Karen has Joe's computer tied up and he couldn't wait to get this story out and asked my help. It all started after Joe talked to Bill Boyes earlier about a trip he took to the NOA Nationals at Midland with the DeSilvas. Later today Joe talked with Marshall about it and this is what came to mind after thinking about that race.

Harry Bartolomei was a good set up man and had taken away a straightaway record the Marshall's D runabout held. Those records were falling pretty fast during that time period and so Marshall stayed over for the straighaway records on Monday.

Marshall had done some reworking of his prop and had a setup he felt could bring the record back. On the first run that DeSilva with a Merc hung on it was a beautiful sight as it laid out just perfect on the water. The return leg was very hairy. It was all Dickie Pond could do to keep it on the water, and Marshall was convinced he could not even do that all the way through the traps. But he did. Barely. As if the final bouy was the signal, Dickie and his DeSilva took off like a 747 bound for London.

As it climbed it began to loop around then spit Dickie out. Miraculously the runabout landed upright and made a 90 toward the pits. It was still running at an idle as it came right next to Marshall's pit area. He waded out and shut it off.

After Dickie quit tumbling and took stock of himself, he began to swim toward shore. As he got close he hollered "Marshall....Marshall!" Marshall was worried and thought to himself, "What's the matter with Dickie?" He headed over to him and Dickie stayed down. As quietly and he could and still be heard he said to Marshall, "I've lost my shoes, my pants, and my underwear. Get me something to wear." Joe didn't say whether Marshall got a big grin on his face or not, but his brother-in-law Jerry Pennington had a bathing suit handy that he took to Dickie.