By RODNEY HART

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

The Fourth of July without fireworks?

"It would be un-American," says Dave "Chickenman" Comer of the Quincy Gems, which has fireworks after three homes games this week.

Skies will be lighting up as usual this weekend in Quincy and Hannibal, Mo., but many communities across the country have been forced to scrap July Fourth fireworks for economic reasons. Fireworks displays have been canceled in Hialeah, Fla., San Jose, Calif., Mesa, Ariz., Colorado Springs, Colo., and Parma, Ohio.

National Tom Sawyer Days co-Chairman Kevin Knickerbocker says the Hannibal Jaycees have organized Fourth of July fireworks shows since before the festival started in 1946.

"It's a Jaycees tradition," Knickerbocker says. "But it has become a lot more difficult. You have licensing and qualifications and many things to deal with you didn't have before."

This year's Hannibal fireworks, which will be shot off Lover's Leap at nightfall Saturday, will cost about $15,000. Knickerbockers says National Tom Sawyer Days organizers estimate they will be about $2,000 short of paying for the show, but he hopes proceeds from this weekend's events and donations taken Saturday night will take care of the deficit.

"We are short of our goal, but we are committed to putting them on," he said.

Volunteers get special training and obtain permits to do the fireworks, saving money on labor and other costs. A volunteer will carry a bucket Saturday night for donations.

"We'll be asking for any kind of donation, whether it's 50 cents or $5," Knickerbocker said. "If you appreciate our show, drop something in the bucket."

The Quincy Gems had fireworks after Thursday night's game, and fireworks are scheduled for tonight and Saturday night. Each display costs about $5,000, and Comer says local businesses have been generous with sponsorships.

Comer says the 25-minute shows, which start after the Gems games are finished, attract several thousand people.

"A lot of people aren't baseball fans, but they'll come out to watch the game and watch the fireworks," Comer said. "At $4 a ticket and just $1 for kids, it's cheap entertainment."

The Gems even have a contract with the Prospect League to make sure they have home games on Fourth of July weekend.

"Our sponsors want to give back to the community," Comer said. "We are trying to keep everybody at home as much as possible."

Fireworks are also planned on the Quincy riverfront Saturday, along with the traditional Quincy Park Band concert in Clat Adams Park before nightfall.

When budget woes hit cities, quality-of-life services such as holiday festivals and parades are usually the first to go, said Christiana McFarland, a National League of Cities researcher. Fireworks shows in big cities will go on as usual, but small and midsize cities are where shows are being canceled or scaled back as municipalities' tax revenue dries up with the slowing economy and falling home prices.

Some fireworks companies have reported that business is off about 10 percent from last year, said Julie L. Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association, an industry group.

Funding from corporate sponsorships also has fizzled as businesses deal with economic problems of their own.

Fortunately, not in Quincy or Hannibal.

"It's apple pie, baseball, and they should add fireworks to that," Comer said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

-- rhart@whig.com/221-3370