A Tribute To

Clyde A. Harbin, Sr.

The Bassman™

One of my Favorite Photographs of Mr. Clyde A. Harbin, Sr. - 1998

by Floyd Roberts

  After I received the news that my good friend Mr. Clyde A. Harbin, Sr. had passed away I was deeply saddened.  I am only one of many people that were blessed to have known him but over the years we knew each other we became close friends .  Mr. Harbin held a very special place in my heart and no matter how much time passes I will never forget him and what he has done for me.  I am a better person and collector today because of him.  I can find no better way to honor Mr. Harbin but to write one more final BASSMAN Page of the fond memories we shared.  I know Clyde would want me to.    

Mr. & Mrs. Clyde A Harbin, Sr. - 2002

  We first met when Mr. Harbin e-mailed me in January of 2000.  Mr. Harbin congratulated me on my website and said he liked what collectors were doing on the internet today.  After getting over the initial shock of receiving an e-mail from the world famous Bassman I wrote Mr. Harbin back.  We started communicating back and forth over the next few weeks and shortly we were conversing with each other regularly. We just seemed to click so good together.  Everyday I would look forward to seeing ClydeBASSMAN messages waiting in my mailbox.

  I remember in one of our early e-mails Mr. Harbin said that he just purchased his computer and started using it three weeks earlier.   I told him I was amazed that a man of his young age found his way around a computer so well.  He immediately wrote me back and said "don't be amazed you don't know how long it took me to get this blasted e-mail out of this machine".  I quickly discovered Mr. Harbin's unique personality and over the following years I received many interesting and personal messages from him.

  Mr. Harbin taught me the importance of educating myself if I planned to grow as a collector.  I learned more facts and received more information from him than I could have dug up myself in ten life times which I will be forever grateful.  Together we created and developed the Bassman Section so anyone interested in the fishing industry would have the opportunity to learn about Mr. Harbin's accomplishments and involvement in the fishing and tackle industry.  Mr. Harbin was a dedicated person in helping others in the field of old lures and by posting his footprints on the internet it made a good resource to reach collectors regardless of location.  I was proud that Mr. Harbin had chosen me to help write about the Famous Bassman.

Father and Son - 2003

  One memory I will always cherish is the manor in which Clyde would sign off every e-mail or letter to me.  Early in our relationship he would sign off saying "Big Wisconsin Friend...Keeepppppa Plugggin  Clyde".  After we finished a few Bassman Pages, Clyde informed his family members to view them on the internet.  I received some very kind feedback from members of the Harbin family telling me how they enjoyed these new pages.  One in particular was from Clyde's granddaughter Cindy Entwisle.  I wrote Mr. Harbin to tell him of all the attention I received from his family members.  Here is what Clyde wrote in his next letter to me.  "Thanks for the kind words for our Granddaughter, Cindy...We know and it is great that to hear such from a Wisconsin Friend..you have been elevated to GREAT WISCONSIN FRIEND...Letter on the way of this act.  Keeepppppa Plugggin  Clyde."  Ever since that day Clyde signed off every letter, Great Wisconsin Friend or GWF.  I was proud that Mr. Harbin gave me these titles and even more honored that he thought this highly of me.  I appreciated my new title so much I would sign off every letter to Mr. Harbin saying "Take good care of yourself from your Great Wisconsin Friend.

  Mr. Harbin was much more than a famous lure collector and researcher.  He belonged to a close knit family and a loving wife of 65 years.  Anyone that knew him knew he was a kind and compassionate person to all.  Over the years I accumulated many memories of his kindness but I especially recall one such act a few months after we met.  It was back in the spring of 2000 when Mr. Harbin saw on a Tennessee news station that tornadoes had touched down and bad storms were going through the Milwaukee area.  Early the next morning I received an e-mail from Clyde saying.  "Have not heard from you.  Are you alright?  Did the bad weather in Milwaukee get to your area?  Great Wisconsin Friend I am concerned.  Take care, let me hear from you,  Keeepppppa Plugggin  Clyde."  Mr. Harbin cared so much for me and my family that he made this effort to ensure that we were all safe and well.  To say he was a southern gentleman would be a great understatement, he was all that and so much more.

Some Harbin Family Members (left to right)  Dewayne Ponds, Dr. Emily Watts, Tim Watts and Lonnie Smith

  Mr. Harbin could also be an amusing and comical person.  One time I was having problems with my computer system and Clyde wrote "I hope your computer is not busted from all the Southern verbiage and the old pictures."  After reading that I had to laugh to myself and then my computer situation did not seem so gloom anymore.  One other time while we were working on another new Bassman page and I did not understand a statement he put in his letter.  I showed it to my wife and she was puzzled too.  Well, I wrote Clyde and asked what he meant because I was concerned.  After I received his response I was quite embarrassed.  Here was Clyde's response.  "Oh, Great Wisconsin Friend.  I appreciate your concern about the last line in the email >>>>>I just lost my soapbos<<<<<which means in my drawl that I should have quit preaching to you on how to build a website.  Just a inside joke that did not register with you.  However, thanks for the concern.  Keeepppppa Plugggin  Clyde".  I then realized there was a spelling mistake and it should have read "soapbox" and it went completely over my head.  We both had a good time snickering over this one!  Memories such as this are as clear in my mind today as the very day they occurred.  I will never forget or let go of the times we shared together. 

Grandfather and Grandson - 2003

  Mr. Harbin was always doing for others and doing for me.  This is the type of man he was and he received so much pleasure in doing so.  This time I decided to do something special just for him.  This is when I wrote a biography about Mr. Harbin which I titled "The Famous Bassman Footprints".  Mr. Harbin supplied me with pictures and information I asked for but I told him as little as I could about this new page.  I went to work and when I finished this page I published it on the internet and mailed Clyde two printed copies of this web page.  When the package arrived at his home he was extremely happy and wrote me immediately.  When I opened my e-mail that evening I found this "Great Wisconsin Friend.  You see whatcha done, done?  You gotta do more books for the children and greats and great-greats.  Hey it's 3, then 5, then 2 which makes 10."  I was never more heart filled with joy that I was able to give back some of the joy and happiness that Clyde had spread for me so many times.  I will never forget this special memorable moment. 

   We both shared a passion for building Bassman pages together.  Clyde once said to me "With my hard facts and your excellent modus oprandi of writing style as if you were there is the best I could have ever found!  You did us proud and I appreciate such kind treatment,  Keeepppppa Plugggin  Clyde".  I have been told by many of Clyde's friends and family that he loved working on the Bassman Section.  Mr. Harbin spent countless hours digging up his old information and printing hundreds of photographs from his computer that would be used for the Bassman Section.  Mr. Harbin was a stickler for facts and when I finished writing a new Bassman page he would critic it until it was correct.  I enjoyed working on his material but even more I loved the opportunity to work together with Mr. Harbin.  I would not trade the time I had with Mr. Harbin for anything not even for the rarest of all lures.  Mr. Harbin is one of a kind and truly was a remarkable and unforgettable person which I will miss dearly.  

Four NFLCC Presidents

Bartlesville, Oklahoma - February 2004

  If all the contributors of the lure collecting community were to weigh in I am sure that Mr. Harbin would weigh in the most.  Because of his great wealth of knowledge and willingness to share with all the lure collecting community is a far richer hobby for everyone today.  I know that Mr. Harbin would want all of us to Keeepppppa Plugggin.

  I loved and will always treasure every experience I had with Mr. Harbin.  My time seems short compared to others but I feel blessed that I am left with so many rewarding and memorable memories of Mr. Harbin.  I will miss his typewritten and pen corrected letters which captured his unique personality.  No matter how many days or years go by I will be at a loss every time I think of him but I will always remember the times we shared together.  It's been a life rewarding experience for me to have known Mr. Harbin and a pure pleasure to have had him as my friend and a true friend he was indeed.  The words do not come easy but I know it is now time that I have to say goodbye to my good friend.

Clyde A. Harbin, Sr. - November 2001

  Clyde I am honored to have had the privilege to have known you and had you as my friend.  Someday my tears will stop flowing and my heart will mend because I know you have found eternal happiness.  Thank you for being my friend for I was the one that gained so much.  My heart and thoughts will be with you forever.  May you rest in peace and god bless.  Your Great Wisconsin Friend.  Sincerely,  Floyd

Dedicated to Mr. Clyde A. Harbin, Sr.  (The BASSMAN™) January 15, 1916 - March 24, 2004