Georgia Hardstark

Joanne's father, Les, goes down to the concourse to look for the girls, thinking they're probably playing somewhere between the seats in the bathroom, but he doesn't see them. He asks a woman to go in the ladies' room to call for the girls. They're not in there. And about 12,000 people have come to the game that day.

Joanne's father, Les, goes down to the concourse to look for the girls, thinking they're probably playing somewhere between the seats in the bathroom, but he doesn't see them. He asks a woman to go in the ladies' room to call for the girls. They're not in there. And about 12,000 people have come to the game that day.

But also, the stadium always opens the gates during the last quarter, so people from the general public who don't have tickets can enter for free and just watch the end of the game. And because it's a close match, a lot of people show up that day. And the beginning of the fourth quarter sees a huge, like, chaotic influx of people in and around the stadium.

But also, the stadium always opens the gates during the last quarter, so people from the general public who don't have tickets can enter for free and just watch the end of the game. And because it's a close match, a lot of people show up that day. And the beginning of the fourth quarter sees a huge, like, chaotic influx of people in and around the stadium.

Like, we went to that football game, soccer game in England. It's chaotic.

Like, we went to that football game, soccer game in England. It's chaotic.

Yeah. Like, being a little kid there, just, yeah. So even though the girls haven't been missing for very long, they're both very responsible and trustworthy. So the adults are already alarmed and springing into action. And this is actually kind of rare for the 1970s, right? Completely. They'd be like in trouble and angry at them or just not even know that they were gone for that long.

Yeah. Like, being a little kid there, just, yeah. So even though the girls haven't been missing for very long, they're both very responsible and trustworthy. So the adults are already alarmed and springing into action. And this is actually kind of rare for the 1970s, right? Completely. They'd be like in trouble and angry at them or just not even know that they were gone for that long.

20 minutes and they're worried.

20 minutes and they're worried.

So that's great. Yeah. So frantic Kathleen, who is 11 year old Joanne's mom, she goes to an office in the stadium and immediately is like, can you make an announcement for the girls to come back to their seat? And the administrator overseeing the match refuses, saying the stadium has a policy against making mid game announcements because it could disrupt the game.

So that's great. Yeah. So frantic Kathleen, who is 11 year old Joanne's mom, she goes to an office in the stadium and immediately is like, can you make an announcement for the girls to come back to their seat? And the administrator overseeing the match refuses, saying the stadium has a policy against making mid game announcements because it could disrupt the game.

He recommends she talk to the police and sends her off. Although right back in his office, hanging out with him is a police officer. He doesn't even bother.

He recommends she talk to the police and sends her off. Although right back in his office, hanging out with him is a police officer. He doesn't even bother.

Yeah. Like that's how flippant he was. Go back to your seat. I'm sure I'm sure they'll show up. Yeah. Right there. The Radcliffs and Grandma Rita spend the rest of the game looking for the girls. When the game ends at about 4.45, they return to the office and ask again that an announcement be made. This time, the administrator makes the announcement.

Yeah. Like that's how flippant he was. Go back to your seat. I'm sure I'm sure they'll show up. Yeah. Right there. The Radcliffs and Grandma Rita spend the rest of the game looking for the girls. When the game ends at about 4.45, they return to the office and ask again that an announcement be made. This time, the administrator makes the announcement.

He says over the PA system, quote, Joanne Radcliffe in Adelaide Oval, come back to your mother and father. End quote. Like no details. Not only is this wording of the announcement super unhelpful, at this point, everyone is leaving the stadium in mass. And so all the noise from that completely drowns out the announcement. There's no emergency to it either. Right.

He says over the PA system, quote, Joanne Radcliffe in Adelaide Oval, come back to your mother and father. End quote. Like no details. Not only is this wording of the announcement super unhelpful, at this point, everyone is leaving the stadium in mass. And so all the noise from that completely drowns out the announcement. There's no emergency to it either. Right.

Did you ever get an announcement called at the grocery store on you by your mom?

Did you ever get an announcement called at the grocery store on you by your mom?