Jeff Merlin Niagara Falls, New York

[Ron Hill]

You probably can't read Jeff'S HANDWRITTEN letter. Jeff probably doesn't e-mail but must read the APBA Propeller Magazine as he knew Ted May had died.

Here is part of what Jeff wrote me: "It was sad to read of Ted May's passing. He was one of the most unforgettable characters that I have ever met in my life. He added zest and fun to racing and life in general.

I met Ted, you and Ernie Dawe in Guntersville, Alabama in 1961, and again in 1962, and in '63 in Boston. I had followed your career from the 1956 Cambridge, Maryland Nationals in "Boat Sport". I saw you in Worchester, Massachesetts, 1957 Nationals, but was too shy to introduce myself. Everyone loved your little "A" Morehouse (I'd been on the Mickey Mouse Club Newsreel about 12 times that year.) I saw you again in Beloit, Wisconsin, 1960.

Ted and you offered ME HELP between heats in Guntersville, '61 as I was running 2 & 3. That was the beginning of a life long friendship.

I'll never forget the race that Ted, Val Sneed (Ernie's future brother-in-law) and Mike (Squaw Man) Wetmore and I made to Sparks, Nevada, 1963, during my FAMOUS month and a half stay at your parent's house waiting for the Needles Marathon. This after an over night stay at my house by Bill Boyes and yourself on the way home from the Boston Nationals.

Mike Wetmore and I left your Garden Grove home in search of Ted May. We found him and Val borrowing boats and equipment to load on Ted's big trailer towed by Ted's '55 T-Bird. Ted thought it would be better for us to take MIke '61 Impala, so we borrowed more equipment and off the four of us went.

We arrived in Sparks early evening and hit the casinos until 6 A.M., ate breakfast and went racing. We raced 15 classes between the four of us. After we packed up, we hit the casinos again before heading to Edwards Arm Force Base as Ted wanted us to see Chuck Yeager and his rocket plane. Finally, we had to pull over and sleep for a few hours. Ted paid all the espenses but kept all the prize money. We got the trophies. I left Garden Grove with $14 dollars and got back with $8.00, A TROPHY, AND A LIFE TIME OF MEORIES."

MORE LATER...

[SS 201]

I know Jeff quite well, saw him at Buffalo three years ago. He was a champion driver himself. His Dad and I were very close friends, a fine person. Always watched them, at Pop Schroeders shop working on his boat. They were on the go every weekend.