If those pictures don't quicken your pulse. Stop here.
OO-L wrote:
Did I ever tell you that one of my dad's first cousins was a Triumph dealer in Beaumont? Not only that, he was a renowned Triumph tuner who set world speed records in some engine displacement classes at the Bonneville Salt Flats. His name was Woody Leone, and his dealership was Leone's Cycle Shop near Lamar University. He's a member of the AMA's Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
He was a straight-laced Nazarene, not a Hell's Angel or a thrill-seeker. His competition was in the science, and the speed was merely the way to keep score. His racing was only against the clock, and it was done under controlled conditions with proper regard for safety. Woody was a dealer for Triumph and several other makes, and his was the oldest Honda dealership in Texas. In his later years, Honda became his main seller. By that time, his son, Woody, Jr., primarily ran the business; and they also had a marine division, selling personal watercraft and boat motors.
But, OO-L failed to mention Dick Hammer. The coalition between who I perceived as a somewhat "wired" rider and Leone, who I perceive as a methodical scientist, must have been very interesting.
Read about The Hammer HERE and HERE.
Email Evolution:
The above information came about because we, OO and I, had gotten into a discussion about the old TV sitcoms.
That evolved into my correcting some speculation on my part. The correct answer was the "I Love Lucy Show". I remembered hearing that the kid, "Little Ricky" was from Lafayette, a piece of local lore.
His name was:
- Keith Thibodeaux . He was cast as Enrique Alberto Ricardo IV ("Little Ricky").
- He, after the series was over and he'd moved on was a member of a local band, "David and the Giants". I wrote back.
- I remember "Little David and the Giants", his band, but never saw them.
I can remember where I first heard that, the first motorcycle shop where I worked getting through school. That was 1967 or 68. Had he come by which spurred the conversation which was an odd one to have at a bike shop? Possibly. We did sell Triumphs which were the cool bikes of the mid 60's. Jap bikes still carried a stigma which would soon go away as the lust for straight line speed replaced what Triumph had to offer, the Jap bikes being ugly and foul sounding, were no matter to speed crazed young idiots. I have yet to see a Jap bike that I'd take to bed. (not even mine) A '69 TR6 (single carb) is another matter.