June 1, 2005
Indy 500
When we first talked about the month of May a few weeks back, I mentioned the Indy 500 and my memories of listening to the radio broadcast for many years before finally getting to see it on live television.
I told you pholks about my fond memories of my dad who, though not a rabid sports fan, was fascinated by the Memorial Day race, the "Greatest Show In Racing." And I said how I've always found some way to catch part of the great event. Dad always wanted to go to the race but never made it.
This last weekend I was, of course, glued to the TV and watched another chapter of racing history unfold...a woman, a female, a good looking young thing, a rookie, and the fourth woman to drive in the event, became the first to ever lead a lap. In fact, Danica Patrick led about 15 laps and was leading the pack with only six more to go before falling back and finishing fourth. The best ever for a woman. Great for a rookie.
For a couple of weeks I. like manly Americans and race fans around the world, was bombarded with news and features, both written and televised, about this good-looking, gutsy and talented race car driver. She is not a token. She is the real thing. She is good, has a top notch team behind her and the racing equipment and support team money can buy. Lots of money.
I was hooked on rooting for her.
But pholks, I gotta tell you my mind raced many times during the pre-race ceremonies and the race itself, on thoughts of my late father. What would he think?.What would he say?
I can only wonder how Dad would react if he was alive today and watching the race. He was an old school man, and although he respected women and installed that virtue in his two sons, he drew the line in a number of ways.
I can still recall my fathers comment when a woman would come on tv screen to forecast the weather. There were, of course, no female "newscasters" or reporters in those days. Even the weather woman, was a rarity.
In later years there were more women on television, but still nothing like today. Barbara Walters wasn't even on the scene. Diane Sawyer was years away from the spotlight and someone like Oprah was wasn't even a possibility.
I admit that I still have problems with the majority of the network news people. Too many are not real reporters, in my opinion, and are on air because they look and sound good.
That goes for males and females. I do have a problem with real good looking female broadcasters. Maybe it's just my heritage. Maybe it's just my male ego. Maybe it's my reporter's ego. Maybe its' my jealousy.
Don't get me wrong, pholks, some of these woman are great. Better than a lot of pretty boy "news" guys. I don't know if my father would ever have come around to accepting that. He took his news seriously. Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Walter Winchell, Huntley and Brinkly were trusted, respected and admired by my dad.
But back to my point. I can only wonder what dad would say watching that race with a woman driver. With Danica Patrick being the fourth woman to ever compete in "The Race" my dad might have warmed to the notion that a woman could drive with the guys. Maybe. Would he and I have argued about rooting for the female? Maybe. I will never know. I think I could have stood my ground. But I never would have put my dad down for his way of thinking. He was born and lived in different times.
That race was important to my dad. It will always be important to me.
The goose bumps come with the National Anthem. Tears come when the jets make a fly over. The thrill grows when the red, white and blue balloons are released.. "Back Home In Indiana" brings more tears.
And when a member of the famed Indy Brick Yard track owner family, a woman in recent years, shouts out "Lady and Gentlemen Start Your Engines" I turn to jelly. The race is on. So am I.
Dad's watching too. But who is he rooting for?
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