 The rest distraught flew wildly through the hall, smashing into television lights and rafters and drapes. Historian David Petruza writes, they dive-bombed delegates. Men and women shouted, watch your clothes. Some pigeons went for the podium. Convention chairman Sam Rayburn frantically shushed them away. One nearly landed on his glistening bald head. Another headed straight for the blades of a 36-inch pigeon.