Some 20 years ago America was passing through a phase of three sitting, dancing marathons, flag pole sitting, etc. People would drive for miles to see somone who had been sitting in a tree for 20 or 30 dyas. Department stores would hire professional flag pole sitters to put on an exhibition to attract customers. Any activity which featured endurance seemed to hve a peculiar fascination for the public at that time.

Many readers of this column probably remember the visit of Stuntman Ted Richardson to Warsaw 21 years ago this week. At 2 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 17, 1931, Warsaw Mayor Lewis J. Bibler chained Captain Richardson to the steering wheel of a Willys Six at Munson's garage. The captain then began a grueling 102 hour endurance drive. The car never stopped during the period and Richardson never slept.

On Tuesday night he visited Leesburg and Milford. On Wednesday he visited Mentone and Burket. Refueling was always made on the run near Kenny Kincaid's filling station at the corner of Center and High streets. Volunteer riders rode with the stuntman nearly all the time.

Richardson, who was also a parachute jumper, had made 47 similar endurance drives before that time. He was a clever showman, arranging his stunt so that it would gain the greatest amount of attention. At the end of the 100th hour an ambulance began to follow the car. The end of the 102nd hour was timed to come at 8 p.m. Saturday evening when many people would be on the streets of Warsaw. At that time he was put to bed at Munson's garage where he was attended by Dr. J. R. Baum.

In the 102 hours he traveled 879.6 miles and consumed 59.4 gallons of gasoline.

Warsaw Times-Union Sat. Nov. 22, 1952