Michael " Blackie " Gejeian , an Armenian by descent , was born on June 24 , 1926 in Easton , California , near Fresno , to a family of Armenian Genocide survivors . His family , including his extended family , were farmers who lived together in one farm ranch . Gejeian later recalled : Seventeen of us lived in that one farm house . And you 've never seen such happy people . My dad played the violin . One uncle the clarinet . Another uncle the tambourine . At nights they would play , and my mother and aunts would dance in a circle , the old Armenian dances , holding hands . Gejeian then started to drive his dads car at the age of 12 around the ranch . After Gejeian graduated high school , he enlisted in the United States Navy and participated in World War II . Returning from the war , Gejeian desired to build the fastest hot rod in Fresno . His first car was built in 1945 and became the fastest in Fresno . Painted in black , he called this first car " Blackie " , which would ultimately earn him his nickname . However , this car would ultimately crash in a race in 1948 . Gejeian rebuilt the roadster as a show car and renamed it " Shish Kebob " . The car 's undercarriage was the first to be entirely chrome-plated . He also started the tradition of placing a mirror beneath the car when showcased . The car earned the title " Best of Show " at Gene Winfield 's show . In 1955 , it was named World 's Most Beautiful Roadster by the Oakland Grand National Roadster Show
Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
Blackie Gejeian