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Thread: Hey, An Easy One, What's In A Name?

  1. 07-23-2003 09:44 PM #1
    Dick Ralstin
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    Wink Hey, An Easy One, What's In A Name?

    If someone asks a question about Mario, you know immediately he asking about Andretti. A.J., why that's Foyt of course, Al get an Unser answer, as does Bobby. Gordie is who else but Johncock.

    Aw, but wait, suppose someone asks about Elbert or A.B. what do you say then. Maybe someone inquires about what year Michelli won the Indianapolis 500, what do you say.

    And of course someone will always be asking what ever happened to Dennis or Erwin or maybe Melivin, could you answer their questions???????

    We talk about all of them almost every day, but who are they?
    Dick Ralstin www.dickralstin.com

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  2. 07-23-2003 10:08 PM #2
    KnockOff
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    Dick, sometimes you make me glad I'm not so old.


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  3. 07-24-2003 12:30 AM #3
    calinoff
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    Dick just a wild guess...Dennis "Duke" Nalon...& Melvin Hansen..
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  4. 07-24-2003 12:51 AM #4
    SteveE
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    Melvin

    Bud Tinglestad, was Melvin Joseph Tingelstad
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  5. 07-24-2003 01:32 AM #5
    ensign14
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    Michelli = Kelly Petillo?
    "An emphasis was placed on drivers with road racing backgrounds which meant drivers from open wheel, oval track racing were at a disadvantage. That led Tony George to create the IRL." -Indy Review 1996
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  6. 07-24-2003 04:41 AM #6
    grogg
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    What about Melvin "Tony" Bettenhausen?
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  7. 07-24-2003 07:22 AM #7
    beyondnascar
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    great Dick, as always you bring so much color to this forum!
    I was sitting in the bathtub thing of racing, as I usually do, and I got to thinking of the name Rick Muther, and how the newbies pronounced his name.......... well imagine if he used the nickname "Rich" instead of Rick. Then all his life he would have been a "Rich Mutha" if pronounced like the newbies!


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  8. 07-24-2003 09:42 AM #8
    Dick Ralstin
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    Hey Children,

    Not bad, not bad at all; Grogg is right on with Tony Bellenhausen, Ensign 14 nailed Kelly Petillo and Calinoff hit my old friend The Duke Nalon right on the nose.

    Now come on how about Erwin, A.B. and Elbert ---- they are all humans too, and pretty fair country race drivers.
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  9. 07-24-2003 10:26 AM #9
    Eagle104
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    Hello Ralstin.

    Is Elbert = Babe Stapp?
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  10. 07-24-2003 01:54 PM #10
    Dick Ralstin
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    Smile

    Hey Eagle,

    Good to see you back among the living, is the computer up and running again?
    You are 100 percent correct, Elbert is none other than the ex-mayor of Salt Lake City, King of the Salt Flats for a few years and Sleve Stapps daddy, than the Babe himself.

    People forget the Babe ran 12 times at the Speedway between 1927 and 1940, finished in the top 10 twice and becme a member of the Champion 100 Mile An Hour Club in 1939.

    Any ideas about Erwin or A.B. now. Erwin only ran at the Speedway one time, but he sure brought one **** of a reputation to that one appearence.

    A.B. made the big show 12 times with a best effort a fourth place finish.

    No more hints, it's up to you guys now.
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  11. 07-24-2003 02:37 PM #11
    Shadow101
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    Dick, I'm going to offer two names for Erwin, though neither are probably correct: George Amick or Larry "Crash" Crockett.

    Both only had one 500 start, and did rather well. Crash was something of an icon, according to a story in Clint Brawner's Indy 500 Mechanic bio.

    Thanks for the great brain teasers!
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  12. 07-24-2003 05:39 PM #12
    calinoff
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    Great one Mr. Ralstin...Getting away from the Indy drivers for a moment, we who were associated with the midgets & sprints BF (Before wings), will remember how we would refer to a driver by a cretain monicker. "Lover Boy" was and will always be Ernie Mc Coy...No one ever used his full name, we called him "Jud" (Larson)..."Jiggs" was what we called him, very seldom Fred Peters....And when USAC came east to run with us...I used to help "TAT' change tires, to me there was no Bob Tallersall.

    By the way MR. R...who are the "children" here...certainly not you and I...combined we are over 150 years old...and that is conservative !

    Thanks again...C
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  13. 07-24-2003 05:59 PM #13
    Dick Ralstin
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    Hey Shadow & Calinoff,

    Shadow I can't give you much for suggesting George Amick or Larry Crockett, neither are listed among my "Erwin" listings. As another hint, which I said I wouldn't do, my "Erwin" is older than either of your suggestions,

    As for you Calinoff, well what can I say --- you had better come up with about 72 of those 150 years!

    If we ever get into the sprinters and midgets for names, did you ever hear Scratch Daniels called by another handle? Or how about Spider Webb ?

    As for Jud, well there was ,and always will be only one Larson in my life. Never have a met any person who was more fun to be around. June 11, 1966 was one of the saddest days in my life.
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  14. 07-24-2003 06:22 PM #14
    calinoff
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    Dick..I can come up with more than 72 of those years LOL LOL My son Mike (right in front of me) once told Dick Trickle (great guy) that my Social Security # only had four digit's.

    It was not easy changing stone wheels during a pit stop.
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  15. 07-24-2003 06:33 PM #15
    calinoff
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    I believe that Scratch Daniel's name was Jerry or was that Richert. Both in IMCA from Minn.

    Hooker who ???

    And did any one close to the sport ever call him anything but "Ralphie The Racer"...

    The burning question is..who is the REAL King ? Kinser or Petty.

    And all the "Wild Bill's"...Cummings..Schindler (also Bronco) Morrissey and Randall.


    No one ever called Leonard Stephans anything but "Gig"
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  16. 07-24-2003 06:42 PM #16
    indyrjc
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    How about Erwin "Cannonball" Baker who was one of the most well known names in racing circles for decades? He was also the first Commisioner of NASCAR for Bill France and worked for NASCAR until his death in 1960. Remember Cannonball the next time you see Mike Helton holding the same type of job today.

    Then there was A.B. "Deacon" Litz who drove in the 500 in both the 1920s and 30s.

    Are we getting warm now, Dick???
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  17. 07-24-2003 07:44 PM #17
    Dick Ralstin
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    Thumbs up

    Hey Indyrjc,

    Schools out you, you nailed them both. Cannonball Baker's only stop at the Speedway during his illustrious career was for the 1922 classic.

    As for the Deacon of Litz, he ran the Speedway from 1928 until 1941 and had his best finish in, 4th, in 1934.

    Nice going Indyrjc, class dismissed.
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  18. 07-24-2003 09:25 PM #18
    Lucky161
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    a couple of answers
    Dennis Firestone
    Hooker Hood

    a question

    Al Farmer
    Some people will do nearly anything in order to be able to not do anything.
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  19. 07-24-2003 09:45 PM #19
    Littleman
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    Al "Cotton" Farmer
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  20. 07-24-2003 10:01 PM #20
    Shadow101
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    Unfortunately I don't have near the seat time that Dick and Calinoff have! I need to bone up on my racing history prior to the early 50's!

    Keep 'em coming.
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  21. 07-25-2003 02:11 AM #21
    SteveE
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    Larry Crockett

    His real first name was Larret
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  22. 07-25-2003 02:46 PM #22
    tnindyman
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    Who does the name "Merrill" belong to? I met this guy several years ago. I laughed when he told me he drove at INDY, but checked it out and, sure enough, he did. Even drove a really "famous" car.

    Tom Eidemiller
    Knoxville TN
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  23. 07-25-2003 05:23 PM #23
    Dick Ralstin
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    Hey Tindyman.

    Merrill (Doc) Williams drove four times at Indianapolis between 1936 and 1948.
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  24. 07-26-2003 01:03 PM #24
    calinoff
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    He took time for the 500 over 50 years ago, and did not make the field. However he was one of the great "big car" drivers of his era...Who was the "BLACK CAT" ?
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  25. 07-28-2003 08:52 PM #25
    indyrjc
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    Califnoff, this is just a guess but might Buzz Barton be who you are looking for?
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  26. 07-29-2003 03:16 AM #26
    calinoff
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    Sorry for the late response..I think there are a few here who saw him drive....he was also a pretty good stock car driver and like Marshall Teague drove a Hudson Hornet......Frank Luptow
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