WITHOUT QUESTION, JOHNNY WEISSMULLER was Larry Rayl’s favorite “Tarzan” actor. Not only was Weissmuller a five times USA gold medal winning swimmer and all around athlete, but he was also a down to earth wholesome hero for us kids to watch at the movies in the fifties. In our hometown, the local merchants would put on a show for the kids on Saturday morning at a local theater, so that our parents could have a break, and go shopping. They called them “Free Shows”, and boy did we love ’em. The theater was always packed with mostly un-attended kids, lot’s of them– all ages. After showing your milk bottle cap or an ad from the paper, or whatever they wanted that week in order to get in “Free”; we would stand in line and get our popcorn and soda and find a seat. There would be a few minutes of every kid chattering about something or another, and then the lights would dim and a news-real would come on the silver screen. We always liked the news to some extent, especially the sports news of the day. After a couple of funny ha, ha cartoons, an adventure chapter serial with Commander Cody or Captain Midnight would come on. About 20 minutes after that we would finally get to see a feature film about an hour long. Sometimes it would be a western movie with guys like Roy Rogers or George O’Brien, or it could be a Tarzan movie with Johnny Weissmuller or Lex Barker. ...
WITHOUT QUESTION, GEORGE O’BRIEN was Larry Rayl’s favorite Western actor. Not only was GEORGE O’BRIEN a great movie actor and action star of the silent twenties, sound thirties and forties; but, he was also a real live war hero in between his films. ...
There is absolutely nothing “funny” about Nitro powered Funny Cars dragracing side by side at night. What would you say if all of your five senses were activated at once? Not just engaged, but intensified to the ultimate possible experience. In an instant of time, all five of your senses stimulated. How would you react if that memory of having all of your natural senses; your sense of sight, sense of hearing, of smell, taste and touch, stayed with you and etched into your mind for life? The beauty of the glittering lights highlighting the action has already captured your imagination. But, then there is something else. Why are your eyes watering? The smoke filled atmosphere adds another unique aspect to all of this. The deafening roar of the laden power plants, powered by a distinct fuel smell in the air attacks and reaches deep down into your nostrils. At the same time, there is a slight burning to the throat as you swallow. There is also an immediate clasping of your hands to the side of your head to cover your ears from the noise. You can actually feel the ground below your feet move as there is a small earthquake that shakes and rattles your very bones. What would you say to that kind of happening? Like me, you could probably only describe this type of event in your life in an inaudible scream, “Wow.” That is the mind blowing description for most first time eye witnesses to the action described of one of the most extreme and dangerous professional sports on God’s green earth. Now of course, the average spectator watching from the safety of their grandstand seat and the even safer distance from the action, do not experience all of those thrills in the same intensity as those who are down there so very close and uncomfortably...
WITHOUT QUESTION ELVIS PRESLEY was Larry Rayl’s favorite singer and entertainer. Elvis was always, Larry’s “main man”. He admired how the simple truck driving Elvis Presley became rich and world famous ELVIS, the King of Rock and Roll and didn’t change much in how he treated his fellow man. He always liked that about Elvis, the all American boy that made good, from rags to riches, practically over night. He admired Elvis for serving in the military and not wanting any special privileges because of his status in life. Larry admired Elvis for his close ties to his family and especially his mom, which kind of mirrored Larry’s love for his mom and...
CUSTOM CARS HAVE BEEN A FAVORITE OF OURS since before we could ride bicycles. Larry Rayl and my younger brother Mike and I used to chase the custom cars down our main street like we were a bunch of dogs. We rode our bikes hard and fast to get the “names” that were painted on the sides of those fascinating cars. We just loved cars. We would then record the “names” in Larry’s book that he kept. I guess it was his handy dandy notebook. I am not talking about Fords, Chevies, Pontiacs, Plymouths and Dodges etc.; but the “nick names” that many of the guys and gals in the late fifties and early sixties used to paint on their personal rides of yesteryear. Some of the “names” were based on songs we heard on the radio like, “White Lightning”, on the back fender of a white 57 Chevy. “My Blue Heaven” on the front fender of a blue ’54 Ford. Some “nicknames” were based on other things, such as ,”The Raven”, on the side of a ’58 Corvette which was lacquered black with white pin striping. “El Toro” was a favorite of Larry’s and mine. It was a red ’58 Chevrolet Impala with white interior and a white stretched canvas tonneau cover snapped down over the back seat with the wildest full color canvas painting of a charging bull imaginable. One reason that red car was a favorite of ours was because it belonged to one of the baseball players on our local Semi-pro A- Minor league team. We got to check out the car every time he played at our municipal ball park stadium. That car must have made quite an impression on Larry, because years later he had his own “El Toro” red 58 Impala– only there was no wild tonneau cover painting stretched over his back seat, as I recall. He sold it a few years back. Those were great times chasing cars like mangy old hound dogs. TO READ MORE ABOUT “CUSTOM CARS” AND VIEW SOME PHOTOS TOO–CLICK HERE ! ...
AS KIDS AND TEENAGERS, LARRY RAYL, MY BROTHERS AND I AND OUR FRIENDS PLAYED A LOT OF SANDLOT SPORTS. We played baseball, football, basketball, “HORSE”- basketball, bike riding, etc. during the summer non-stop. We played from sun-up to sun down. We also played some little league stuff. Larry was always bigger, more athletic and more knowledgeable of the rules than we were, but we all had fun and lots of it. Because of Larry’s sports zeal, we were also very much aware of the real sports heroes of our day. We were very fortunate to grow up where we actually saw some very famous future professional athletes in person in actual competition. Just to name a few; Larry and I saw Wilt “The stilt” Chamberlain- future pro basketball player in action. When he began playing, the rules were changed because of him. He was equally skilled as a track and field giant of our day when he was in college. Larry and I were listening to the game on radio when Chamberlain broke the all time NBA record with 100 points in one game. Playing fourteen years in the NBA, he never fouled out of a game. Those two “Wilt” records may be of those that will never be broken. In football, we were fortunate enough to see Gayle Sayers, a future Chicago Bears “running back”, run a return for almost 100 yards. We also saw Johnny Hadl, future pro NFL football quarter back throw three touchdown passes in a row, when he was playing in college. He later went on to play for professional San Diego, LA, and Green bay teams. We also saw the only USA Olympian athlete to win gold medals four times in a row, discus thrower, Al Oerter. We saw in person the amazing Lakota Indian runner, and future USA Olympic gold medal winner in the 10K competition, Billy Mills, who had attended the Indian University where Larry’s dad, who was Indian himself and directly related to frontiersman, Kit Carson, had worked for many...
“THE FREEDOM FIGHTER” POEM It is nice to be remembered, when you are so far away. You wonder how this can be true, when we have never met before. Well, it’s not really necessary to personally shake your hand. It’s enough for me to know you’re in a strange and distant land. You’re there so I can be here and live my life without the fear of giving up my freedom, and then I shed a tear. Thank you for the risk you take as each new day arrives, And for the price you pay to preserve so many, many lives. Freedom is a precious thing that sometimes makes my heart sing – or weep. Another day and another way to serve the land we love. Another night and another fight to survive and think of home… The land of the free and the home of the brave! God bless you, soldier, and come home soon! – Nancy Tarpy (August 2004) HERE ARE TWO ORIGINAL PATRIOTIC SONGS by a friend of Larry Rayl and now mine. David Menefee from Dallas, Texas — David also wrote the George O’Brien book entitled, George O’Brien: A Man’s Man in Hollywood, which Larry helped with some of the research. David is an accomplished songwriter, musician and recording producer also. His song lyrics speak volumes of good old proud patriotism. Something today, I think that some of us believe, is not so easy to find anymore. Hope you enjoy David’s songs. Just click on the poster photos to watch and listen. Remember our departed friend Larry. He was always proud to have been born, by the Grace of God, in the good old USA. And to have served, like myself, in the USA Military during a not so popular Vietnam war. RETURN TO TOP OF THE PAGE ...
LARRY RAYL'S MEMORIES OF YESTERYEAR...
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Learn MoreNo Commercial Gain Is Being Made From This Non Public Password Protected Memorial Web Site, it is for Educational purpose only. Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. No Copyright infringement intended. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing, Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. The music in this video remains the property of the copyright holder and images. No challenge of ownership is intended or implied.
Protection is also granted for anything that is NOT protected under copyright law. This includes ALL works published before 1923 AND under certain conditions, works published up to 1978. A ‘work’ can be anything; a book, a play, music, photographs, movies, instruction manuals poster, etc……. Re-published and re-packaging public domain information & other creative works is not illegal. The reason is fairly simple. If you find, re-packaged and sell information that has fallen into the public domain you do not have to pay royalties or copyright fees on that work.
Mention of actual names of people living or dead contained within the pages of this Non Public Password Protected Memorial Web Site is not intended to demote any character reputation. The information that is contained within the pages of this web site is for educational and teaching purposes only.
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