Doug Creech.

Last night while at brother Ron's house getting ready to go to dinner, he showed me an article in the Propeller magazine. Doug Creech had passed away. That was slightly moving, but then I saw it was written by Bud Wiget.

Well, I've probably made fewer than a dozen social phone calls in my life (truly). But I thought about Doug and Bud. Doug was 95 when he died in September. He was 7 days older than my father. Bud's 89.

So I called old Bud today. We talked about a race in 1952 where the three of us ran, plus Donald Eldridge. Don and I had talked about that race about 10 years ago at an APBA annual meeting when Ron (Hill) was inducted into the APBA Honor Squadron.

Bud Wiget (and this is not an eulogy, Bud's still alive) was the ultimate gentleman of boat racing. I told him so. I also told him I was always thrilled to be on the water when he was.

Doug was an amazing competitor. Only raced against him once. He beat me. He was a pilot. Once in a National high point race, he had two sets of equipment and raced one place in the morning and flew to the other and raced again. (Won 'em all).

Of the hundred of guys who raced 50 or more years ago, a few of them still stand out. Doug Creech was and Bud Wiget is two of them.

Also, Maizy (Ethyl) Bud's wife since 1939 is well. I've raced A Alky with her.