Jerry Waldman

[Ron Hill]

Jerry was the type, who could win five National Champions, in the same year and everyone would still LOVE him..

Here is a picture of him with Dr. Phil Wagner, Jerry's personal physican who traveled with Jerry...

Jerry's death, at Hot Springs, Arkansas, was much like the day the music died. When you look back on the turning point of kneeldown outboard racing, Jerry's death was a turning point.

Jerry's death changed the sport forever...The Day the Music Died.

Bye, Bye American Pie....Jerry was the one we all wanted to be like!!!

Wayne Baldwin photo.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

This is one of the last photos of Jerry in what I think is A hydro. He did not enter B Hydro as he felt his rig was not as quick as some other members on the North Team. So this is what I am sure is a pic of him testing his A a day or two before the race at Hot Springs.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Here are a couple of photos of Jerry's last pits. The first was the leader of the film & was cut short and whacked out by light exposure, but I thought I'd include it.

The second was an early shot of the pits before many drivers had arrived. To the far left is Dave Nelson and pit crew. Dave was entered in B Runabout representing the North. He finished fourth. Our trailer is in the middle and Jerry's trailer to the right of the boat launch. We were the first ones. Team Captains Marshall Grant and Lee Sutter arrived a little later. You will note the hill with pine trees in the background. That served as a shaded bowl type spectator area. It overlooked the race course from what you might call the "end zone" of the first turn. At the top of the hill was the Bar/Restaurant Clubhouse and Offices of DIAMONHEAD which was a real estate venture. It was also a great place to watch from. The pits had a nice firm slope. It was a very protected section of Lake Catherine and the water was smooth except for the section along the front straight where a long narrow island was. The judges stand was on this island. The problem there was the vertical embankment rolled the small waves back onto the course. Anyone who ever raced close to a seawall knows the effect. It wasn't too bad, but it would make the boats handle a little squirrely through that section.

Jerry was one of the first to put his boats out to test. He had a lot of other things to do as Team Captain for the North. One of which was an interview at a TV station in Hot Springs as well as take a TV Cameraman for a ride in one of his hydros.

[Ron Hill]

Is Marshall Grant related to General Grant? Also, does anyone know what per centage of Holiday Inn that Marshall owns..I've heard stories...But would actualy like the truth..and not a Ted May story!!!

Re-read my own posting about Jerry Waldman, this morning....I only edited some of my spelling error, but man JERRY WAS BIGGER THAN LIFE....When I got third in A and B Hydro at DePue....(Waldman and Herring had beat me)...but I thought, I did pretty well against the rest of those GUYS!!!!

Standing on the podium with Waldman and Herring, in those days was BIG!!! (REALLY BIG TIME)...Jerry's death was like American Pie....

Thanks for the pictures, Wayne...

[Original Looper 1]

Wayne,

When I look at the picture that you took of Waldman driving the A hydro at Hot Springs, it brings back so many great memories of watching Jerry race through the years. One time after running the A hydro at DePue (and winning the championship), Jerry told me the only problem he had was staying awake. He said after driving the F, the A was like a Sunday drive with mom.

What's so amazing is that I am now the proud owner of that Waldman A Looper in your picture. I have it in my private collection, along with the 2 original dyno cards for that motor. When I bought it, I told Artie Neadeck that we should get his Ring of Fire (it's a beautiful boat) and my Waldman Looper together for a photo shoot sometime.

Wayne, I think some of the good memories that this web site brings back are more enjoyable than some of the actual racing that we did. At that time, we were too busy living the moment to appreciate the significance that we now realize was accomplished back then.

thanks,

Paul A Christner

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I can't say anything about Marshall Grant and Holiday Inn because I don't know. Joe has more of an inside than me.:) But what I do know is that his pit man Jerry Pennington (also a brother in law- married to Etta's sister) contracted out to Holiday Inn to build them in different places around the world. Jerry handled contracts worth millions of dollars and would walk in muddy slush in the pits to help someone pick the transom up high enough to crank the motor.

When I was in Nigeria in 1975 Jerry gave me a call just before I left. He was frustrated at not being able to do his job. He was there for months waiting on supplies to build a Holiday Inn in Kaduna Nigeria for a big celebration they had planned.

My Dad and Marshall were talking about racing and somehow the conversation got to Jerry and I being in Nigeria at the same time. The next thing I know is I get a call from Jerry. It doesn't happen like over here. You get a call then sometime in the next day or so an operater says the other guy is on the line. We spent a wonderful day together wandering around Kano. Jerry and his family came up and I took a few pics. They are on the BRF thread "WHAT'S A BOAT RACER DOING IN THE DESERT".

And you know what Ron?....I was entranced at the time of being able to be a part of what we were doing, but those guys were so focused and into boat racing that we were just doing the things you and I and others are doing now to help the sport. Jerry Waldman, Marshall, Tim, my Dad sat down and talked about so much. I recorded only a small part. I was just sitting there listening and talking a little. It was just sitting down with friends and discussing things and having a good time so I didn't think about how profound these guys were.

So I'm just a stupid 23 year old kid that likes to race that starts to record some events and suddenly.... the worst that you could ever think happens. And now looking back over the events I am in awe of all the people that were part of it. What it tells is that when you are living it...the so called famous people are just like you and me and are not pretentious. You just work with them side by side....race with them side by side...and when racing is over.....you have fellowship with them side by side.

Just like now, I am remembering when I was a junior in high school reading about you Ron.... and Gerry Walin...and Jerry Waldman....and to think I actually was in competition with you guys.

That's one reason why Jerry's death had such a profound impact on my Dad and myself. He was MR BOAT RACING!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I know what you mean Paul. I wished I had taken more notes because I can't recall all the stuff we did. It happens all the time when I am talking to Joe that he remembers some things that I had forgotten about then it slowly sinks in and I remember. All the guys racing now should take heed and write things down and take pictures because some day they will be glad they did.

We can take pictures of you looper and Arts Ring of Fire soon.:D

[Master Oil Racing Team]

When I took the following pictures Jerry was still on the way to the hospital. It would be a little later before the bad news was announced. Due to the bad lighting and the news of Jerry's death, I never printed or looked very closely at these three frames. But BRF is the ultimate site for outboard history so I decided to include them here. As I zoomed in I was amazed at what I found. There is a veritable who's who of PRO racing in these three frames.

[fbref5269]

wayne,

what was the cause of jerry's accident. we had heard that it was a problem with the steering cable anchor coming through the side of the cockpit, but looking at the pictures the cables look normal. i still remember when we all heard the news back in region 4.

frank

[Master Oil Racing Team]

These pics came out too dark for Joe to see. It was backlighting and I couldn't lighten them up much more without them being very washed out. So here goes.

2nd pic starting from left.

Buddy McBride, Jerry Simison, Ed Eastham (717T) possibly Elmer Nord, Paul Bogosian, blue shirt ?, Marshall Grant-white shirt, white T shirt?, Gene East-black T shirt, two of Artie Lund's pit crew. Don't know who's behind the motor, but looks familiar. Other side of the boat in hat-Richard Westbrook. Above Richard is Kay Harrison. To the right of the seawall in coveralls is Tom Goslee. Next to him smoking the pipe is a familiar face, but forgot the name.

3rd pic

Randy Grant is at the bow. Far side of boat in the middle is Steve Jones, Ray Hardy. In the white shirt behind Randy on the boat ramp is Ralph Donald. The tall slender guy behind Ralph is Clayton Elmer. Believe it was his final alky race. Way back behind Clayton wearing his colors of light blue pants with white shirt is Scott Smith. On top of Ralph Donald's trailer is Bill DeSilva. I believe it is Dick Hoppenwrath in the white AC Sparkplug shirt on the seawall.

There were a couple I recognize, but can't recall their names. One I think was on Jerry Peterson's pit crew.

[Ron Hill]

The way we heard the story, in Region 12, was this. Jerry FREQUENTLY, I won't say always, but everytime I remember racing with him, started on the outside, or at least lane 8, 9...toward the outside.

As the D Hydros headed for the first turn, Jerry Peterson was on the outside and in front, Jerry was closing in, when Jerry "Hooked" a chine and spilled. His boat went sideways in the spill, with the bow to the left.

I had heard that Jerry cranked hard left to miss the spilling boat. At the bow, where the deck meets the bottom, is where Jerry's head hit the boat (Peterson's boat was still in the air and Jerry almost went under it) when his head hit the boat, basically killed him instantly.

Neither boat hit. Neither boat was hurt. Dr. Phil Wagner traveled with Jerry to every race, after, Jerry had broken his back at the NOA Kilos when he sit the C Outboard Hydro Record. Phil performed a traechotomy on Jerry.

It was always considered a BOAT RACING accident. A man has a right to turn his boat over without the guy behind him hitting...at least that was always a Hill Family rule.

OMC Prop Man, Don Hendrich may have summed it up best. He looked me in the eye, and said, "You know Ron, you go into the first turn enough times, the odds will catch up with you."

My take on Jerry's death maybe wrong or way off, as I was NOT there. But in my minds eye, I've seen this scene played out maybe a thousand times. AS I ALWAYS started 8th lane out or wider and I did it for a reason...My OLD MAN always said...to my brother, me, Jimbo and everybody else...."STAY OUT OF TROUBLE".

It's like flying, there is only about six minutes that are dangerous in flying, going up (3 minutes...need to get high enough you could get back) and going down (last three minutes, you ARE going down). When you make the CHOICE to go to the inside on a pass, there only a split second that something bad can happen. Most of the time, in a heat race, there isn't really much risk...but the first turn is always dangerous with a group of boats...

I wish I had a DVD sound track of Waldman and Herring Loopers.....just to listen to going down the road....

[Master Oil Racing Team]

That's about the way I heard it Ron. I didn't see it because there was a ton of water between us. There were 11 drivers and that front straightaway was very narrow. I was looking up the roster and picked up on something I had either forgotten or there was an error. It shows Jerry Peterson entered for the North driving W171 and Ray Nydahl racing for the West in X12. Either the scorers wrote it down wrong or for some reason Jerry and Ray swapped boats. I don't know why they would because each one of them had excellent rigs.

I didn't like to start on the inside at that time either, but when the one minute gun fired I was in a bad spot to fight for that outside position. The milling area was also tight and when I looked to find a better slot, the field was already pretty much committed. I reluctantly took the inside and accelerated toward the starting line. It was the most spine tingling start I ever made and I can still feel it.

Sometimes there is a quick little scare here and there when you have some close calls or flip in the first turn after the start, but it happens and then its over. In this case, by the time we were inside the 500 foot safety bouy we were already up to speed. At the starting line we were all over 100mph and there was not much spread from front to back. Every driver was in the hunt. I can truly say I was terrified the whole front stretch to the turn. It was 4 months before I got our first Butts Aerowing HOOKIN' BULL, and although our 12'8 Marchetti was a good boat I had some serious thoughts about getting through the turn without flipping.

I just hung onto the throttle and my mind was running at top speed. I kept waiting for the boats to my right to back off for the first bouy. We were already at the point where we should have started to set up for the turn . No one did. One thing I didn't want to do was back off too soon then get cut off at the apex of the turn. When we were almost on top of the bouy, I just dumped the throttle to scrub off speed, then got back on it hard. To my relief I came out of the turn first and started down the back straight. I looked over my left shoulder and saw Billy Seebold in second place chasing me. When I turned back ahead I saw patrol boats with the flag men standing up furiously waving their black flags. We had one stationed half way down the course and one at each turn. Billy and I both backed off and went all the way around and back to the pits.

As fast as we were going, if Jerry Waldman had probably just one second less, he would have cleared Jerry Peterson's boat. There was a little damage to Jerry's boat, though Ron. The top inch or so of Jerry's cowling was broken off. It was a terrible tragedy not only for Jerry Waldman, but Jerry Peterson took it extremely hard. He quit racing for a number of years, but not a man ever blamed him. It was just a chance thing that happens in racing. I know for a fact that Jerry Waldman would have wanted him to continue to race.

Here is a cover of ROOSTERTAIL from the start of A hydro at the North South Championships at Knoxville in 1967. It shows what you are saying Ron. I was on the outside and just inside my boat is Jerry Waldman, then Bob Hering next to him. Looks like we're watching the clock and getting ready to hammer it while Jerry Parrot in X77 on the inside has nailed the start. In the end Bob Hering won with Jerry Waldman 2nd and Jerry Parrot 3rd.

Jerry had broken his back the year before I started racing. I don't remember if it was Phil Wagner or someone else that told me, but I can remember hearing that his doctor advised him not to race anymore as he had old injuries that could prove fatal in another serious one. I seem to remember that he had a steel plate in his head as a result of one injury, but I am not sure whether that's true or not.

[Ron Hill]

Probably a scorer's error and had the race been run under "Normal" conditions someone what have caught the error. I'm sure, the whole scoring team went into schock after the accident.

Look at the post you made with Jerry...I really catches Jerry Waldman the driver...I was accused of spending more time looking back than looking ahead... (As Bill Jack Rucker, Sr, Ted May and I always joked...We said, "The lake wasn't big enough for THEM guys to pass us..."

Jerry liked the OUTSIDE...If you have speed you can take the first turn, if you don't you USUALLY can get the hell out of the way...

Looking at the Rooster Tails picture, you can see Jerry sitting up, thinking...."Is this going to work?"

This is the picture of Jerry I'm using for the DePue Reunion plaques...

[Gene East]

Wayne,

You're so right about Jerry Peterson and how this accident effected him. This was simply a racing accident and in no way could Jerry be held responsible.

Everyone involved in racing of any type understands that this can and does happen, but we all believe, "It won't happen to me".

Jerry was at the funeral and many of us felt nearly as much compassion for for him as we did for the Waldman family.

I believe Sandy Plummer said Jerry is going to be at DePue. I'm looking forward to seeing him again. He was always a true gentleman and a worthy competitor.

Note to Ron.

The plaque you are planning for Gerry Waldman is great. I'm sure there will be lots of potential buyers. Thank you for honoring Gerry in this manner.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Yeah Gene, I remember everyone there at the funeral coming up to Jerry Peterson and telling him he wasn't to blame. Looking around at the huge crowd at Jerry's funeral was like looking at a driver's meeting at the nationals with everyone in suits. I'm glad he will be attending and look forward to seeing him there. Jerry was not only one of the top drivers of the day, but is also a very friendly and likable guy.

[john lawrence]

I want to really thank all who participated especially Wayne for the pics on the great narration and comments, made me feel the emotion of that time. Thanks again Wayne.

[Rex Hall Jr.]

Jerry Peterson should not feel bad, because he did not hit Waldman in the boat like most people think. I was the first boat to the first turn and Jerry was just to my left, when I made my turn, Jerry started to turn tighter and hooked a sponson which threw him out. I had to straighten the wheel and go wide because Jerry was rolling on the water. His boat turned hard left and sat back down right side up and Jerry Peterson hit the boat, but Waldman was not in it. Someone hit Jerry in the water, and we will never know who it was. I told Baldy Baldwin about what I saw and he told me not to bring it up, as invetigation would have to take place and this way it was ruled just a racing accident. After the race I told Jerry Peterson waht happened, but I don't know if he believed me, but that is what really happened, and I am the only eye witness to it. Rex Hall

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Regardless of who hit him Rex, it still would have been a racing accident. But thanks for filling us in. We never talked much about it because there was so much water you couldn't see anything. We looked at that film over and over again, but it was shot from head on and above the turn. Looking down all there was was water. You could tell something happened, but not see any detail.

Were you on the outside Rex, or was someone else to your right? I just remember that the whole pack was at the turn at the same time, but I couldn't tell where Jerry was. I always figured Jerry Peterson was inside of Jerry Waldman and barrel rolled then Jerry W went underneath. I can say I never remember my Dad describing what you just posted, but it's certainly possible. What I remember being told was that both arms were broken and he had head injuries and that a younger man without the previous injuries would have pulled through.

[ferv888ipba]

Wayne,
Thanks for the picture of Jerry sitting straight up. Last weekend I was up in Winona, beautiful place to race, and we were talking about Waldman and our memories.

Jerry, before the DePue Men's shelter was built, would be just to the west of the present shelter around a couple of picnic tables set up for the drivers meeting and would be talking to drivers and crews, taping them with his recorder. Not sure what he did with the recording, but it would be fun to find out what happened to them.

I remember Jerry would always pit just to the first turn side of the ramp. When he was testing, he would start his own engine, throttle locked, folding his starting rope up, and then off toward the opening to the river. That was back in the old days when a spectator fleet came in off the river for the races.

He would then come back off the point on the back stretch and goose it going down to the bottom turn. Someone said that he was breaking it in after being re-rung and he would always head out at an idle. I can see this in my minds eye as I write this. The "Pink Ladies" all lined up at Lake Depue.

This weekend at Winona, Dick Hoppenrath, Steve Wilson, DoSeth, and Wayne Walgraves were all there. I remember betting Ted May 5 bucks that Walgraves was going to beat everyone in the "F Hydro" race when Walgraves was running the Chapperal of his own design and build with the big 6 on the back of it. Ted said Walgraves had no chance with the crazy looking rig.

I had been watching Walgraves during testing and that boat was fast and I thought he could beat Waldman's 44. The first heat was exactly as I thought it would be, Walgraves smoked all of them.

The second heat came up and I could not believe it, Walgraves 6 would not start and Waldman ended up winning the title. Ted was a little nervous, becasue like Trevino doing skins, probably did not have the 5 bucks to bet me, but boy did I love hanging with Ted at Depue, I learned things then that I wonder today what they were or even what they meant. But, that was Ted, but even that is another story. Loved him flat out.



Ray

[racnbns]

Wayne,
Thanks for the picture of Jerry sitting straight up. Last weekend I was up in Winona, beautiful place to race, and we were talking about Waldman and our memories.

Jerry, before the DePue Men's shelter was built, would be just to the west of the present shelter around a couple of picnic tables set up for the drivers meeting and would be talking to drivers and crews, taping them with his recorder. Not sure what he did with the recording, but it would be fun to find out what happened to them.

I remember Jerry would always pit just to the first turn side of the ramp. When he was testing, he would start his own engine, throttle locked, folding his starting rope up, and then off toward the opening to the river. That was back in the old days when a spectator fleet came in off the river for the races.

He would then come back off the point on the back stretch and goose it going down to the bottom turn. Someone said that he was breaking it in after being re-rung and he would always head out at an idle. I can see this in my minds eye as I write this. The "Pink Ladies" all lined up at Lake Depue.

This weekend at Winona, Dick Hoppenrath, Steve Wilson, DoSeth, and Wayne Walgraves were all there. I remember betting Ted May 5 bucks that Walgraves was going to beat everyone in the "F Hydro" race when Walgraves was running the Chapperal of his own design and build with the big 6 on the back of it. Ted said Walgraves had no chance with the crazy looking rig.

I had been watching Walgraves during testing and that boat was fast and I thought he could beat Waldman's 44. The first heat was exactly as I thought it would be, Walgraves smoked all of them.

The second heat came up and I could not believe it, Walgraves 6 would not start and Waldman ended up winning the title. Ted was a little nervous, becasue like Trevino doing skins, probably did not have the 5 bucks to bet me, but boy did I love hanging with Ted at Depue, I learned things then that I wonder today what they were or even what they meant. But, that was Ted, but even that is another story. Loved him flat out.



Ray

I think Wayne said the Kill switch was off!

Bruce

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I had posted this information previously, but here is additional stuff.

The morning after the race, we weren't in any hurry. Everything was over and done. All the racers were gone, but we still had to go back to Diamondhead to finalize everything.

I went down in one of the pickup boats to load up the bouys. I don't remember who kept them. Mickey McGuire was a boatracer from Hot Springs who helped us a lot with the things that needed to be taken care of locally, so maybe he stored them, or had made the arrangements. We had planned an annual event and this was the first of the invitationals.

The bouys had styrofoam painted with a flourescent orange on them. When we got to the center bouy of the first turn, I noticed some wood stuck to it. I pulled it off. I realized it was a piece of Jerry Waldman's cowling. It was part of the top center of his cowling that had a snap button for the canvas cockpit cover. I didn't say anything. I just stuffed it in my pocket and went on about the business of gathering bouys with an renewed heaviness in my heart.

I am sure I showed it to my Dad, but when I got home I just put it in a shoebox with other mementos.

When we built our music/racing room I placed it on the trophy shelf. I told Joe and Ron about it but the only racers to see it are Mike and Kate Hauenstein. Since this thread is a history of Jerry Waldman, I thought it appropriate to include a photo. I am very sorry about what happened, but this is to me a connection of the brief time I was able to spend with one of the greatest alky drivers of all time.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I came across this photo while looking for something else. I don't know who took it, but it was at Alex in 1968. Jerry in the background in what I'm thinking is NOA F Hydro World Championship race and inside in Y48 with a Konig is who I believe is Freddie Goehl in one of his last races driving for Ed Holstein. I may be wrong, but lets see if anyone else can get the facts right.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

When I was looking around BRF a few days ago I noticed someone looking at this thread. I thought there was something new I might have missed. No... nothing was new, except I realized there were a few pictures I took of Jerry that should be here. Then while looking, I found the pic I posted previously. I wish I could tell you who took it, but I can't. The next three were taken at Lake Catherine on the Ozarks near Hot Springs in 1972. It was the last testing session of Jerry. Paul Christener has these. I guess I was so busy posting stuff I forgot to post them here. The Quincy site is the go to site for all things about Waldman, but BRF is the site of historical record of boat racing, so I will add these photos of Jerry.

[Gene East]

Wayne

Thanks for posting these. I keep looking at the computer screen and then over my right shoulder at the copy you gave me!

He was the greatest and he's waiting for us at Lake Paradise!

You have that piece of cowling and I know how important it is to you. I have a sponson fin that I hold dear.

Your piece of cowling is not "just a piece of wood" nor is my fin "just a piece of scrap metal".

Of course niether of us needs any material thing to remember our dear friend.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

You're right Gene, but my piece of wood and your piece of metal were objects that Jerry touched, and that's special. I'm glad when I saw someone reading this thread the other day, and when I went to it, found it is way lacking in pictures, stories, and photos of Jerry. I'm going to find more stuff to post so that people that didn't know him, can learn what a great man he was. He wasn't just one of the greatest racers of all time, but he took a lot of time to help promote racing.