As chairperson for the Early Day Gas Engine & Tractor Association Hall of Fame I am proud to announce Bob Learned from San Jose, California for Hall Of Fame 2002. Bob was selected from an extensive list of nominees and selected for his contributions to our hobby. His wife, Merle Learned, accepted Bob’s award.
Jerry Mac Martin
Bob Learned enjoyed restoring Briggs & Stratton engines, and other related equipment. So much so, he was forced to buy a trailer to show them all at the various shows around the area. Of all the engines Briggs & Stratton made over the years, Bob was only missing a few examples, and had some of the rarest engines around. In doing so, he had developed several web pages with specifications and technical information on the engines that are still posted on the EDGE&TA web site today. He also wrote a book on the B&S engines. People even today still make reference to his technical information he compiled over the years. Bob was one of the biggest B&S engine collectors on the West Coast, and spent much of his time helping others with their equipment and problems. Bob also served on the Branch 3 board of directors, handled their membership lists and label printing needs, and, at the National level he was the web master for EDGE&TA’s home page on the Internet. Bob was a pioneer in the use of digital photography, and oftentimes he would take digital pictures at a show, and have them available for viewing on the EDGE&TA home page before most folks got home from the show. Though he is gone now, he will always be remembered for the person he was, a good husband, father, and good friend. Bob was a quiet man, but his actions spoke louder than his words.