Life in Ludlow: How to celebrate second place

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Last Saturday was a great day for those happy with second place!

The day started with an exciting rematch of the DePauw vs. Wabash football game. It was tied 7-7 at half time but with 38 seconds left and Wabash ahead by 3, DePauw threw a 50-yard touchdown pass putting the Tigers in a position to win for the first time in six years. It was time for Seahawk Russell Wilson to step in and save the day for the Little Giants. Alas, he was still on his gazillion dollar contract and was thus unavailable for another game saver. Yep, Wabash lost 17 to 13. Softly heard in the confines of the Ram Restaurant at University Village in Seattle where the DePauw and Wabash faithful gather to watch the game was the cry, “Wait until next year.” The very worst part of this story is that I now owe Terry Umbreit $10.

Another second-place finisher was Ken Miles. Ken and Carroll Shelby are the real life characters, along with others, in the new movie “Ford v Ferrari.” In the 1960s a complex, emotional and political set of circumstances led Henry Ford the second, known as “The Deuce,” to develop a car to race against the dominant cars from Ferrari in the annual “24 Hours at Le Mans.” Given my interest in cars and my age, I have eagerly anticipated this movie’s arrival. I even read the book “Go Like Hell” which is a more complete description of the times, characters and events of this period. Since we were going to be in Seattle anyway I convinced my son and my daughter to bring their families and join BJ and me at the Imax theater to see the movie. OK, I may be biased, but this is a fun movie.

So, at the 1966 Le Mans, there were three Ford GT40 Mark IV’s in the race, all running in first, second and third place near the end. A Ford marketing executive concocted the scheme putting all three Fords across the finish line at the same time so a picture could be taken memorializing the event. Ken Miles was four minutes ahead of Bruce McLaren in second place, so after setting a new lap record, Miles slowed down to allow McLaren to catch up. After coming even, facts are sketchy but one thing is clear, Ken Miles should have won the race but finished in second place. Ironically, he died a couple of months later while test driving the next version of the GT 40.

Now, you grew up in the ‘60s and you don’t remember a lot of this story but you do remember the iconic music of the time. If for no other reason the movie is worth seeing for James Burton’s version of “Polk Salad Annie” as he stirs your blood in the early and closing scenes. There is also a wonderful opening scene showing Carroll Shelby driving a beautiful Porsche Speedster from the 1950s.

On Sunday I received an email from my daughter saying that when she went out grocery shopping in her Mini Cooper she put the car in “Sport Mode” having been inspired by the movie. She knows how to make a father proud.

Love a curmudgeon and have a great week!