[Warning: Only modest Studebaker content.]'Just got back from the 2007 Hendricks County [IN] Fair Tractor Pull. Now, everything I know about tractor pulling and the NTPA you could fit on one side of a 3X5 index card with room left over for The Gettysburg Address in 14-point type.
However, our famous icon Ted Harbit's father, Lloyd "Ted" Harbit, was a farmer by trade. Not a wealthy one, but he and his wife Thelma were able to provide for their family and raise a son (Ted) and daughter (Phyllis) successfully, with father instilling proper values as to things mechanical...i.e, Studebakers, the value and sturdiness of which he stressed to his son Ted.
Lloyd was also a devotee of South-Bend built Oliver tractors. He was finally able to purchase a brand-new one in 1950. Our hero, his son Ted, owns and maintains that very Oliver today, in running condition.
Olivers were kind of second-tier tractors as to marketing in the 1950s, playing second-fiddle to biggies such as International, corporate cousin Farmall, Case, and Allis-Chalmers, all of whom dominated that market in the early 1950s. (At the time, John Deere wasn't the big deal they are today.) But Lloyd had great faith in Olivers and would frequently challenge other farmers to various contests as to tractor proficiency, and he would usually win. [}
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(Son Ted enjoys recalling his father's fondness for Olivers as well as Studebakers.[^])Fast forward to this evening in 2007.
At the Hendricks County Fair, as elsewhere, John Deere is now the darling of tractor people. Not to take anything away from the company; they did an excellent job staying abreast of farming needs in the 1960s and 1970s when other farm equipment companies were stumbling, so they deserve the success they have properly acquired.
Accordingly, at the Tractor Pull, there were mostly John Deeres (pretty much in name and appearance only, I realize), with several tractors identified as International or Farmall, and an occasional Case and/or Allis-Chalmers.
In this one class, a National Points champion, I think they said, was present with his John Deere. BIG HOOPLA about his appearance; the announcer really worked the crowd before this guy's pull. A full pull they said was 300 feet, and no one had done that yet tonight. Yee-Haa.
Nor did this guy. He did very well, though, pulling a little over 295 feet for the high mark in the class...well, at least for the time being.
'Next to pull was the lone Oliver in the contest. The announcer was polite about it, but not as enthusiastic as if it had been a John Deere or an International. The announcer asked if there were any Oliver fans in the stands. I and maybe a dozen others (out of a crowd of perhaps 300-400) whooped and hollered, but that didn't make much of an impression because there were so few of us.
Then the Oliver backed up to the sled, hooked up, and dropped the hammer. With what seemed like little effort, he proceded to not only make a full pull of 300 feet, but didn't stop [u]until he got over 308 feet!</u>
The crowd went ape, not unlike what happens when we have a significant Studebaker victory at The Pure Stock Drags! [}
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[8D][}]Nobody else even made a full pull in that class tonight, so the only Oliver won by a good margin.
Ted, your Dad is smiling this evening...and your Mom's getting a big hug!
BP
We've got to quit saying, 
] What a good story, once again an underdog make blows them all away.
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