agree with Antuan about Rev and Zonga.

Anton was a twisted genius, way before his time. In todays age of forceless wonders, it's great to have a majority of his masterpieces still running in their original condition as he intended them to be. Never met a Swartz I didn't absolutely love, each one is an amazing piece of machinery and art melded together, with mind blowing G's and heavenly ejector air thrown in the mix to guarantee his coasters would be timeless and never get old no matter how many times you ride them.

Even his Speedracer and Jumbo Jet family coasters were sights to behold, and a blast to ride. There is perhaps no other coaster designer in history that has pushed the limits of human endurance as far as Anton did, and his figure 8 loop proved he would have done even more if it were even possible. Happy Birthday Anton you sick MF! (from a diehard lifelong fanboy!).

And Happy Birthday to you too Gator!

I'm always happy to take part in an Anton love thread!

Sooperdooperlooper - My first looper back in 1979.
King Kobra - First shuttle in 1979 or 1980
Wildcat (CP) - First rode in 1997; still providing that stomach-in-throat feeling today
Mind Bender (SFoG) - My #3 steel, first ridden in 2000
Viper (SFoG) - Rode once in 2000; first time on a Schwarzkopf shuttle since the Kobra left PKD
Shockwave - First rode in 2002; killer forces in the second loop
Greezed Lightnin' (SFKK) - Rode after SRM 2003; much more hangtime than when it was in GA!

How come there's never a TOGO love thread?

There's gotta be some peeps who love (or love to hate) TOGO's.

The move to NC has put me a few hours closer to Mindbender and I swear I can hear it calling my name now...

I need a weekend in Atlanta soon! :)

Thank you Anton for providing the inspiration for today's creations. As for his actual creations though, I've yet to meet one that impresses me *that* much.

Guess I'm just the "anti-enthusiast" around here - likes impulse coasters, doesn't mind a little (key word - little) headbanging and doesn't like Antons ... oh well, gotta have one in every crowd right? ;)

My first two "big" (i.e. Non Kiddie) coaster: Glissade and die Wildkatze at Busch Gardens: The Olde Country in or around 1976 (maybe 1977)

My first inversion: sooperdooperlooper in either 1977 or 1978.

I've never met an Anton I didn't like. Almost every one I've ridden also has some special personal meaning.

*SFMM's Mountain Express was my first Wildcat and CP's version my Dad and I rode on our first coaster trip.

*Revolution was my first vertical loop and the first time I remember experiencing strong stomach-crunching negative-g's. My first ride was with my older brother, Mike.

*Montezooma was my first launched coaster but more importantly it's tied to a very specific and special memory involving my Dad.

*PGA's Whizzer was my first Speed Racer [or, Extended Jumbo Jet if you prefer] and the last coaster my entire extended family [aunts, uncles, and grandparents] rode together.

*SFGAm's Whizzer? Well let's just say the prediction by Tina in this thread says it all.

And the others? They're all special in their own way.

Happy Birthday, Anton!

Ha! I always thought, even as a kid riding PGA's long gone Whizzer, that this would be the perfect coaster for a bit of . . . ??? And with a 3:30 minute ride, pleny of time to . . . ;o)

*** Edited 7/8/2004 8:17:56 PM UTC by jomo***

Alas, though I had seen many more when I was a kid, the only Anton I've ridden(boy that sounds kinda nasty...Shut up mOOSH!) is the one that travels to the West Virginia State fair. It does have a special meaning, though. Its the only traveling coaster I've been on(well, with the exception of like Borg Assimilater;)).

LOL Jomo! The prediction I was referring to was Tina's "met his match" comment, not fooling around on Whizzer.

Tekno - shutting up ;)

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DawgByte II said:
How come there's never a TOGO love thread?

There's gotta be some peeps who love (or love to hate) TOGO's.

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I don't love the TOGO's I've ridden, but I don't hate them either.

Off the top of my head I think I have three under my belt.

1. ME at NYNY - I actually liked this. I'm not sure I've seen anybody say that. Not a top notch coaster, but if (when?) I get back to Vegas, I'd pony up the $$$ to ride again.

2. Viper at SFGAdv - Powerful, not rough. I've had worse banging on many other coasters. Not a great ride, but a strong one. Worth a lap every time I'm in Jersey.

3. Shockwave at PKD - I don't think I had any headbanging on this. The restraints had me laughing at their ridiculous nature. Nothing noteworthy at all, but not a bad ride. I'd ride again if I was at PKD.

As you can see, I'm pretty indifferent on the TOGO's I've done. I'll ride them, but I don't long for them - and I didn't find any horrible or unbearable.

Back to the Anton love (insert that Sammy Sosa hand thing here)

Wow! I was just thinking about posting an Anton love thread when I saw this...weird.

Anyway, Anton rules!