21 replies to this topic

[GPevolved]

I am currently researching Barney Oldfield.  I have been going through William F. Nolan's biography essentially line by line (Barney Oldfield: The Life and Times of America's Legendary Speed King, 2nd Ed).  

 

In the book, Nolan states that Barney Oldfield's 1917 season in the infamous "Golden Submarine" ended with a crash at the Springfield dirt track (Nolan is presumably referring to the Springfield Mile in Illinois).  WWI interceded in 1918 and cut the season short.  So, according to Nolan, Oldfield wrecks in Springfield at the end of 1917, does a few races in 1918, and then basically retires from competitive racing.  

 

I went to the Library of Congress "Chronicling America" project to find a newspaper article about the crash.  To my surprise, I could not find a single reference to a 1917 crash.  In  fact, I searched every state for the term "Oldfield" and never found a single reference to a crash in Springfield in the Golden Submarine.  

 

Nolan provides a few paragraphs on the incident; however, it's surprising that nearly being burned alive never made the national papers.  Complicating matters are several articles that Barney Oldfield races (particularly in the southwest) through November of 1917, campaigning the Golden Submarine all along.  

 

I guess I'm just trying to verify why America's first speed king called it quits.  In order to answer that question, I am trying to get a verifiable timeline, which brings me to my present inquiry.  

 

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or additional sources that I might track down.  

[fbarrett]

I'm no expert, but here's a photo of him in a Blitzen Benz at Overland Park in Denver, probably taken by Harry Rhoads, from the Western History Collection of the Denver Public Library:

 

Edited by fbarrett, 08 April 2017 - 03:10.

[Jim Dillon]

Although I have done a bit of research of the era, I have not independently researched Barney Oldfield. I do have the remains of the Packard that he match raced during the summer of 1917 so of course I am interested in him and his exploits during the teens for sure.

 

I have the Nolan book and have enjoyed reading it although I probably would not believe everything he wrote in the book as gospel. The earliest reference I can find without going through old file boxes for the Sub running without the unique bodywork is for the Uniontown event in May of 1918. I believe I have seen pictures of the sub minus the bodywork on the west coast events but I cannot swear to the date. I thought it was in early 1918.

 

Motor World (3/20/18 p.40) though reported that for the Blinkey Ben and George Washington Sweepstakes conducted by W.H. Pickens, Oldfield loaned his sub to Fred Horey, as the world’s champion dirt track driver was without a car (personal aside-lots of champions back then), and Horey rolled it and was thrown clear but then he drove to the starting line only slightly damaged. I wondered how hard it would have been to be thrown from the car with the bodywork on so I assumed the bodywork was probably missing. A guess.

 

Several publications though made a big deal about the car being stripped of its armor etc for the Uniontown race in May of 1918 (Motor Age 5/9/18 p.9 and 5/23/18 p.14).

 

I have never chased down anything about the Springfield crash that yielded any results. I have some notes about Springfield but found nothing in my material and national publications of the day. I have read some Springfield comments of Oldfield racing there but never destroying the bodywork.

It probably happened but Nolan may have embellished it a bit for a good read-who knows.

 

As to why he retired I would not be surprised if you have to speculate a bit here and there when you come to your final conclusion.  He had been racing for years (going back to 1903 or 1904 with Henry Ford’s 999).  In Motor Age (9/15/18 p.20) they stated he was permanently disqualified by the contest board. Two of the other Miller racers  (Cotey and Alley) received indefinite disqualifications. Like many things we read back then these have to be taken with a grain of salt as well. Suspensions especially during the war years (1916-late 1918) were a bit common as racers were looking for events and outlaw events may have paid the bills that the AAA was not doing in large amounts during that era. Sometimes the suspensions were gavelled down and then all of sudden they seem to disappear. If they ran outlaw then the AAA slapped their hands. It may have affected Oldfield who knows. His last big deal may have been the St Louis records he set on August 9 1917 for the i mile through 50 mile dirt records.  He may have seen that there were no big races on the immediate horizon (such as Indy) and he just had it as a driver and hung it up as I do not remember him driving after that. MIne is pure speculation for sure. Hopefully you will find the complete story in your research.

 

Good luck with your quest as I always look forward to works and research on this era.

Edited by Jim Dillon, 08 April 2017 - 13:45.

[robert dick]

Nothing concerning an accident at Springfield.

Oldfield and his Submarine turned over in the Uniontown race on 3 September 1917, because of a blown tyre. The car was slightly damaged, the stern of the Miller coupé being battered. Oldfield was not injured. Frank Elliott won the race in Oldfield's Miller engined Delage chassis.

The stripped Submarine appeared on 13 January 1918 in the Ascot meeting, Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Herald, 10 January 1918:

 

[robert dick]

Oldfield in the Saturday Evening Post, September 1925:

 

[Michael Ferner]

Robert is correct, the first appearance of the stripped Sub is well documented as 1918 Jan 13. The LA Times reported on the meeting the following day:

 

Previous to the races both Oldfield and Chevrolet took a few warming up turns around the saucer. After four rounds, Barney drew into the pits and put his mechanics to work taking off the body of his "Golden Submarine". They stripped off the caboose and left it so naked that for a while nobody but movie actors had nerve enough to look at it.

 

Anyone else missing colourful newspaper language? 

 

The last time I have Barney competing at Springfield/IL is 1910 Oct 8, and there were no AAA meets at all there between 1914 Sep 18 and 1934 Aug 25, or any other town called Springfield except 1915 May 12 at Springfield/OH and 1928 Nov 10 at Springfield/MA. The IMCA raced at Springfield/IL on 1917 Sep 16, and though I haven't found period reports it can be stated that neither Oldfield nor the Sub were present, having competed in Rhode Island the day before, over 1,000 miles away - there's no way they could have travelled that far in a single day. Also, he continued comepting with the AAA all through September and October, so there's little chance he could've gone "outlaw" in between. I guess that makes it highly unlikely the event described in the book ever took place.

 

Why did Oldfield call it quits? He was 40 years old, having survived almost twenty years of motor racing competition. He was made a good offer for his car, which was purchased by Alex Sloan in the fall. He had a future in business ahead of him thanks to Firestone. Figures.

[GPevolved]

Wow. Thanks for all the insights. Certainly, this resolves my confusion. Much appreciated. I'm traveling at the moment, but will dig into these responses as soon as I get back.

[DCapps]

As in the case with Jim, I probably have linear meters (...and meters and meters...) of research material that reference Oldfield in my files, but very little of it specifically notated for Oldfield.

 

No offense to Nolan, but his book on Oldfield is a wonderful storybook for bedtime reading to children of a certain age; for any actual research on Oldfield, it is next to useless.

 

In addition to the LOC Chronicling America material, if you are not already doing so, also begin scouring the automotive journals at the Halti Trust (https://www.hathitrust.org/) located at the University of Michigan.

 

The Horseless Age, The Automobile, Motor Age, Automobile Topics Illustrated, Motor World, MoToR, and several other journals can be found there.

 

It might take a bit of work, but there is a mother lode of material to be found there regarding automotive competition during its first quarter century or so.

[GPevolved]

Oldfield in the Saturday Evening Post, September 1925:

 

I've had some trouble finding Saturday Evening Post articles.  Any tips on where I can find this article in its entirety?

[GPevolved]

I figured that I would post my timeline notes, thus far, for the 1917 to 1918 season.  They are still a work in progress, especially as I integrate comments from this forum.  However, the structure of my notes does give some insight into Barney's racing activity in 1917 and 1918.  Mostly, I just wanted to post this while the thread was still being discussed.  

 

 

Thanks again to everyone who set me straight on these two seasons.  As always, I genuinely appreciate the feedback.  

 

Barney Oldfield Timeline

 

1917

5/10/17: Uniontown, 168 miles.  Races a Delage #27.  Flkagged, but gets his only points of the season (300).  

 

5/30/17: Cincinnati, 250 miles.  Races the Delage again.  Looks like he starts and finishes in 11th place, according to the Phil Harms table.  No championship points.  

 

6/16/17: Chicago, 250 miles.  Unleashes the Miller Golden Submarine.  Looks like, according to the Phil Harms table, that he qualified in third at 107.46 mph.  Makes it only 24 laps before a broken valve spring sends him out.  Finished in 20th.

 

9/3/17: Back to Uniontown for another Championship race.  Miller Golden Submarine. 112 mile race.  Wrecks.  No points.  (Only points he got that season were at the First Uniontown race).

—This is where the Nolan story actually originated from, as to quotes about being burned and ending up in hospital.  I have yet to confirm the hospital detail, let alone his quote about not being allowed to smoke in the hospital, yada, yada, yada.  

 

9/15/17: Providence Rhode Island.  100 miles.  Miller GS.  98 laps then flagged?  How long was the track?  need more info?

 

11/29/17: Ascot 10miles.  Miller GS.  “Did not start” per Phil Harms table.

 

7/28/17: Atlanta, GA; Lakewood Dirt Oval: Match Races.

 

8/18/17: Sheepshead Bay, NY; Match Races.  Races in both the Golden Submarine and a Delage.  

 

1918

1/13/18 Los Angeles, California—Ascot Park Dirt Oval.  Miller Golden Submarine.  Match Races.

Interesting detail, per Robert Dick via Los Angelas Herald, The car definitely raced without body work.  However, the race organizers asked that he parade the car with bodywork, prior to the race.  [This is not confirmed, as the Los Angeles Herald article was written prior to this occurring.  So, we know that the car raced without bodywork, just not whether he paraded the car with body work)

 

3/17/18: Los Angeles, Ca—Ascot Park dirt oval.  Miller Golden Submarine. Time trials (Averaged 81.82 mph per Phil Harms).  Also finished in the Blinky Ben Trophy.

 

5/16/18: Uniontown, PA, Board Track.  Miller Golden Submarine—Phil Harms lists a match race versus L. Chevrolet and another heat race, both of which were in the Golden Submarine.  

—Per Championship Phil Harms table, there was also a series of 28 mile champ races.  It looks like Barney Oldfield scores 30 points in second race, but is “out” for the first, third, and fourth races.  

 

 

6/1/18: Sheepshead Bay, NY—Board Track; Harkness Trophy Race.  Again, in the Golden Submarine (“GS” at times hereinafter).  

 

6/22/18: Chicago Board Track, Miller GS.  Phil Harms, back of Nolan, list this as a Handicap race.  (50 laps?)

 

7/4/18: Cincinnati, OH Board Track— Miller GS (Liberty Sweepstakes).  

 

7/18/18: Uniontown, PA—Board Track.  Miller GS.  Independence Auto Derby.  He was flagged at 96 laps?

—Per Championship Phil Harms table, this was also a points paying champ race.  Oldfield scores 15 points.  (This is the final points paying race that Barney competed in that season.  He finished the season in 13th place).  

 

10/18/18: Independence MO—Dirt Oval.  Miller GS.  Match Races.  

[Michael Ferner]

There was no championship in 1917 nor in 1918, thus Oldfield never scored those points you mention. Also, the "parading" of the Sub with bodywork prior to its removal on 1918 Jan 13 is well documented in the LA Times article of Jan 14 quoted in post #6.

 

I was wrong, though, about Sloan buying the Sub in late 1918 already. Oldfield campaigned the car until June of 1920 for other drivers (Dave Lewis, Roscoe Sarles, Waldo Stein), before Leon Duray drove it for Sloan in September of that year.

 

A few more racing dates for Oldfield in 1917/18, all with the Sub except where noted:

 

1917

Jun 24, Milwaukee/WI (match races with de Palma, won 3 out of 3)

Jul 4, Detroit/MI (match races with de Palma, won 0 out of 3)

Jul 21, Providence/RI (match races with de Palma, won 2 out of 3)

Aug 4, Indianapolis/IN (match races with de Palma, won 3 out of 3)

Aug 11, Maxwelton/MO (match races with de Palma, won 2 out of 3)

Sep 29, Dayton/OH (match races with L. Chevrolet, unknown)

Oct 13, Birmingham/AL (match races with L. Chevrolet, unknown)

Dec 25, Bakersfield/CA (2nd in 5-mile heat, 3rd in 15-mile heat, won 30-mile main shortened to 15 miles)

 

1918

Aug 31, Detroit/MI (driving a Case, 2nd in time trials, won 5-mile heat, 2nd in 10-mile heat)

Sep 1, Detroit/MI (driving a Case, won 3-mile heat)

Sep 4, Hamline/MN (2nd in time trials, won 5-mile heat, 2nd in 3-mile heat)

Sep 7, Hamline/MN (won time trials/track record, won 5-mile heat)

Sep 21, Oklahoma City/OK (unknown)

Sep 28, Oklahoma City/OK (unknown)

Oct 2, Muskogee/OK (exhibition time trial)

Oct 6, Maxwelton/MO (won time trials and 2 out of 3 match races with Ray Lampkin)

Oct 8, Brookfield/MO (unknown)

Oct 13 (not 18), Independence/MO (won 2 out of 3 match races with Ray Lampkin)

Edited by Michael Ferner, 09 April 2017 - 21:14.

[DCapps]

Michael beat me to it: There were a large number of match races that Oldfield participated in during this period, more than I realized once I started looking.

 

As with many other sources, disregard any references to championship events by Phil Harms for the 1917 through 1919 seasons (as well as 1909-1915, for that matter).

 

I will confirm that any notion of there being a national championship that actually took place in 1917 and 1918 is sheer fantasy, utter nonsense. Although there were definitely plans for one in 1917, it was canceled as soon as the USA joined the Allies in the Great War/World War I. To the best of my knowledge, I am unaware of there being any planning for a championship in either 1918 or 1919 by the AAA Contest Board.

 

It is still something of an oddity that any races were sanctioned by the Contest Board in the latter part of 1917 and for 1918 itself, but I digress...

[Michael Ferner]

I should perhaps add that the above list is by no means exhaustive. I am guessing that, particularly in 1918 when following the IMCA trail, Oldfield raced many more times. It's just a matter of (more) research to find the exact particulars.

[robert dick]

Oldfield/Saturday Evening Post:

http://www.firstsupe...les/category/43

[Jim Dillon]

All good stuff guys. Michael's list is pretty good although there was a match race in New Orleans (Fair Grounds) on 10/21/17 between Louis Chevrolet and Oldfield. They ran three events first the 15 miler then the 10 miler and 25 miler. Oldfield broke down in the Sub just prior to the opening event and he switched to the Delage. Oldfield won the 15 mile and lost the 10 and 25 mile events.

 

Of course the press spoke of National Champions but that was probably pretty good hype to increase the gate in my opinion. They did a pretty good job here and at other venues.

 

I wish I could darken up the autobiography of Oldfield as it comes out so light on my computer (tried a couple). May have to spend some time with it.

[DCapps]

Of course the press spoke of National Champions but that was probably pretty good hype to increase the gate in my opinion. They did a pretty good job here and at other venues.

 

That there were "champion drivers" selected by various periodicals and journals from 1909 to 1915, 1917, and 1919 is, I hope, pretty well established by now. Motor Age, of course started it, but The Automobile, MoToR, the New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times, all, in some form or fashion, selected "champion drivers" during this period.

[Jim Dillon]

I agree Don but the local press (Daily State I believe) were hoping for a good gate and they played up the National Champion bit, as I am sure other daily papers did when the show came to town. The whole deal with the National Champion chosen by the various publications is not something I put a ton of credibility in. At times I think they used a mix of "points" and ouija board science. Maybe if I was a bit more open minded I could try and take another look at it.

[Michael Ferner]

Y'all should read some more press bulletins from the IMCA PR corps - for every dinky meeting in any tank town, they had National Champions from every part of the world, especially Europe, plus fifty State Champions, Northern/Eastern/Southern and Western Champions, and a World Dirt Track Champion if everything else fails. Points? Who needs points to determine a Champion, when all that matters is a good gate.

Edited by Michael Ferner, 10 April 2017 - 17:20.

[DCapps]

I agree Don but the local press (Daily State I believe) were hoping for a good gate and they played up the National Champion bit, as I am sure other daily papers did when the show came to town. The whole deal with the National Champion chosen by the various publications is not something I put a ton of credibility in. At times I think they used a mix of "points" and ouija board science. Maybe if I was a bit more open minded I could try and take another look at it.

 

Jim, while conducting research on the whole Means/Catlin mess, I found quite a bit on these "champion drivers." Most of it is here (https://www.academia..._Volume_10_No_1), but I think that since then I might have unearthed a few more. Certainly something that admittedly needs more work, but it does suggest that they did exist.

 

Y'all should read some more press bulletins from the IMCA PR corps - for every dinky meeting in any tank town, they had National Champions from every part of the world, especially Europe, plus State Champions, Northern/Eastern/Southern and Western Champions, and a World Dirt Track Champion if everything else fails. Points? Who needs points to determine a Champion, when all that matters is a good gate.

 

Well said. This, I think, is quite on the mark, particularly after IMCA displaced the AAA in so many instances and venues. Show biz that results in a good gate is what truly matters to the promoter.

[Jim Dillon]

Don I will take another look, I suppose-thanks for the link. When I started researching this somewhat in earnest back in the 80s I made notations regarding National Champions. My notes stopped making sense so I went on to other mysteries and never went back to the chosen champions by the various publications. Even now when I find the time I have a few other mysteries to solve. 

 

Maybe if I could find more info on the failed 1915 Mercer entries for Indy it may put me on a new quest.

[D-Type]

Y'all should read some more press bulletins from the IMCA PR corps - for every dinky meeting in any tank town, they had National Champions from every part of the world, especially Europe, plus fifty State Champions, Northern/Eastern/Southern and Western Champions, and a World Dirt Track Champion if everything else fails. Points? Who needs points to determine a Champion, when all that matters is a good gate.

I think this is the reality.  Not as bad as the world of professional wrestling, but in the same spirit. 

[Vitesse2]

Y'all should read some more press bulletins from the IMCA PR corps - for every dinky meeting in any tank town, they had National Champions from every part of the world, especially Europe, plus fifty State Champions, Northern/Eastern/Southern and Western Champions, and a World Dirt Track Champion if everything else fails. Points? Who needs points to determine a Champion, when all that matters is a good gate.

Even in the mid-1950s, American press releases were describing Fay Taylour as 'Women's World Champion Racing Driver'! Blame Al Sweeney's National Speedways Inc for that one. An IMCA promoter of course ...