Fact Checking the Shepherd

Okay okay...this isn't hard-hitting news and is far from being a prime example of Shepherd Express faults, but what I just read stood out like such a sore thumb I couldn't help but comment.

The Shepherd's 10-27 cover story, Haunted Milwaukee, seemed like it would be an interesting read. The first "ghost story" claims that the Eagles Ballroom/Rave is haunted by, perhaps, Buddy Holly's ghost. Why Buddy Holly? Well, according to the story...

Buddy Holly played his last gig on Jan. 23, 1959, at what is now the
Rave/Eagles Club (2401 W. Wisconsin Ave., 342-7283) before flying to Clear Lake,
Iowa, for a scheduled show. Holly died when his plane crashed en route.

Aside from the supernatural theme to the story, it's pretty interesting that Buddy Holly, along with Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, played their last shows right here in Milwaukee. There's only one problem: They didn't.

As soon as I read that line I questioned the veracity of the statement. I'd always heard their last show was in Iowa. Sure enough, a quick Google search brings up this timeline from About.com, indicating that not only did Holly and gang die after a show in Clear Lake, IA, but it was in February, not January. You know that just from the song American Pie!

Cripes almighty...how about a little research!

Note: The Shepherd corrected this error at the end of their Letters section in the following week's issue. Nevertheless, such an easily verifiable piece of information (and something key to the entire story) should have been checked before the story went to print.