“The Flying Dutchman”

 

Jacob Hardy “Jake” Strickler

1897 - 1965

 

 

 

Jake Strickler, at left, and his unidentified riding mechanican at Jake’s first known race as a driver, over city streets in Oklahoma City on April 20, 1915.  The automobile was Strickler’s own 1909 “Light 6” Buick.

Strickler family collection

 

 

Jake Strickler was born February 12, 1897 in Iroquois County, Illinois to Jacob Brubaker “Jake” Strickler (1841-1929) and his third wife, Lois Ann (Syphert) Whiteman Strickler (1853-1925).  Jake Strickler, himself, often claimed that he had been born in Garfield, County, Oklahoma and had lived there all of his life, until he moved to Texas in 1947.  In all, Jake had eight half-brothers and sisters who were all older than he was.  By 1900, his father had purchased a farm and moved the family to it just southeast of Enid in Hackberry Township, Garfield County, Oklahoma.

Jake had already acquired quite a reputation for his “green thumb” early when, at the age of seven in the fall of 1904, he won first prize for a Cushaw Squash that he had entered in the Garfield County, Oklahoma Fair that measured 41 inches in length.

Jake attended school through the 8th grade and worked on his father’s farm before moving into Enid.  He opened a Buick automobile agency there in 1914 but he closed that before opening the Enid Automobile Garage early in 1915.  Besides himself, he employed four mechanics and one “porter” in the Enid Automobile Garage.  Additionally, Jake opened a Stutz automobile agency in Enid later in 1915.  There was another Strickler Motor Company in Enid in the early 1920s but that was a Nash dealership owned by one of Jake Strickler’s older half-brothers, Joseph Richard “Tuck” Strickler (1875-1936).

Jake and his father attended the automobile races at Elgin, Illinois in the summer of 1914 and said they enjoyed themselves immensely even though the elder Strickler received serious injuries when he was struck by a motorcycle when he was attempting to cross a street there.

Jake married Roqua Marguerite Douthitt (1894-1967) in 1916 in Enid, Oklahoma and they made their home at 230 West State Avenue in Enid for the next 25 years.  There, they became the parents of one daughter, Jakita J. (Strickler) Richard (1917-2007).

Jake also opened an Overland Service Station in Enid in 1916.

Jake used his initials (J. H. Strickler) when he entered the first couple of auto races that he competed in.  After that, he just competed as “Jake” Strickler.

Following is a list of known auto races that Strickler participated in:

 

 

April 20, 1915 – 2.409-mile road course – Southwest Auto Race Association Track in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.).  This race course was laid out for the occasion on city streets, used only twice (April 20th and again 9 days later) and never used again.  The course ran “west on 16th Street to Linwood Boulevard (which is now Drexel), south on Linwood to 13th Street, east on 13th to Youngs Boulevard, then north to 16th on a specially built fifty-foot wide dirt track.”  Strickler only participated in the first of the two days of racing.

            Attendance:  10,000

Car:  Strickler’s own yellow 1909 “Light 6” Buick #2

Total purse:  $1,000

Finish:  Strickler turned in the fastest single lap in time trials of 2:33.3.

 Strickler started in the number one starting position with the rest of the field of 10 cars starting behind him at 20 second intervals.  Strickler finished 5th in the 41-lap, 99-mile (actually 98.77 mile) event known as the “Oklahoma Auto Road Race,” behind Claude Foster of Tuttle, Oklahoma in an Overland; Roy G. Thomas of Enid, Oklahoma in a Hupmobile; Charles E. Shaffstall of Coffeyville, Kansas in a 1910 E.M.F. 30 roadster and C. B. (or G. B.) Chandler in a Buick.  The total purse was divided among the first 4 finishers and 7 of the 10 starters were still running at the finish.

Feature race winner:  Claude Foster of Tuttle, Oklahoma who was driving an Overland.

[Note:  This was the first race that Roy Thomas ever competed in.  About three weeks before the race, Thomas drove to Detroit, Michigan and told officials at the Hupmobile Company that he wanted a fast car to drive in this race.  Officials with the company told Thomas that, if he would drive the car in the race himself, they would make him a present of the car, which they did.]

 

May 8, 1915   A.H.T.A. Picnic at the Charles Dyche Farm located 6 miles northeast of Lahoma, Oklahoma

          Results of the match race between Jake Strickler who was driving his own yellow 1909 “Light 6” Buick #2, and an Oakland driven by Harry Glendenning, have yet to be located.

 

August 15, 1915 – “Jefferson Reunion” at Waukomis, Oklahoma

          Car:  Strickler’s own yellow 1909 “Light 6” Buick #2

              Finish:  4th place in the feature race.

 

August 28, 1915 – 1-mile dirt oval – Recreation Park in Kalamazoo, Michigan – Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A)

            Car:  Strickler’s own yellow 1909 “Light 6” Buick #2

              Finish:  Dropped out of the 100-mile feature race for an undisclosed reason.

Feature race winner:  Ralph de Palma of South Pasadena, California who was driving a Buick owned by F. P. Book.

 

Strickler returned home to Enid, Oklahoma late in November of 1915 and took a job for the winter selling new Buicks for Joe Harp’s Buick agency.

 

 

Jake Strickler (closest to the camera) in his Buick at the Southwest Auto Race Association Track at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on April 20, 1915.  The name of his riding mechanican (dressed in darker clothing) has yet to be learned.

Strickler family collection

 

April 14, 1916 – ½ mile dirt oval Woodward Fairgrounds at Woodward, Oklahoma

Car:  Strickler’s own yellow 1909 “Light 6” Buick #2

            Finish:  2nd in the “Free for All” race.

 

May 26, 1916 – 9-mile unnamed road course at Alva, Oklahoma

Car:  Strickler’s own yellow 1909 “Light 6” Buick #2

Finish:  2nd in the 6-car, 150-mile race behind R. A. Pittman of Woodward, Oklahoma who was driving a “Light 6” Buick.  Strickler finished the 150-mile race in 3:10.29.0 which was 9 minutes, 57.0 seconds behind the winner, and was paid $200 from the purse.

Feature race winner:  R. A. Pittman of Woodward, Oklahoma who was driving a “Light 6” Buick.

 

May 31, 1916 – ½ mile dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Attendance:  1,000

Car:  Strickler’s own yellow 1909 “Light 6” Buick #2 with Bee DeMonbrum serving as his riding mechanican.

Finish:  Strickler was running in 2nd place behind Max Wilson of Wichita, Kansas in the 4-car feature and “hugging the inside fence when he caught a wheel and broke it off at about 45 miles-per-hour”.  The accident sent his car careening across the racetrack and through a hole in the outside fence that had been made earlier by Olin Richie when he crashed his motorcycle through it in an earlier motorcycle race.  Neither Strickler or Bee DeMonbrum were seriously injured in the incident.  Wilson dropped out of the race before the finish leaving the victory to Kruegel.

Feature race winner:  William H. “Hal” Kruegel of Pond Creek, Oklahoma who was driving a Ford.

 

July 15, 1916 – ½ mile dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Car:  Strickler’s own yellow 1909 “Light 6” Buick #2

Finish:  Won the 1st 10-lap, best 2-out-of-3 match race over M. L. Barnes who was driving a Case.

              Won the 2nd 10-lap, best 2-out-of-3 match race over M. L. Barnes who was driving a Case.  The 3rd match race was called off.

              2nd in the 4-car, 20-lap “Free for All” race, finishing behind Tony Workman of Oklahoma City.

Feature race winner:  Tony Workman of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma who was driving a Hudson “Super-Six”

 

 

Jake Strickler posed in his Hudson “Super-Six” race car after winning a 5-mile race at the Tri-State Fairgrounds in Burlington, Iowa on June 16, 1917.  His time for that race was 6:23.8 which the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.) recognized as being “a new world’s record for that distance on a ½ mile racetrack.”

Strickler family collection

 

July 23, 1916 – ½ mile dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Car:  Strickler’s own yellow 1909 “Light 6” Buick #2

Finish:  Won the 2-car, 10-mile match race in 14:19.0 over Roy Thomas of Enid who was driving his own Hupmobile.

              Strickler was declared the winner of the 5-car, 15-mile “Free for All” race after the race was stopped due to Roy Thomas of Enid flipping his Hupmobile end-over-end early in this race with the car coming to rest on top of him.  Thomas only received slight injuries.  Bud Gentry was declared the 2nd place finisher in his Dodge.

Feature race winner:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma who was driving his own yellow 1909 “Light 6” Buick #2.

 

August 26, 1916 – ½ mile dirt oval – Cimarron Valley Fairgrounds at Guthrie, Oklahoma

            Car:  Strickler’s own yellow 1909 “Light 6” Buick #2

Finish:  2nd in the “Free for All” race behind Harold Speer.

            Feature race winner:  Harold Speer

 

September 23, 1916 – ½ mile dirt oval – Cimarron Valley Fairgrounds at Guthrie, Oklahoma

            Car:  Strickler’s own yellow 1909 “Light 6” Buick #2

Finish:  1st in time trials over Roy G. Thomas of Enid, Oklahoma who was driving a Hupmobile.

 1st in the 50-mile feature over Phil Traband of Guthrie.  Strickler won $250 for the victory.  Willis Lobay, of Guthrie, was leading this race with just 6 laps remaining, when he slid into a ditch damaging his E.M.F. automobile.

            Feature race winner:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma who was driving his own yellow 1909 “Light 6” Buick #2.

 

October 7, 1916 – 2-mile oiled dirt oval – Dodge City Speedway northeast of Dodge City, Kansas – Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A)

Attendance:  4,500

Car:  Strickler’s own yellow 1909 “Light 6” Buick #2

Finish:  2nd in the 30-mile race that was won by Chick Logan of Dodge City who was driving a Buick “Six” owned by George D. Cochran.  Strickler was 13 seconds behind Logan at the finish and won $50 from the purse.

 3rd in the 4-car, 150-mile race behind Russell “Bus” Armstrong of Hutchinson, Kansas in his own blue Hudson “Super-Six” and W. W. Brown of Kansas City, Missouri in a du Chesneau automobile owned by C. F. du Chesneau.  Strickler was delayed 45 minutes during this race while his riding mechanican ran all the way back to the pits to retrieve another coil after the one on the car burned out at the farthest point on the racetrack away from the pits.

Feature race winner:  Russell “Bus” Armstrong of Hutchinson, Kansas who was driving his own blue Hudson “Super Six”

 

Driver Jake Strickler, at left, and his unidentified riding mechanican at Jake’s first known race at Oklahoma City on April 20, 1915.  The automobile was Strickler’s own 1909 “Light 6” Buick.

Strickler family collection

 

 

October 13, 1916 – ½ mile dirt oval Woodward Fairgrounds at Woodward, Oklahoma

Car:  Strickler’s own yellow 1909 “Light 6” Buick #2

Finish:  3rd in the 30-mile “Free for All” race behind C. P. Offutt who was driving a Hupmobile and Orville Lyons who was driving a Ford.  Strickler ran in 2nd place for the first 17 miles before clutch problems regulated him to a 3rd place finish.

              2nd in the 40-mile “Free for All” behind Glenn Breed of Chanute, Kansas who was driving his own Hudson “Super Six” #1..

            Feature race winner:  Glenn Breed of Chanute, Kansas who was driving his own black and white Hudson “Super Six” #1.

 

Jake Strickler returned home to Enid, Oklahoma early in 1917 and made his Enid headquarters at the Enid Tire & Supply Company where he began rebuilding a white Hudson “Super-Six” racing car he purchased from Tony Workman of Oklahoma City, to get ready for the upcoming racing season.  He also signed a management contract with the Friedman Brothers of Chicago, obligating him to appear wherever they directed in 1917.

 

March 31, 1917 – ½ mile dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six” #34.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

Finish:  Won the match race against G. E. Darland who suffered a broken crank in his Tulsa special

Feature race winner:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma who was driving his own white Hudson “Super-Six” #34.

 

May 30, 1917 – 1-mile dirt oval Michigan State Fairgrounds at Detroit, Michigan – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Attendance:  12,000

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six” #34.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

Finish:  7th in time trials, turning 1-mile in 58.0 seconds.  That was slower than the times turned in by Art Klein of Chicago in a Briscoe, Fred Horey of Minneapolis, Minnesota in a Briscoe, Bill Endicott in the Sweeney special, Dave Koetzla of Detroit, Michigan in a Case, Jerry Wunderlich of San Francisco, California in a Marmon and  Jerry Wunderlich again, but this time in a Cristie.

  4th in the 5-mile heat race for cars with engines of 600 cubic-inches or less.  Strickler finished this race behind Art Klein in a Briscoe, Bill Endicott in the Sweeney special and Jerry Wunderlich in a Marmon.

 2nd, 2½ miles behind Dave Koetzla of Detroit, Michigan in a Case owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the hour long “World’s Hour Champion Race.”  Both Koetzla and Strickler ran this entire race without making any pit stops Fred Horey, of Minneapolis, Minnesota led the 9 starters in this race until his Briscoe caught fire at the 61-mile mark with only 3½ minutes remaining in the race.

Feature race winner:  Dave Koetzla of Detroit, Michigan who was driving a Case owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota

 

June 9, 1917 – 1-mile dirt oval – West Michigan State Fairgrounds at Grand Rapids, Michigan – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six”.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

            Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in the meager published results of this race that have been located to date.

Feature race winner:  Art Klein of Chicago who was driving a Briscoe owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota

 

June 10, 1917 – ½ mile dirt oval – Unnamed racetrack in Cleveland, Ohio – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six” #34.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

Finish:  Results of these races have yet to be located.

 

June 16, 1917 – ½ mile dirt oval – Tri-State Fairgrounds at Burlington, Iowa – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six” #34.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

Finish:  2nd in time trials with a lap of 36.4 seconds which was only slower than the lap turned in by Jules Ellingboe of Crookston, Minnesota in a Societa Ceirano Automobili Torino (SCAT).

  2nd in a 5-mile match race behind Jerry Wunderlich of San Francisco, California in a Marquette Buick.

  1st in a 5-mile race in 6:23.8 which I.M.C.A. recognized as being a new world’s record for that distance on a ½ mile racetrack.

  2nd to Ben Gotoff a. k. a. Ben Giroux, in the 6-lap feature race.

G. B. Chandler’s 1909

Buick Valve-In-Head

Did This - - -

Made the entire race, covering, covering 42 laps without a stop; made the whole distance without once changing from high gear; finished fourth among all contenders, only fractional minutes and seconds behind the winner.  The car is owned and was driven by G. B. Chandler of Carnegie, Okla., who has known the car intimately since 1909.  He states that it has seen the hardest kind of service in long tours, and over not less that 40,000 miles of country roads.  The car entered with no special racing equipment whatever; with the original cylinders and gearing in the rear axle.  The motor hit perfectly during the entire race.  No stops were made for oil, water or gasoline.

 

Jake Strickler’s 1909

Buick Valve-In-Head

Did This - - - 

Held first place for nine full laps, gaining over 2½ over all contenders.  Forced to lose nine laps because of a faulty magneto, which had been substituted in an emergency, but which was in no way a part of the Buick equipment.  Re-entered the race and made up five of the nine laps lost.  Passed the car which finished second after entering the second time.  The car is owned and was driven by Jake Strickler of Enid, who states that it has seen hard, continuous service since 1909.  It has made numerous trips to Colorado, over almost impossible sands, grades and difficult roads, as well as many other long tours.  100,000 to 125,000 miles of hard service is a most conservative estimate. 

The Daily Oklahoman

April 23, 1916 – Page 2

 (The race referred to was run in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on April 20, 1915.)

Feature race winner:  Ben Gotoff a. k. a. Ben Giroux who was driving a Sunbeam Isotta #33 owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota

 

June 23, 1917 – 1-mile dirt oval – Minnesota State Fairgrounds at Hamline, Minnesota – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six” #34.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

Finish:  Strickler was one of several drivers who ran exhibition laps against time attempting to set new track records for various distances.  He was unsuccessful in his quest though.

  2nd in the 5-mile “free-for-all” race won by George Clark of Ft. Worth, Texas in a Case owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota

Feature race winner:  George Clark of Ft. Worth, Texas who was driving a Case owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota

  

July 4, 1917 – ½ mile dirt oval – Marshfield Fairgrounds at Marshfield, Wisconsin – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six” #34.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

            Finish:  Ran the fastest lap in time trials, setting a new 2-lap track record in the process.

                         Won his heat race setting a new track record in the process.

                         Won the 10-mile feature race setting new track record in the process.

Feature race winner:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma who was driving his own white Hudson “Super-Six” #34.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

 

July 8, 1917 – ½ mile dirt oval – Winnebago County Fairgrounds at Oshkosh, Wisconsin – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six” #34.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

Finish:  2nd fastest 2-lap time in time trials of 1:21.5 which was only slower than the 2-lap time turned in by Cliff Woodbury of Chicago, Illinois in a Duesenberg.

  1st in the 2nd 5-mile, 4-car heat race in 7:16.5.  Cliff Woodbury of Chicago finished 2nd in a Duesenberg.

  2nd in the 10-mile feature race behind Cliff Woodbury of Chicago, Illinois in a Duesenberg.

Feature race winner:  Cliff Woodbury of Chicago, Illinois who was driving a Duesenberg

  

July, 1917 – ½ mile dirt oval – Unnamed racetrack at Marquette, Michigan

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six” #34.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

Finish:  Won his heat race.

              Won the feature race.

Feature race winner:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma who was driving his own white Hudson “Super-Six” #34.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

 

July, 1917 – ½ mile dirt oval – Unnamed racetrack at Calumet, Michigan

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six” #34.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

Finish:  Results of these races have yet to be located.

 

            “… Jake Strickler, a well-known race driver, in a Hudson Super-Six stock car, gave an interesting demonstration…  He did the 23 miles from Pond Creek (Oklahoma to Enid, Oklahoma) in 24 minutes flat; 22 miles from Hennessy (Oklahoma to Enid, Oklahoma) in 25:35.0 and 21 miles from Graber (Oklahoma) to Enid in 17:30.0.  These are all records” --- From the “Arizona Republic” newspaper, Phoenix, Arizona; August 12, 1917, page 17; “The Morning News” newspaper, Wilmington, Delaware; August 23, 1917, page 6 and “The Twin-City Daily Sentinel” newspaper, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; August 25, 1917, page 8.

 

August 31, 1917 – ½ mile dirt oval – Allen County Fairgrounds at Lima, Ohio – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six”.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

Finish:  Strickler was running in 2nd place behind Captain Harvey Kennedy of San Francisco, California in a Marmon, during the 5-mile, 3-car Class E race when a tire came off of the leading car.  That caused the Marmon to crash through the fence and overturn onto the hapless driver.  Strickler was the first to reach Kennedy and dragged the injured man from the wreckage.  No ambulance was on the grounds so Strickler loaded the injured man into his racing Hudson “Super-Six” and took him to the city hospital.  Kennedy passed away during the journey and was pronounced deceased from a broken neck upon arrival at the hospital.  The remainder of the races were canceled by officials. 

 

September 5, 1917 – 1-mile dirt oval – Minnesota State Fairgrounds at Hamline, Minnesota – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six”.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

            Finish:  3rd in a 15-mile special race behind George Clark of Ft. Worth, Texas and Cliff Woodbury of Chicago, Illinois.

Feature race winner:  George Clark of Ft. Worth, Texas who was driving a Case owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota

 

September 8, 1917 – 1-mile dirt oval – Minnesota State Fairgrounds at Hamline, Minnesota – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Attendance:  40,000

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six”.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.  Louis Disbrow also drove this car on this day in a 5-mile special race.

Finish:  The Christie automobile that Louis Disbrow was scheduled to drive in a 5-mile special race for the top three qualifiers for the “Northwestern Sweepstakes”, would not start so he drove Strickler’s Hudson “Super-Six” instead.  He finished 3rd in that race behind Fred Horey of St. Paul, Minnesota in a Fiat and Cliff Woodbury of Chicago in a Duesenberg.

                                Strickler then drove his Hudson “Super-Six” in the 10-mile “State Fair Major Sweepstakes” but did not finish in any of the first three positions announced among the six starters in that race.

 

Cars lined up before the start of the 150-mile race at the 2-mile dirt oval Dodge City Speedway northeast of Dodge City, Kansas on October 7, 1916.  Left to right are: Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma with his own 1909 Buick “Six” #2; Chick Logan of Dodge City, Kansas in a Buick “Six” with his brother, Cookie Logan, as his riding mechanican; Bus Armstrong of Hutchinson, Kansas with a Hudson “Super-Six” and W. W. Brown of Kansas City, Missouri in a du Chesneau.  Brown’s riding mechanican has yet to be identified.

Roger Burnett collection

 

Feature race winner:  Fred Horey of St. Paulk Minnesota who was driving a Fiat

 

September 14, 1917 – 1-mile dirt oval – Wisconsin State Fairgrounds at West Allis, Wisconsin – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six”.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

            Finish:  3rd fastest lap in time trials of 56.8 seconds.  That was slower than the laps run by Jerry Wunderlich of San Francisco in a Marquette Buick and Cliff Woodbury of Chicago in a Duesenberg.

                          3rd in a heat race behind Cliff Woodbury of Chicago and John Waldo

                          1st in the Australian pursuit

Feature race winner:  John Waldo who was driving a Sunbeam owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota

 

September 15, 1917 – 1-mile dirt oval – Wisconsin State Fairgrounds at West Allis, Wisconsin – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six”.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

            Finish:  Won the Australian Pursuit in 9:23.2

Feature race winner:  John Waldo who was driving a Sunbeam owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota

 

September 27, 1917 – ½ mile dirt oval – Creston Fairgrounds at Creston, Iowa – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six”.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

            Finish:  Results of these races have yet to be located.

 

October 8, 1917 – ½ mile dirt oval – West Side Racetrack in Wichita, Kansas – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six”.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

Finish:  5th fastest lap in time trials running 1-lap in 35.75.  That was slower than the laps burned in by Jerry Wunderlich of San Francisco in a Sunbeam; Joe Allen in a Marquette Buick; Johnny Mais in his Mais special and Cliff Woodbury of Chicago in a Duesenberg.

  1st in the 1st 6-lap heat race in 3:40.25 which was a new track record time that stood until it was broken by Jerry Wunderlich 1-year later.  2nd place in this race went to Joe Allen in a Marquette Buick.

  1st in the 10-lap handicap race in 6:05.4 which was a new track record time that stood until it was broken by Glenn Breed in his own black and white Hudson “Super Six” #1 later that same day.  2nd place in this race went to Joe Allen in a Marquette Buick.

              1st in a 4-lap novelty race over Jerry Wunderlich of San Francisco.  Each driver was to run two laps and then make a pit stop and change at least 2 wheels.

  4th in the 25-lap International Wheat Show Sweepstakes behind Jerry Wunderlich of San Francisco in a Sunbeam; Joe Allen in a Marquette Buick and Cliff Woodbury of Chicago in a Duesenberg.

Feature race winner:  Jerry Wunderlich of San Francisco who was driving a Sunbeam.

 

October 10, 1917 – ½ mile dirt oval – West Side Racetrack in Wichita, Kansas – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

            Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six”.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

Finish:  4th fastest lap in time trials running 1-lap in 35.0.  That was slower than the laps burned in by Jerry Wunderlich of San Francisco in a Sunbeam; Cliff Woodbury of Chicago in a Duesenberg and Joe Allen in a Marquette Buick.

  1st in the 1st 6-lap heat race in 3:42.4.  2nd place in this race went to Johnny Mais of Indianapolis in his Mais special.

  1st in the 10-lap handicap race in 6:07.2.  2nd place in this race went to Joe Allen in a Marquette Buick.

              1st in a 4-lap novelty race over Jerry Wunderlich of San Francisco.  Each driver was to run two laps and then make a pit stop and change at least 2 wheels.

  2nd in the 25-lap Feature race behind Cliff Woodbury of Chicago in a Duesenberg.   Strickler got a good start and led the 1st eight laps.  Woodbury then passed Strickler on the 9th lap and led the rest of the way.  Strickler stayed close to Woodbury and even pulled even with him a couple of times but he was not able to regain the front spot.

Feature race winner:  Cliff Woodbury of Chicago who was driving a Duesenberg.

 

Page 3 of the Sunday, February 25, 1917 issue of the

Enid Daily Eagle

 

October 12, 1917 – ½ mile dirt oval – West Side Racetrack in Wichita, Kansas – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

            Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six”.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

Finish:  4th fastest lap in time trials running 1-lap in 35.0.  That was slower than the laps burned in by Jerry Wunderlich of San Francisco in a Sunbeam; Cliff Woodbury of Chicago in a Duesenberg and Johnny Mais of Salina, Kansas in his Mais special.

  2nd in the 1st 6-lap heat race behind Joe Allen.  Strickler led this race until the 5th lap when he was passed by Allen, but Strickler stuck close finishing in a close 2nd place.

              2nd in the 10-lap handicap race behind Johnny Mais of Indianapolis in his Mais special.

              1st in a 4-lap novelty race over Jerry Wunderlich of San Francisco.  Each driver was to run two laps and then make a pit stop and change at least 2 wheels.

                3rd in the 20-lap Wichita Sweepstakes race behind Cliff Woodbury of Chicago in a Duesenberg and Joe Allen in a Marquette Buick.

Feature race winner:  Cliff Woodbury of Chicago who was driving a Duesenberg.

 

October 16, 1917 – 1-mile dirt oval – Texas State Fairgrounds in Dallas, Texas – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

            Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six” #34.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

Finish:  Results of these races have yet to be located.

Feature race winner:  George Clark of Ft. Worth, Texas who was driving a Case owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

 

October 21, 1917 – 1-mile dirt oval – Texas State Fairgrounds in Dallas, Texas – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six”.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

Finish:  3rd in the 25-lap feature race behind Ben Gotoff a. k. a. Ben Giroux, in a Sunbeam Isotta #33 owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota and Jules Ellingboe of Crookston, Minnesota.

Feature race winner:  Ben Gotoff a. k. a. Ben Giroux who was driving a Sunbeam Isotta #33 owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota

 

October 24, 1917 – 1-mile dirt oval – Texas State Fairgrounds in Dallas, Texas – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

            Car:  Strickler’s own white Hudson “Super-Six”.  George F. Ahl of Enid, Oklahoma was Strickler’s riding mechanican.

Finish:  Stricklin’s name does not appear in the meager results of these races that have been located to date.

Feature race winner:  George Clark of Ft. Worth, Texas who was driving a Case owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

 

Strickler built a Duesenberg and a Hudson “Super-Six” racing cars in Enid for unidentified midwestern customers over the winter of 1917–1918.  With finical backing from unidentified Chicago sportsmen, he also built three new specialized racing cars for himself to drive specifically on “big racetracks” in 1918.

 

May 12, 1918 – 20-mile salt strip – Salt Plains north of Jet, Oklahoma

            15-mile match race against Billy Parker who was flying an airplane.

Car:  Strickler’s own Hudson “Super-Six”.

Finish:  Results of this match race have yet to be located.

 

July 4, 1918 – 2-mile oiled dirt oval – Dodge City Speedway northeast of Dodge City, Kansas

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  4th fastest lap run in time trials with a 1-lap time of 1:47.0.  That time was only be by three other drivers:  Glenn Breed of Salina, Kansas in his Hudson “Super-Six” with a time of 1:24.0; Elmer Negy of Hutchinson, Kansas in a Hudson “Super-Six” with a time of 1:42.0 and Andrew Dillard Hopkins of Guyman, Oklahoma in a Cadillac “Eight” with a time of 1:43.0.

4th in the 1st 30-mile heat race behind Glenn Breed of Salina, Kansas in his Hudson “Super-Six”, Elmer Negy of Hutchinson, Kansas in a Hudson “Super-Six” and Andrew Dillard Hopkins of Guymon, Oklahoma in a Cadillac “Eight”.

            2nd in the 2nd 30-mile heat race behind Glenn Breed of Salina, Kansas in his Hudson “Super-Six”.

            2nd in the 3rd 30-mile heat race behind Glenn Breed of Salina, Kansas in his Hudson “Super-Six”.

Strickler having finished 2nd twice and 4th once in three 30-mile heat races behind Glenn Breed, that made up the 90-mile feature.  Those three finishes placed Strickler in 2nd place overall in the 90-mile feather behind Breed.

Feature race winner:  Glenn Breed of Salina, Kansas who was driving his own Hudson “Super-Six” #1

 

Jake Strickler posed for this portrait in his

Hudson “Super-Six” race car

Strickler family collection

 

  

August 30, 1918 – ½ mile dirt oval – Nebraska State Fairgrounds at Lincoln, Nebraska – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own Hudson “Super-Six”

            Finish:  Only meager results of these races have located to date.

Feature race winner:  Jules Ellingboe of Crookston, Minnesota who was driving a Briscoe.

  

September 2, 1918 – ½ mile dirt oval – Nebraska State Fairgrounds at Lincoln, Nebraska – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own Hudson “Super-Six”

            Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in published results of these races.

Feature race winner:  Bill Endicott of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving a special Hudson

 

September 3-4, 1918 – 1-mile dirt oval – Oakdale Park at Salina, Kansas

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

            Finish:  These races were postponed until September 6, 1918 due to rain

 

September 6, 1918 – 1-mile dirt oval – Oakdale Park at Salina, Kansas

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

            Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in the published results of these races

Feature race winner:  Harold Roller of Abilene, Kansas who was driving a Ford special

 

September 8, 1918 – 1-mile dirt oval – Minnesota State Fairgrounds at Hamline, Minnesota – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”.

            Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in the published results of these races.

Feature race winner:  Sig Haugdahl of Albert Lea, Minnesota who was driving a Fiat.

 

September 13, 1918 – ½ mile dirt oval – Kansas Free Fairgrounds in Topeka, Kansas – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own Hudson “Super-Six”.

            Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in the published results of these races

Feature race winner:  Sig Haugdahl of Albert Lea, Minnesota who was driving a Fiat.

 

September 14, 1918 – ½ mile dirt oval – Kansas Free Fairgrounds in Topeka, Kansas – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own Hudson “Super-Six”.

            Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in the published results of these races

Feature race winner:  Bill Endicott of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving the Rahe special Hudson.

 

September 21, 1918 – ½ mile dirt oval – Kansas Free Fairgrounds in Topeka, Kansas – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own Hudson “Super-Six”.

            Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in the published results of these races

Feature race winner:  Bill Endicott of Kansas City, Missouri who was driving the Rahe special Hudson.

 

September 25, 1918 – ½ mile dirt oval – Colcord Speedway at the Old Oklahoma State Fairgrounds on the east side of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own Hudson “Super-Six”.

Finish:  DNF the 5-car, 20-lap 2nd heat race of the Sweepstakes, dropping out on the 7th lap.  The race was won by Jules Ellingboe of Crookston, Minnesota in a Briscoe.

             3rd in the 6-car, 30-lap 3rd heat of the Sweepstakes behind Leon Duray of Cleveland, Ohio in a Zip and George Clark of Ft. Worth, Texas in a Mooney-Ford.

Feature race winner:  Leon Duray of Cleveland, Ohio who was driving a Zip

 

September 28, 1918 – ½ mile dirt oval – Colcord Speedway at the Old Oklahoma State Fairgrounds on the east side of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

Car:  Strickler’s own Hudson “Super-Six”.

Attendance:  28,007

Finish:  Won a 6-lap match race in 3:49.0 and by less than a car length over Tex Thomas of San Antonio, Texas.

  DNF in the 7-car, 50-lap Mid-Continent Sweepstakes won by Jules Ellingboe of Crookston, Minnesota in a Briscoe.

Feature race winner:  Jules Ellingboe of Crookston, Minnesota who was driving a Briscoe

 

October 7, 1918 – ½ mile dirt oval – West Side Racetrack in Wichita, Kansas – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

            Car:  Strickler’s own Hudson “Super-Six”.

Finish:  2nd fastest lap in time trials.  That was slower than Louis Disbrow of Indianapolis in a Simplex.

  3rd in the 1st 6-lap heat race behind Jerry Wunderlich of San Francisco in a Marquette Buick and Frank W. Cody in the Ogren special.

  3rd in the 10-lap Australian Pursuit handicap race behind Earl Cooper of San Francisco in a Stutz and Gaston Chevrolet of Indianapolis in a Sunbeam.

              4th in the 20-lap Liberty Sweepstakes race behind Earl Cooper of San Francisco in a Stutz; Gaston Chevrolet of Indianapolis in a Sunbeam and Louis Disbrow of Indianapolis in a Simplex.

Feature race winner:  Earl Cooper of San Francisco who was driving a Stutz.

 

Strickler returned home to Enid, Oklahoma late in October of 1918 and took a job for the winter as head mechanic for Bud Gentry’s Gentry Motor Company.

 

April 5, 1919 – ½ mile oiled dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma.

Attendance:  4,000

Car:  His own Hudson “Super-Six” #8

Entry Fee:  $10

Finish:  1st in time trials with a 2-lap total time of 1:19.2.  Glenn Breed of Fredonia, Kansas ran the 2nd fastest time in his own Hudson “Super-Six” #1.

  3rd in the 11-lap Australian Pursuit behind Glenn Breed of Fredonia, Kansas who ran the 2nd fastest time in his own Hudson “Super-Six” #1 and Johnny Mais in his own car he had named “The Texan”.  3rd place in this race paid Strickler $25 from the purse.

  3rd in the 30-lap “Southwest sweepstakes” behind Glenn Breed of Fredonia, Kansas and Leo Rice of Ardmore, Oklahoma who was driving a Dodge special.  This time, Strickler won $50 from the purse for his 3rd place finish.

Feature race winner:  Glenn Breed of Fredonia, Kansas who was driving his own Hudson “Super-Six” #1.

 

April 6, 1919 – ½ mile oiled dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma.

Car:  Reo 6

             Entry Fee:  $10

Finish:  1st in time trials with a 2-lap time of 1:20.0.  Glenn Breed of Fredonia, Kansas ran the 2nd fastest time.

  2nd in the 5-car, 20-lap handicap race behind Glenn Breed of Fredonia, Kansas to win $50 from the purse.

  Tied with Glenn Breed of Fredonia, Kansas in a 2-car match race.  The time for each car was 3:07.8.

  2nd in the 5-car, 30-lap “Southwest sweepstakes”, finishing behind Leo Rice of Ardmore, Oklahoma driving a Dodge special.  2nd place in this race paid Strickler $150 from the purse.

            Feature race winner: Leo Rice of Ardmore, Oklahoma who was driving a Dodge special.

         

April 23-24, 1919 – ½ mile oiled dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma.

Total purse:  $2,000

Car:  His own Hudson “Super-Six” #8

             Finish:  Results of these races have yet to be located.

 

 

  Enid Events newspaper

Thursday, October 30, 1919 – page 3

 May 9-10, 1919 – ½ mile dirt oval – Carter County Fairgrounds at Ardmore, Oklahoma

            These races were postponed until May 11-12, 1919 due to rain.

 

May 11-12, 1919 – ½ mile dirt oval – Carter County Fairgrounds at Ardmore, Oklahoma

            These races were postponed until May 23-24, 1919 due to rain.

 

May 23, 1919 – ½ mile dirt oval – Carter County Fairgrounds at Ardmore, Oklahoma

These races were canceled due to rain.

 

May 24, 1919 – ½ mile dirt oval – Carter County Fairgrounds at Ardmore, Oklahoma

             Feature race winner: Leo Rice of Ardmore, Oklahoma driving a Dodge special.

                

            According to a story on page 15 of the January 23, 1919 issue of the Enid Events newspaper, the Gentry Motor Company of Enid, Oklahoma entered a Hudson “Super-Six” for Strickler to drive in the Indianapolis “500” that was run on May 31, 1919 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Neither the car, nor Strickler, made any effort to qualify for that race which was won by Howdy Wilcox of Indianapolis, Indiana in a Peugeot.  Since Strickler likely did not hold a valid A.A.A. license, had not supported A.A.A. races for four years, and was regularly competing in races that were not sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.), it is certain that his entry into the Indianapolis “500” that year would have been rejected even if he was able to meet all of the other criteria required of an entrant in that event.

 

May 30 - 31, 1919 – ½ mile dirt oval – Woodward Fairgrounds at Woodward, Oklahoma

          These races were postponed until June 6 - 7, 1919 due to inclement weather.

 

June 6 – 7, 1919 – ½ mile dirt oval – Woodward Fairgrounds at Woodward, Oklahoma

          Results of these races have yet to be located.

 

July 4, 1919 – ½ mile dirt oval – Cimarron Valley Fairgrounds at Guthrie, Oklahoma

            Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Strickler won $75 for finishing in 3rd place in the “Free for All” race behind G. B. Adkins (or Taber Day Adkins) of Garber, Oklahoma who was driving a Stutz and _____ Patterson.

Feature race winner:  G. B. Adkins (or Taber Day Adkins) of Garber, Oklahoma who was driving a Stutz.

         

July 12, 1919 – ½ mile dirt oval – Ft. Worth Fairgrounds in Ft. Worth, Texas – Sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

            Car:  Duesenberg

Finish:  Results of these races have yet to be located.

 

August 30, 1919 – ½ mile oiled dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma.

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Attendance: “thousands”

Finish:  Strickler ran the 2nd fastest 2-lap time trial of 1:13.0.  Johnny Mais of Dallas, Texas had run fastest 2-lap time trial.

                          4th in the 10-lap handicap race behind Johnny Mais of Dallas, Texas who was driving an Essex; Jack Tipton of Oklahoma City who was driving a Hudson “Super-Six” and Paul Clem of Enid who was driving a Ford.

                          Won the 40-lap feature race in 26 minutes flat.  Johnny Mais of Dallas, Texas who was driving his own Essex, finished in 2nd place.

Feature race winner:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma in his own Hudson “Super-Six”

 

August 31, 1919 – ½ mile oiled dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma.

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Strickler ran the 2nd fastest of 1:12.4.  Johnny Mais of Dallas, Texas ran the fastest time trial of the day.

              2nd in the 20-lap race to collect $50 from the purse.  Johnny Mais of Dallas, Texas won the race.

              Strickler started the 4-car, 10-lap Australian Pursuit but did not finish the race in one of the top 2 published positions.  Johnny Mais of Dallas, Texas won that race too.

                 Strickler took the lead of the 50-lap feature race on the 4th lap and had lapped all but the 2nd place car when he was forced to drop out of the race 10th lap with a burned-out engine bearing.

            Feature race winner:  Jack Tipton of Oklahoma City who was driving a Hudson “Super-Six”.

 

September 1, 1919 – ½ mile oiled dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma.

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Won the 6-lap “Free-for-All” race.  Johnny Mais of Dallas, Texas finished this race in 2nd place.

              2nd in the 4-car, 10-lap handicap race behind Paul Clem of Enid who was driving a Ford.

              Won the 6-lap match race with a Curtiss airplane flown by A. S. Newsom of Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Strickler lapped the airplane twice as it was having trouble negotiating the tight course while fighting a stiff south wind.

              Won the 10-lap “Free-for-All” race in 6:39.0.  Johnny Mais of Dallas, Texas finished this race in 2nd place in his Essex.

              DNF the 24-lap “Free-for-All” feature race due to a burned-out engine bearing.  Johnny Mais of Dallas, Texas won this race in his Essex followed by Paul Clem of Enid who was driving a Ford.

Feature race winner:  Johnny Mais of Dallas, Texas who was driving his own Essex

 

September 13-14, 1919 – ½ mile dirt oval – Carter County Fairgrounds at Ardmore, Oklahoma

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  2nd place in the “Free-for-All” race each of the two days but nothing more is known about these races.

 

September 26, 1919 – ½ mile dirt oval – Dickinson County Fairgrounds at Abilene, Kansas

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  1st in time trials, running 2-laps in 1.07.0.  Billy Tipton of Oklahoma City was 2nd fastest in a Hudson with a 2-lap time 1:11.0. 

  1st in the 1st 5-mile heat race in 6:04.0 ahead of Scott Willard of Ponca City, Oklahoma in the Willard special.  1st place paid Strickler $300 in prize money.

              1st in the 2nd 5-mile heat race in 6:00.0 ahead of Billy Tipton of Oklahoma City in a Hudson.  1st place paid Strickler $300 in prize money.

              1st in the 10-mile sweepstakes race.  1st place paid Strickler $400 in prize money.

Feature race winner:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma in a Hudson “Super-Six”

 

October 14, 1919 – ½ mile dirt oval – Barton County Fairgrounds at Great Bend, Kansas

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  ”Strickler … was called home to close a business deal and also missed taking part in the racing.  The latter is a big farmer and stockman and follows the racing game merely for the sport instead of the money and as, he is said to be a speed demon, the other drivers were probably just as well satisfied that he was unable to take part.”  Great Bend Tribune, October 15, 1919, page 1.

Feature race winner:  Glenn Breed of Salina, Kansas in a Hudson “Super-Six”

 

October 18, 1919 – 1 mile dirt oval – Alva Motor Speedway located one-mile northwest of Alva, Oklahoma

Promoter:  G. E. Nickel of Alva, Oklahoma

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Attendance:  2,000

Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in the published race results.

Feature race winner:  Bill McNeeley of Alva, Oklahoma who was driving a Dodge

 

October 19, 1919 – 1 mile dirt oval – Alva Motor Speedway located one-mile northwest of Alva, Oklahoma

Promoter:  G. E. Nickel of Alva, Oklahoma

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Attendance:  2,000

Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in the published race results.

Feature race winner:  Johnny Mais of Dallas, Texas who was driving a Mercer.

 

Late in October of 1919, Strickler returned to Enid for the winter and opened a garage “on automobile row just east of the Central State Bank” where spent the winter working on cars for the general public.

 

November 11, 1919 – ½ mile dirt oval Medford Fairgrounds at Medford, Oklahoma.

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Strickler ran the 3rd fastest 2-lap time trial which was only slower than the time trials run by Glenn Breed of Salina, Kansas who was driving his own Hudson “Super-Six” #1 and Ray “Frats” (“Fritz”, “Fratz”, “Fraty” or “Fat”) Willard of Ponca City, Oklahoma who was driving a Ford special.

              3rd in the 4-car Australian Pursuit behind Glenn Breed of Salina, Kansas who was driving his own Hudson “Super-Six” #1 and Ray “Frats” (“Fritz”, “Fratz”, “Fraty” or “Fat”) Willard of Ponca City, Oklahoma who was driving a Ford special.

  Breed’s Hudson “Super Six” #1 was the only car still in running order at the conclusion of the Australian Pursuit so the remainder of the program was canceled.

 

November 11, 1919 – ½ mile oiled dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma.

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  These races were postponed until April 27, 1920 due to rain.

 

April 23, 1920 – ½ mile oiled dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma.

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Attendance:  1,000

Finish:  2nd fastest 2-lap time trial of 1:11.7 which was only slower than the time trial run by Glenn Breed of Salina, Kansas who was driving his own Hudson “Super-Six” #1.

              DNF in the 40-lap feature race due to engine trouble.

Feature race winner:  Leo Rice of Ardmore, Oklahoma who was driving a Dodge special.

 

 

Jake & Roqua Strickler’s home at 230 West State Avenue in Enid, Oklahoma as it looked in 2016.

Google maps

 

 April 24, 1920 – ½ mile oiled dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma.

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  These races were postponed until April 27, 1920 due to rain.

 

April 27, 1920 – ½ mile oiled dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma.

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  These races were postponed and rescheduled as a 2-day event of April 30, 1920 and May 1, 1920, due to cold weather.

 

April 30, 1920 – ½ mile oiled dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma.

Total purse:  $2,000

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

             Finish:  3rd in the 5-mile handicap race behind Johnny Mais of Salina, Kansas in an Essex and Roy Meacham in a Hudson “Super-Six”.

                            2nd in the 30-lap “free-for-all” race behind Johnny Mais of Salina, Kansas in an Essex

Feature race winner:  Johnny Mais of Salina, Kansas who was driving his own Essex.  He won $500 of the posted prize money.

 

May 1, 1920 – ½ mile oiled dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma.

Total purse:  $2,000

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  3rd in the 15-mile “free-for-all” race behind Leo Rice of Ardmore, Oklahoma in a Dodge and Glenn Breed of Salina, Kansas in a Hudson “Super-Six”

Feature race winner:  Leo Rice of Ardmore, Oklahoma who was driving a Dodge special.  He won $700 of the posted prize money.

 

May 8 - 9, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval Kay County Fairgrounds northeast of Newkirk, Oklahoma

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Results of these races have yet to be located.

 

May 26, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval Pawnee Fairgrounds at Pawnee, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Dick Jones of Pawnee under the auspices of the local post of the American Legion

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear on the published results of these races.

Feature race winner:  Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas who was driving his own Essex special #24.

 

May 28 - 29, 1920 – 1 mile oiled dirt oval Alva Motor Speedway one mile northwest of Alva, Oklahoma

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  These races were postponed until June 2-3, 1920 due to rain.

 

May 29, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval – Colcord Speedway at the Old Oklahoma State Fairgrounds on the east side of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Car:  Strickler’s own Hudson “Super-Six”.

Finish:  These races were canceled due to rain.

 

June 2, 1920 – 1 mile oiled dirt oval – Alva Motor Speedway located one-mile northwest of Alva, Oklahoma

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  These races were canceled due to rain.

 

June 3, 1920 – 1 mile dirt oval – Alva Motor Speedway located one-mile northwest of Alva, Oklahoma

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Strickler ran the fastest time trial of 54.4 seconds.  Johnny Lee ran the 2nd fastest time trial with his Dodge special.

              Strickler won the 5-lap “Free-for-All” race in 5:57.0 to collect $75 from the purse.  Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas finished in 2nd place in his own Essex #24.

              Strickler won the Australian Pursuit to win $80 from the purse.

              Strickler won the Novelty race and collected $25 from the purse for that victory.

              Struckler won the 25-lap Southwestern Sweepstakes to win $300 from the purse.  Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas finished in 2nd place in that race.

Feature race winner:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma in his own Hudson “Super-Six”

 

June 19, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval – Carter Speedway southwest of Pawhuska, Oklahoma

          Promoter:  Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  These races were postponed until June 21, 1920 due to a wet racetrack caused by very heavy rain a couple of days earlier.

 

June 20, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval – Carter Speedway southwest of Pawhuska, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas.

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in the published results of these races.

Feature race winner:  Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas who was driving his own Essex special #24.

 

June 21, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval – Carter Speedway southwest of Pawhuska, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in the published results of these races.

Feature race winner:  Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas who was driving his own Essex special #24.

  

June, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval – Collinsville Fairgrounds at Collinsville, Oklahoma

          Promoter:  Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas.

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Results of these races have yet to be located.

 

July 5, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval – Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Kansas

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  4th in time trials running two laps in 1:15.0.  That was slower than the 2-lap times turned in by Leonard Kerbs of Otis, Kansas in a Ford; Johnny Mais of Salina, Kansas in an Essex and Fred Lentz of Hutchinson in a Mercer chassis with a Hudson engine.

              DNF in the 5-car, 10-lap heat race for the fastest half of the field from time trials, suffering from engine trouble.  Strickler also qualified for the 30-lap “free-for-all” race but did not start that race due to the same engine problems.

Feature race winner:  Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas in his Essex special #24

 

        On July 21, 1920, Jake Strickler, driving an Essex, was matched against “Speedy” Fleming in an Elgin “Six” for a race from Oklahoma City to Enid, Oklahoma.  Strickler and his passenger, Bud Gentry, finished the 99-mile distance in 2 hours and 3½ minutes which was believed to be a new record time.  It did break what was reported to be the record that had been set by John R. Wilver of Enid “some weeks ago.”  Fleming finished the distance almost an hour behind Strickler.

 

August 8, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval – Kay County Fairgrounds northeast of Newkirk, Oklahoma

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in the published results of these races.

Feature race winner:  Ray “Frats” (“Fritz”, “Fratz”, “Fraty” or “Fat”) Willard of Ponca City, Oklahoma who was driving a Hudson.

 

August 18, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval Pawnee Fairgrounds at Pawnee, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Dick Jones of Pawnee under the auspices of the local post of the American Legion

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Strickler entered these races but his name does not appear on the published results.

Feature race winner:  Burt Howe of Pawnee, Oklahoma who was driving a Dodge.

 

August 21, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval – Russell County Fairgrounds at Russell, Kansas

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  The crowd was large and the total posted purse was $600 but the results of these races have yet to be located

 

September 6, 1920 – 1 mile dirt oval – Alva Motor Speedway located one-mile northwest of Alva, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  These races were postponed until September 14, 1920 due to rain.

 

September 14, 1920 – 1 mile dirt oval – Alva Motor Speedway located one-mile northwest of Alva, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  4th in time trials running 1-lap in 63.0 seconds.  That was only slower that the time trials run by Johnny Lee of Wichita, Kansas who was driving his own Dodge special; Ray “Frats” (“Fritz”, “Fratz”, “Fraty” or “Fat”) Willard of Ponca City, Oklahoma who was driving a Hudson special and Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas who was driving his own Essex.

              2nd in the 3-lap 4-cornered race behind Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas who was driving his own Essex.  Strickler won $25 from the purse for his 2nd place finish.

              2nd in the Sweepstakes behind Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas in his own Essex.  Strickler won $150 from the purse for this 2nd place finish.

Feature race winner:  Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas in an Essex.

     

September 25, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval Colcord Speedway at the Old Oklahoma State Fairgrounds on the east side of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Sanctioned by International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

               Promoter:  Ralph Hankinson of Russell, Kansas

            Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in the published results of these races.

Feature race winner:  Lou Scheibell of Des Moines, Iowa in his Chalmers.

     

September 29, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval Colcord Speedway at the Old Oklahoma State Fairgrounds on the east side of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Sanctioned by International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

               Promoter:  Ralph Hankinson of Russell, Kansas

            Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  9th fastest lap in time trials of 38.3 which was slower than the laps run by John Boyd of Tulsa, Oklahoma in a Hudson special; Harry Dickson in a Packard; Billy Tipton of Oklahoma City in a Hudson special; Jack Wallace of Oklahoma City in a Buick special; Scott Willard of Ponca City, Oklahoma in the Willard special; Tuck Fordyce of Tulsa, Oklahoma who was driving a Mercer owned by J. Alex Sloan of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Lou Scheibell of Des Moines, Iowa in his Chalmers and Dick Sipes of Oklahoma City in a Ford.

Feature race winner:  John Boyd of Tulsa, Oklahoma in a Hudson special.

     

October 2, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval Colcord Speedway at the Old Oklahoma State Fairgrounds on the east side of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Sanctioned by International Motor Contest Association (I.M.C.A.)

               Promoter:  Ralph Hankinson of Russell, Kansas

            Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in the published results of these races.

Feature race winner:  John Boyd of Tulsa, Oklahoma in a Hudson special.

 

October 8, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval – Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Kansas

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

            Finish:  4th in time trials running two laps in 1:10.6.  That was slower than the 2-lap times turned in by Harold Roller of Abilene, Kansas in a Ford special; Leonard Kerbs of Otis, Kansas in a Ford and Johnny Lee of Wichita, Kansas in a Dodge.

  4th in the 6-car, 20-lap sweepstakes race for the 6 fastest cars in time trials.  Strickler finished this race on a flat tire (that blew out on the 13th lap) and behind Harold Roller of Abilene, Kansas in a Ford special; Fred Lentz of Hutchinson in a Hudson and Albert “Al” Koepke of Topeka, Kansas in a Ford.

Feature race winner:  Harold Roller of Abilene, Kansas in a Ford special

 

October 9, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval – Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Kansas

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

            Finish:  3rd in the 30-lap “free-for-all” sweepstakes race behind Harold Roller of Abilene, Kansas in a Ford special and Johnny Lee of Wichita, Kansas who was driving a Dodge special.

Feature race winner:  Harold Roller of Abilene, Kansas in a Ford special

 

October 14, 1920 – 1-mile oiled dirt oval – Kenwood Park Speedway at Salina, Kansas

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in published results of these races.

Feature race winner:  Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas who was driving his own Essex special #24.

 

November 11, 1920 – ½ mile dirt oval – Kansas Free Fairgrounds in Topeka, Kansas

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

            Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in the published results of these races

Feature race winner:  Harold Roller of Abilene, Kansas in a Ford special.

  

April 24, 1921 – ½ mile dirt oval Pawnee Fairgrounds at Pawnee, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Dick Jones of Pawnee under the auspices of the local post of the American Legion.

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear on the published results of these races.

Feature race winner:  Forrest WayneFrosty” Hopkins who was driving a Ford special owned by Oscar S. Holroyd, Sr., both men from Cleveland, Oklahoma

 

May 15, 1921 – ½ mile dirt oval – Hallett Fairgrounds at Hallett, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Dick Jones of Pawnee under the auspices of the local post of the American Legion.

Car:  Stock Essex

Total purse:  $1,000

Attendance: “2,000 to 3,000”

Finish:  4th in the 4-car, 5-mile stock car race behind Lon Eagon of Cleveland, Oklahoma in a Hudson; Charles Stout in a Studebaker owned by C. M. Mansfield and O. M. Lewis, all three men being from Cleveland, Oklahoma; and Richard J. “Dick” Jones of Cleveland, Oklahoma in a Hudson.

Feature race winner:  Curt Hatfield who was driving a Ford special owned by Roy Gilmore, both men being from Pawnee, Oklahoma

 

May 24, 1921 – ½ mile oiled dirt oval Stock Pavilion 1-mile east of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma.

Car:  Stock Essex

Finish:  Won the 6-lap stock car race om 4:53.0..

Feature race winner:  Johnny Mais of San Antonio, Texas who was driving his own Dodge special #24.

 

June 7, 1921 – ½ mile dirt oval – Okmulgee County Fairgrounds at Okmulgee, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma.

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:   These races were postponed until June 10, 1921 due to an undisclosed reason.

 

June 10, 1921 – ½ mile dirt oval – Okmulgee County Fairgrounds at Okmulgee, Oklahoma

Promoter:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma.

Car:  Essex roadster stock car

Finish:  Strickler won the 6-lap stock car race.

Feature race winner for stock cars:  Jake Strickler of Enid, Oklahoma

Feature race winner for professional race cars:  Dick Calhoun of Cleveland, Oklahoma who was driving a Ford owned by Oscar S. Holroyd, Sr. who was also from Cleveland, Oklahoma.

 

July 4, 1921 – ½ mile dirt oval – Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Kansas

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

            Finish:  Strickler’s name is not listed in the published results of these races.

Feature race winner:  Fred Lentz of Hutchinson who as driving an Essex

 

September 5, 1921 – 1-mile dirt oval – Alva Motor Speedway located one-mile northwest of Alva, Oklahoma – Sanctioned by the Alva Speedway Association (A.S.A.)

Car:  16-valve Dodge

            Finish:  These races were postponed until “some future date” due to rain.

 

March 22, 1922 – 300-yards of straight public road beginning at “the corner 2 miles east of the end of University Boulevard and ending at the bridge 300 yards east of” that corner, east of Enid, Oklahoma

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six” owned by Bud Gentry of Enid, Oklahoma.

Finish:  This match race was canceled when C. O. Place, owner the big red Paige #666 driven by Bill Traband of Guthrie, Oklahoma, failed to post his half of the agreed upon purse by race time.

     

June 4, 1922 – ½ mile dirt oval Colcord Speedway at the Old Oklahoma State Fairgrounds on the east side of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

            Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  Strickler’s name does not appear in the published results of these races.

Feature race winner:  Johnny Lee of Wichita, Kansas who was driving a Dodge special.

 

June 11, 1922 – 1-mile oiled dirt oval – Osage Speedway at Hominy, Oklahoma

Car:  Hudson “Super-Six”

Finish:  2nd quickest in time trials behind Dick Calhoun of Cleveland, Oklahoma

             2nd in the 30-mile feature race behind Dick Calhoun of Cleveland, Oklahoma

Feature race winner:  Dick Calhoun of Cleveland, Oklahoma who was driving a Ford owned by Oscar S. Holroyd, Sr. who was also from Cleveland, Oklahoma.

 

 

In 1919, Jake Strickler had a job as a foreman for the Gentry Motor Company in Enid and he was serving as a reserve police officer with the Enid Police Department.

Strickler had been promoted to patrolman on the Enid Police Department by 1926 and was also working as a salesman, on the side, for the Eisele Sales Company, an automobile dealer in Enid.  A short time after that, he transferred to the Oklahoma State Highway Department and, in 1935, he was named head of that agency’s stolen car division.  By 1937, he was the chief investigator for the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, investigating “white collar” crime.  Later that same year, he was promoted to be the chief investigator of the Oklahoma Public Safety Commission.

For political reasons, the State of Oklahoma cut the pay for its investigators in the Department of Public Safety by 25% and dismissed 55 of those investigators outright.  As the chief investigator, Strickler was able to keep his $225 per month job but it was his responsibility to inform those under him of the job cuts and dismissals.

In May of 1938, the National Automobile Theft Bureau commended the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety and Jake Strickler in particular, for his work in solving auto thefts in the state.  Of 323 auto thefts reported in the state during the past fiscal year, 96% of those cars had been recovered.  He immediately resigned his position with the department of safety and entered private business as a stolen car investigator.  The Automobile Protective Information Bureau credited his work with reducing auto theft insurance rates in Oklahoma by 50%.

Also, that year, Ray H. Hoss sued the State Department of Public Safety, along with Jake Strickler and a few others, for $105,000 claiming that he had been beaten while being interrogated about the theft of some oil.  All of Mr. Hoss’s claims were denied by the defendants and questions were raised if the suit might be the results of disgruntled investigators among the 55 who had been dismissed earlier.

 

Jake Strickler

The Daily Oklahoman

Tuesday, October 10, 1939 – page 13

 

On October 14, 1938, Strickler, himself, was charged with stealing a car in Oklahoma City that belonged to A. H. Harris of Bethany, Oklahoma.  Early in 1939, Strickler was charged with auto theft in that case in district court in Oklahoma City.  He denied the charge and posted a $2,500 bond to get out of jail while he awaited trial.  Later that year, he was rearrested at his home in Enid.  His bond was forfeited for failure to appear in court on the auto theft charge.  Strickler said that neither he, nor his attorney (Harry Kirkendall), had been notified that he was to have appeared.

By the time that Strickler went to trial, he was charged with having stolen four different cars.  During a recess in the trial he was quoted as saying to the spectators, “Sure, I had stolen cars in my passion.  That’s my business to recover stolen automobiles.  I hope to have a whole lot of other stolen cars in my possession in the future too.”

In November of 1939, Strickler, who had sent some 600 auto thieves to prison, was sentenced in Garfield County, Oklahoma to serve the maximum of five years in the state penitentiary for knowingly receiving a car that he said he bought in good faith but was later found to be stolen.  He was convicted for stealing three of the other cars but his sentences for doing so were to run concurrently with the first.  His defense attorney charged that “jealous” officers in the Oklahoma City Police Department had conspired with auto thieves to plant stolen cars near Enid, for Strickler to find, in order to frame him.

While his lawyer appealed the sentence for knowingly receiving a stolen car in 1940, Strickler was released on a $2,000 bond only to be convicted in Oklahoma City of stealing another car and sentenced to an additional 20-year prison term.  For that, his bond was strengthened to “between $7,500 and $10,000”.  The $2,000 bond was posted by a prominent Enid oilman and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert H. Champlin.

The county attorney in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma said that he would either dismiss a second charge of auto theft against Strickler, or permit the judge to give him another 20-year sentence for it that would run concurrently with the first 20-year sentence.  He began serving his sentence in the Oklahoma State Prison at McAlister, Oklahoma in February of 1940.

In 1942, Strickler volunteered to serve in the military for the duration of World War II but his request was denied.

In February of 1946, Strickler was granted a one-year leave of absence from prison by the State Pardon & Parole board saying that he was ready for clemency and his behavior while out of prison would determine any future action.  His record while in prison was clean and he had no previous convictions.  The leave papers were signed by Governor Robert S. Kerr upon the recommendation of the prison warden, the trial judges that had sentenced him in Garfield County and in Oklahoma County as well as the prosecutors who had prosecuted him in both counties.  He was then granted full parole in January of 1947.

Strickler moved to Mercedes, Texas in 1948, telling the parole board in Oklahoma that he owned property there that he needed to take care of.  He took a job in the farm loan business in that area and also became an active member of the Valley Sportsmen Club in McAllen, Texas.

In January of 1952, Strickler was appointed as deputy sheriff and a criminal investigator in Hidalgo County, Texas.  He held those positions until March 1, 1953 when he resigned after an unsuccessful candidate for sheriff confronted him with his being a parolee from the State of Oklahoma and, therefore, ineligible to hold a job where he was required to carry a firearm.

One week later, the mayor of Mercedes offered Strickler a job as chief of an unnamed police department but Strickler turned the offer down.  (It was not clear in the newspaper report as to what police department he was offered chief of as the job of chief of the Mercedes police department was not open.)  A week after that, three petitions were being circulated requesting that Strickler be rehired by the Hidalgo County Sherriff’s Department but Strickler stated that he was not interested in pursuing that either.

The Stricklers were residing in a home on some rural acreage they owned one mile east and 7½ miles north of Mercedes and Jake was working as a realtor when he passed away at the Lawler Clinic-Hospital in Mercedes from “toxic uremia due to intestinal obstruction due to neoplasm of the sigmoid” (colon cancer aggravated by a bowel blockage) on September 22, 1965 and is buried in Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery at La Feria, Texas.  Roqua Strickler passed away at their home two years later and is buried beside him.

If you know anything more about Jake Strickler, please contact Bob Lawrence at: sprintguy @ cox.net

 

 

 

 

Autograph signed in 1942