Mr. Baldwin Has a Good Day

[David Alaniz]

Wayne,

Do you remember Motorsports Issue September 1973......It cost a whopping .40 cents. How could a guy afford something like that. But I found something worth reading. Enjoy....hope the scan comes out good.

[jrome]

I thought Wayne And I were the only ones to still have a copy of Motorsport mag. Glad to know we have more pack rats like us around. Wayne and I had alot of fun with Harry Echols The Owner of the Mag. Thanks David. Joe Rome

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I do remember that well David. Everything was running good, we had a good break or two and we must have also been cheating because no one else had a Butts Aerowing. I won eight out of eight that day against the Texas guys....& that's tough.

I'm not one for giving speeches, but I had to go up to the judges stand after that race to accept the Joe Bowdler Trophy and talk about it. It was the second one I won. I have both of them in my boat racing/music room.

You have scanned more than 40 cents worth David.

[tthibodaux]

14T? would that have been Louis Williams?

[jrome]

Tim, That is louis Williams.I started going to the races with Louis in 1961. Louis was one of the best runabout drivers in A and B class I ever saw drive them. I never saw Louis blow a boat over or flip a boat unless two boat hit. He use to drive hydros but Louis told me one day at Baytown if he ever wanted to drive one again to chain him to a tree untill he came back to his right mind.

[tthibodaux]

Tim < That is louis Williams.I started going to the races with Louis in 1961. Louis was one of the best runabout drivers in A and B class I ever saw drive them. I never saw Louis blow a boat over or flip a boat unless two boat hit. He use to drive hydros but Louis told me one day at Baytown if he ever wanted to drive one again to chain him to a tree untill he came back to his right mind.

I always thought Louis was the coolest guy at the races! I only met him back in about 1995 or so but he was so calm and laid back all the time. I remember how cool it was in Alex about 97 or so he had a new Zorkin runabout and I was racing with the Nunez clan. Anyway, "Digger" as Jerry Nunez called him came down and borrowed a super E motor that I built for Nunez so he would have an extra class to run that weekend. He went out to test it and I had the motor to high on the boat and it wouldn't get on plane. After several attempts Nunez said "bring the damn thing over here and let us look at it" . Turned out Louis had turned it up so hard it spit a rod out.

Louis owned the funeral homes here in town for years. I'm very proud to say I got to know him.

One more thing!! Louis always told me after that I could be cremated when my time comes for 400 bucks to pay for the cost of the motor! !!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

That sounds like Louis Tim. When I saw your first post I told Joe, "You need to answer this. Tim is too young to have known Louis!" I eat my words Tim.

[geodavid]

I had to get in here too. Great article Wayne. Remarkable how many pack rats are out here. The man could do more in a runabout than anyone. Known for his dry wit and trademark droopy pants. You see pictures here of him in the 1960's, 70's, 80's and 90's. he always looked the same. I am proud to say that I am one of many who got his butt kicked by Louis. I used to like to get as close to him as possible while racing. You knew you could trust the guy. Had a great race with him the year we ran Alex in August. It was really, really hot. We went at it for the whole race and Louis passed me on the last turn of the last lap to win the race. Props to you Louis.
Hope to meet you Tim.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Louis was a great one for sarcasm as you well know Alan. Here is a story that may have been told on a thread some time back, but maybe not. This is his dry wit approach as he saved the life of a person he didn't know.

Louis was on the road one time, probably on his way to a boat race, and he came upon the scene of an accident. The mortician in him compelled him to pull over and go to the scene. The highway patrol had already covered up the person when Louis took a look. He told the highway patrol "That's not a body. I know a body when I see one!" Closer investigation revealed that the person really wasn't dead and so was immediately loaded into an ambulance and hauled in.

As far as getting close....Louis liked to do that too. He used to get up beside me close enough to rub chines. That was when I first started and still drove runabouts. He tried to intimidate me....and he did. I forgot if there is a Louis Williams thread in the encyclopedia. If not, there should be. Joe and I have enough pictures and stories to fill the "W's".

[88workcar]

I don't recall the rest of these guys but by all means I remember Artie Lund