Guy “Doc” Baldwin

Tucumcari NM October 4, 2006 

Cover Decision

I arrived at Tucumcari (TCC) on Tuesday afternoon for a Wednesday air show sponsored by the Tucumcari Rotary Club.  Several performers arrived early including “Doc” Guy Baldwin. I went over to a group of pilots including “Doc” and Randy Harris.  “Doc” was in good spirit and joking around.  He started almost immediately on me with, “Why is it that I have never made your front cover?  Randy’s been on it and ….”  He went on to name other aerobatic performers that he had seen on the cover.  I explained that I had his cover in the works…  

“Doc”, jokingly, kept after me.  He repeated, “Everyone has been on your cover, but not me.  Why is that?”  I was at a loss for words… he was pushing me, in a joking way, and being caught off guard, I was forced to move fast to keep up with him…  So, I started this story, which had absolutely no truth to it, about how Randy had advertised with me and spent three thousand dollars and that “Doc” had advertised with me and spent fifty dollars the same month…  I continued with, “On my way to the bank, I held Randy’s three thousand dollar check in my left hand and your fifty dollar check in my right hand saying Randy on the front cover (waving Randy’s check in my left hand) and then waving my right hand and saying “Doc” on the front cover (“Doc’s” check).  I kept weighing the front cover option all the way to the bank and would you believe it “Doc”, Randy won the front cover.”  

That helped quite “Doc” for a moment; he looked over at Randy and said in amazement, “You didn’t?”    The front cover joke went on during several conversations that day.  I continued to remain on guard.  “Doc” didn’t know that I was, in fact, working on a story and cover about him for the magazine’s future issue.   

Everyone Else Has Been On Fly-Low's Cover! 

I continued to shoot photos of “Doc” that afternoon and Wednesday morning for the upcoming story.  Just before lunch a group of us were together visiting and “Doc” brought up the front cover issue again.  He started counting the aerobatic performers that were there and had been of the cover.  Herb Baker walked up and “Doc” asked if he had been on the cover and he had.  Bob Carlton’s name was mentioned and he had, someone said twice.  “Doc” kept on going… 

I spoke up and said, “Let me go get the line boy here at Tucumcari and the guy who mows the grounds, they both have been on the cover.”  We all laughed, including “Doc”.   He was enjoying getting ‘my goat’ and I was having a good time staying one-up on him.  It shows the relaxed attitude and kind heart the man had.  He truly enjoyed life! 

I finally gave in and said, “Ok! I’ll do a story and put you on the cover.  I can’t take the pressure.”  He said, “Good, and remember to say that I am the ‘World’s Greatest Aerobatic Pilot!!!”  I repeated it…  “You’re the World’s Greatest Aerobatic Pilot?”  And he repeated it…  After we said it back and forth about four times, we laughed.  It had concluded, we had exercised our best banter in fun.  It is a memory that I shall treasure, always. 

This Is Your Cover, My Friend! 

This front cover is yours, “Doc”.  It is not how I envisioned the cover when we spoke.  I must say it one more time, “You are “The World’s Greatest Aerobatic Performer!!!”  Thanks for sharing your life with me and thousand of others.  We will all miss you and will keep a mental photo of you and the Extra 300 for the rest of our lives.  You are an inspiration to so many!   

Our love, prayers, and condolences go to Felice, Hunter and Brittny.