There is something about an old trophy that just screams history. Every one has a story behind it, maybe it was years of effort for that one shining momment, or maybe they just "got lucky" that day. The one thing they seem to all have in common is they are a very personal thing. They seem to hold little meaning for anyone but those that actually went for it and won. Most are thrown out eventually or relegated to the attic to gather dust. I started the thread with my 1955 B/SP Record Holder Trophy from the very first NHRA Nat's held in Great Bend KS. It was won by a driver from here in Enid, Ralph Richter, driving a new Porsche. But Ralph was the only fellow that it meant anything to I suppose because i bought it at his estate sale. I had someone say to me, "man, it would have been cool if it was a top eliminator trophy or somethin like that". Yea, maybe, but not to Ralph, on a stormy weekend on the prairies of Kansas in 1955. This was HIS win, HIS day to shine. It's in good hands Mr. Richter, and I'll find someone to take care of it when it's time. So what bits of history are in your care...
Man, I had this great old trophy from, if I remember correctly, "The Drag-A-Way Dayton, Ohio" It was the coolest thing until one day, like a total moron, I decided to give it a quick dusting. Not realizing there was some kind of solvent on the rag I erased the lettering in the first swipe. I coulda hung myself!!
This summer I was at the local trophy shop getting some work done and the owner took me down into the basement. Tons of old trophies from every type of event. The owner gave me a box of trophies from Hawai from the mid 1950's. Cool wood designs, Tiki heads, palm trees, coco nuts. Mostly golf stuff. Turns out I went to high school with the daughter of the guy that won them all. She and I have talked since and they mean nothing to her. I have given some away to friends but there are a few that I will keep for along time. Truely an art form. My wife thinks I'm crazy. Gary
This hits home to me, but not as to support your thoughts about how much the trophy meant to the guy who won it. I'll try and get some pics, but my dad has probably 30+ trophies just thrown in boxes out in an old shed behind his house. He has a couple in the house, and a couple in his garage, but all the rest of them are just tossed in that damn shed. I had asked him probably 10 years ago if I could have them or buy them so I could put them in my shop just to display....NOPE!. He actually has put a lock on the door to that shed, and I think it is to keep my ass out!!! My mom knows that I am trying to find his old drag car, that he won these trophies with, or I am going to build a copy of it. I want to do this as my dad taught me a lot about mechanics, working, and racing, he is a lot of what made me who I am. Dad doesn't really think that much of those trophies anymore...to him it was a good time in his life, he is proud of what he was able to accomplish, but they are just trophies....those are his words. So I can understand how soo many trophies end up thrown out...put up for sale at garage/yard sales estate sale etc. Hell if the guy that won them doesn't care why would anybody else? I've told my dad that I think it is awesome that he was able to win as much as he did back then...I even have some pictures of me and one of my sisters that were taken with my dad in "victory lane" on some of the circle tracks he raced on after he quit drag racing. I'm proud of my dad, I wish there was a way he would realise that just because they don't mean too much to him, they mean a lot to me. When and if I do find his old drag car, or I finally get one built, I want to have the trophies to put on disply with the car. I also think it would be cool to have a picture of my dad with the car and trophies....to me that is priceless. So, I do not know why some guys feel that way, I still have all of my trophies, be them from my football years in school to car shows, my years of stock car racing, and they all mean a lot to me. It is something I am proud of...was I the best, hell no, but in my mind I was the best I could be. I just hope that I can get/save those of my dads....I want to preserve that time of his if not for him, but for me as he was my hero then and still is today. In time, I hope one of my kids thinks as much about mine as I do of my fathers...if not that is fine, but I hope I never feel that they are nothing anymore. It is good to know, that others out there think that someones acccomplishments should be respected and honored even if it was to dust of an old trophy found at some yard sale and take it home, put it on a shelf and just think about what that day was like for whomever it was that won.......
gezzzzzzzzzz , ive thrown lots away over the yrs . just junk dust collectors ! threw them away everytime i moved . dont even have this one : just more junk at the time ! ................. steve
Steve, ironic that you signature says"doing my best to preserve the past" LOL Love the picture BTW. I know what you mean though, I tossed a bunch of plaques from my SCCA days awhile back (different life/wife). Some trophies I have given to my grandson.
GVG , i just started my '46 theme last yr . so all the throw aways were way b 4 that . but yes it is a redundant st atement ! ....................... steve
Interesting post. A while back I was visiting a friend in Des Moines, Iowa. While we were talking I noticed a small trophy on his shelf behind some things. He told me that he had towed his dragster with a Model B Ford engine with a Cragar head to Great Bend, Kansas in 1955. He said he lost a rod bearing on the first run with the dragster. So he entered his 40 Ford coupe tow car in F/gas. It had a Merc crank and a lot of goodies. He won the class and this is the trophy. It stands about 5" tall. He said that is the last time he drag raced. He still has parts from the dragster in his collection.
good thread...I'm the "caretaker" of some from around Dallas from about 1955-1964...will try and get some pics down loaded...
here is a some of mine Pomona Drags sept 1950 Pete De philips 111mph Gazelles SCTA high point trophies Bill Yates 4/24/49 109.062 mph Bill Yates 8/28/49 114.21 mph Both won by Bill driving his 40 coupe(photos of which are in one of Don Montgomery,s books)
Mine from Fontana Drag City, 1965 from San Gabriel Drag Strip and this one from the swap meet last weekend at the Petersen Museum, also from San Gabriel
A quick story: My cousin had purchased a very nice Deuce roadster back in 1969.It was memorable in several ways:We went down to pick up the car on his birthday(Sept.14th)and when we returned found out that his dad had a massive heart attack at work that day and died.Kind of put a damper on things. After having the car for awhile he found out that it had some history:It was on the cover of Hot rod magazine in 1958 and had won best in show at the Hartford Autorama the same year.He also found out while trying to contact the original owner/builder that he had died in a plane crash and that he had swapped the Deuce for the airplane. He got in touch with the widow to see if there were any old pictures available and she wound up giving him all the trophies the car had won.A couple of these were solid silver!He used them in a tribute display to the builder at car shows one year. After 10 years he got tired of the car and sold it to a guy in PA and the trophies went with the car.Another friend of mine bought the car several years ago and completely restored it and I believe the trophies are still with the car. As for me I have a few trophies accumulated over the years but there are only two that really mean anything and for wildly varying reasons: One is a trophy that was presented to me by Ilene Roth.The other is a 1st place trophy(plaque actually)I won at a car show held in a "clothing optional"(read nudist)resort.Way too long a story behind that one.
I went to the Great Bend Drags in 1955, The only thing I can remember about any of the cars is a Ford roadster with a Olds had 6 carbs and hauled aSSSSS. The owner or drivers name was Sullivan. So much for for my memory.
Got out of Drag Racing in 1964...Viet Nam. Decided to get back into it, just once more, after 35 years. I built my 63 Tempest and went racing at my local track. Ran 16 weeks, and did just fine...for my last Hurrah...
heres some from a thread I started awhile back http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=388875
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