Guys: Sorry-it has been a while- As someone who has regularly attended the St.Pats Parade since the late 70s, the WORST year for problems was 1981. Every year since '79 I usually go to 86th Street and work my way back to Midtown over a few hours. in 1981 the drunks were out of control. Some things that stand out in my mind were: a drunken teenage boy put his hand thru a window at the NY Public Library cutting his hand to shreds; In my travels,in the time that I was passing the Metropolitan Museum on 5th Avenue,I witnessed at least 5 fights-the one that stuck out in my mind was two girls just tearing themselves to shreds-this was the last time that you were allowed to sit on the steps at the Met Museum. You did not want to even bump into somebody because of the possibility of problems. Later that night on my way back to Penn Station, outside a Blarney Stone on 33rd Street just east of 7th Av, in front were piled at least 3 drunks in front - obviously thrown out due to intoxication. I remember the problems were so widespread,the City threatened to make the St.Pats Parade a weekend-only event. I also remember that families stopped coming due to the hooliganism. in response starting in 1982 the NYPD and other Police agencies started the crackdown on beer and liquor. You can never stop it all together but you can strictly control it. The long length of the parade was a factor also-8 hours or more back then. I believe it is about 5 hours now. Memories from MACTRAXX
EXPRESS TRAIN TO NEW YORK PENN STATION-NO JAMAICA ON THIS TRAIN-PLEASE STAND CLEAR OF THE CLOSING TRAIN DOORS