Alpine Racer

(Wild Mouse)

After the demise of the Big Dipper, there was huge whole at Playland.... NO ROLLER COASTER!  The Chutes  and the Big Dipper were gone. Playland needed a new thrill ride!

George Whitney Jr came up with the answer.  In the mid-50's the German made Wild Mouse (Wild Maus in German) rides were all the rage. George Jr purchased one directly from Germany and had it shipped to San Francisco. It arrived in 1959. It was situated on the corner of Fulton and La Playa in the footprint of the Big Dipper. A mear 1/4 of the size of the Big Dipper, the Alpine Racer provided about half the thrills..... but it was new and it was a coaster!  

In 1968 the Alpine Racer was moved to the Corner of  Balboa and the Great Highway, where it stayed until the Demolition of Playland in 1972. 

At Auction, ButterField and Butterfield (the Auction house Company) didn't auction off the Alpine Racer cars, but they did try to auction off the entire ride... Even with a starting Bid of $100, there weer no takers.  The Ride was completely destroyed.

There's always confusion on the name of the ride... It was a WILD MOUSE TYPE Coaster, but called the Alpine Racer. Santa Cruz had almost the same ride, but it actually was called the Wild Mouse.