Miss Great Lakes & Albin Fallon
By Bill Curry

Al Fallon, was one of the first Detroiters to revive boat racing after World War II. Fallon, owner of the Great Lakes Broach & Gage Company, bought his first hydro during the War years. That boat, a 1930 era Gold Cup winner the Hotsy Totsy III, competed in Detroit's first post-war race, in the 1946 Gold Cup, which Lombardo won, and a new boat, the Golden Gate III, came in third. Fallon bought it and renamed it Miss Great Lakes.

Danny Foster drove the Miss Great Lakes to victory in the President's Cup with Fallon aboard as mechanic. Tempo VI placed second.

After Fallon and Foster were presented the President's Cup by Harry S. Truman they returned to Detroit for an attempt on the water speed record. The run ended in disaster when the boat came apart in rough water. Fallon rebuilt his hydro and drove it himself for most of 1947.

The Miss Great Lakes raced only three times in 1948, but this was her big year. Danny Foster piloted her to victory in the Gold Cup on the Detroit River, over an 18 boat field. The toll of broken boats was so high that Fallon's craft was the only one to finish, and it partly sank after the race.

A rookie named Bill Muncey drove the Miss Great Lakes in her last outing, the 1950 .Silver Cup. Muncey sank her in the angry waters.

California & Detroit boat builder, Dan Arena built a new Miss Great Lakes II and drove it to victory in her first race over Schoenith's Gale II.

Joe Taggart, in his first unlimited ride, picked up second place in the President's Cup, Detroit Memorial and Maple Leaf Trophy races while piloting her in 1952. Fallon's boat returned to the winners’ circle when Danny Foster won the 1953 Detroit Memorial.

By 1954, Fallon found there wasn't time to race and run a business. After one last race, a second in the Detroit Memorial. Fallon sold his beauty to Bud Saile.


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