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Here us the first photo, and it is a race at Highlands, Texas in 1974. The Highlands race course on the San Jacinto River is more commonly called the "Baytown" race because the Baytown Boat Clube is about 100 yards in a stright perpendicular line behind Tommy's Gentex life jacket. Baytown is a close nearby city where out of town races stay.
Tommy has grit on his expression like he was fixing to start that D Konig, but as you can see he has more than a full wrap like he is trying pump water out. I need to ask him next time I see him why he had to do that. I don't see anyone plugging the holes with fingers to help get water out. This was Tommy's final year of racing, having recovered from a bone breaking wreck at Hot Springs the past summer. He was testing when some cruiser showed up with a big wake and suddenly no place to go with the spped up. It was his first race after having bought, rigged out and tested his new Butts Aerowing. It was also his first Konig motor....a D!
Tommy broke 18 ribs and had a punctured lung. They brought him into the same hospital Jerry Waldman was taken to the previous year. They left him for awhile in his wet clothes in 68 degree temperature and he thought besides having a hard time to breathe, he might freeze to death. The same nurse that was there when Jerry Waldman was brought in was the same one that received Tommy. Tommy said she was very indignant and unlike any nurse he had ever had to be around before. She said to him "What's the matter with you people?" Then proceeded to lecture him on doing things that are dangerous and can kill you.
Tommy came back the next year, but only ran at Baytown and at my Dad's house only about 10 miles from where he lives now.
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