19 replies to this topic

[fines]

Racing is dangerous, we all know that, but when a champion is taken from us the realisation hits doubly hard! No more so than in US racing during most of the early part of the last century, when a seemingly disproportionately high number of winners of big events, champions or runners-up were either killed or had their career cut short by serious injury.

More astonished than anything else by my casual findings during research, I sat down to compile a list, and thought about posting this on one of the "ultimate price" or "memorial" threads, but it doesn't seem to fit too well so it gets its own thread. I'm not sure I haven't forgotten any, but the list is supposed to include all champion drivers and runners-up who lost their lifes (in bold) or had their career cut short during the term or the following of their "reign"; two terms in a few cases marked with an *.

So far it's only about "Big Car" championships, but a list of Midget or Stock Car champions could easily be added by anyone with the appropriate data. Also, by modifying the criteria slightly to include e.g. third-placed drivers and/or succeeding years the list would inevitably grow, of course, but I tried to adher strictly to the above mentioned criteria for the sake of "brevity".

The list appears to grow by the decade, until it stops rather abruptly in 1966 - for the following decade, I can only recall the two Caruthers brothers fitting the criteria, and one of them is "only" a Midget champion. There are some famous and some less well known names on the list, due to my inclusion of several "lesser" sanctioning bodies and their championships. Also, the terms "racing accident" and "career ending" have been used somewhat loosely, e.g. drivers like Troy Ruttman or Jim Hurtubise continued to race for several more years, but had clearly lost their "edge".

1910-09-23, NY, Long Island, racing accident, George Robertson, recent Vanderbilt Cup winner
1912-10-01, WI, Milwaukee, racing accident, David Bruce-Brown, repeated Grand Prize winner
1914-08-22, IL, Elgin, racing accident, Spencer Wishart, recent Indy 500 co-runner-up
1916-04-08, CA, Corona, racing accident, Bob Burman, Land Speed Record holder
1918-10-15, IN, Indianapolis, infection, Johnny Aitken, AAA National Championship runner-up
1920-11-25, CA, Beverly Hills, racing accident, Gaston Chevrolet, Indy 500 winner, posthumous AAA National Champion
1922-09-17, MO, Kansas City, racing accident, Roscoe Sarles, AAA National Championship & recent Indy 500 runner-up
1923-09-04, PA, Tipton, racing accident, Howdy Wilcox, Indy 500 co-winner
1924-09-01, PA, Tipton, racing accident, Joe Boyer, Indy 500 co-winner
1924-09-15, NY, Syracuse, racing accident, Jimmy Murphy, posthumous & recent AAA National Champion
1927-10-12, NH, Salem, racing accident, Harry Hartz, AAA National Champion & recent Indy 500 runner-up
1928-04-25, FL, Daytona Beach, racing accident, Frank Lockhart, repeated AAA National Championship runner-up & recent Indy 500 winner
1928-05-13, CA, suicide or murder, Dave Lewis, *recent Indy 500 co-runner-up
1928-11-12, marine accident, Earl Devore, recent Indy 500 co-runner-up
1929-06-15, PA, Tipton, racing accident, Ray Keech, Indy 500 winner, posthumous & repeated AAA National Championship runner-up & recent Land Speed Record holder
1931-11-10, CA, Alhambra, racing accident, Herman Schurch, recent Indy 500 co-runner-up
1931-12-13, CA, road accident, Francis Quinn, AAA Pacific Coast Champion
1932-05-08, CA, San Leandro, racing accident, Jimmy Sharp, reputed recent AAA Pacific Coast runner-up
1932-05-30, IN, Speedway, racing accident, Billy Arnold, recent Indy 500 winner
1933-04-16, CA, Alhambra, racing accident, Bob Carey, AAA National Champion
1933-04-22, CA, San Leandro, racing accident, Bryan Saulpaugh, AAA Eastern Circuit Champion
1933-05-30, IN, Speedway, racing accident, Les Spangler, AAA Pacific Coast runner-up
1934-03-04, CA, Imperial, racing accident, Ernie Triplett, recent repeated AAA Pacific Coast Champion
1934-03-04, CA, Imperial, racing accident, Swede Smith, AAA Pacific Coast Class B Champion
1935-04-06, OH, Dayton, racing accident, Al Theisen, AAA Midwestern Circuit Champion
1935-05-21, IN, Speedway, racing accident, Johnny Hannon, AAA Eastern Circuit Champion & recent runner-up, Hankinson Circuit runner-up
1936-01-26, CA, Alhambra, racing accident, Al Gordon, *recent AAA Pacific Coast Champion
1936-08-23, WI, West Allis, racing accident, Doc MacKenzie, AAA Eastern Circuit Champion & Hankinson Circuit Champion
1937-05-30, IN, Winchester, racing accident, Red Campbell, CSRA Champion
1938-08-20, IL, Springfield, racing accident, Billy Winn, *recent Hankinson Circuit runner-up
1938-09-03, NJ, Flemington, racing accident, Chet Gardner, *recent AAA Midwestern Circuit runner-up
1938-09-24, PA, Allentown, racing accident, Frankie Beeder, AAA Eastern Circuit Champion, Hankinson Circuit Champion & recent runner-up
1938-10-30, PA, Lebanon, racing accident, Paul Young, posthumous CPRC Champion
1939-05-30, IN, Speedway, racing accident, Floyd Roberts, AAA National Champion & Indy 500 winner
1939-06-29, IL, Cahokia, racing accident, Jimmy Snyder, Indy 500 runner-up, posthumous AAA National Championship & recent AAA Midwestern Circuit runner-up
1940-08-30, KS, Belleville, racing accident, Johnny de Camp, posthumous CSRA runner-up
1941-09-01, CA, San Leandro, racing accident, Rea Bray, recent ARA runner-up
1941-09-06, PA, Hughesville, racing accident, Harry Harper, PJARC Champion
1941-10-19, IN, Franklin, racing accident, Harold Shaw, posthumous MDTRA Champion
1941-10-22, LA, Shreveport, racing accident, Gus Schrader, posthumous & repeated IMCA Champion
1946-05-28, IN, Speedway, racing accident, Rudolf Caracciola, recent AIACR Champion
1946-06-16, NJ, Flemington, racing accident, Bumpy Bumpus, ESARA Champion
1946-09-02, GA, Atlanta, racing accident, George Robson, Indy 500 winner & posthumous AAA National Championship runner-up
1947-06-15, OH, Dayton, racing accident, Elbert Booker, reputed AAA Midwestern Cicuit Champion
1947-09-28, PA, Kutztown, racing accident, Ducky Pehlman, posthumous & repeated PJARC Champion
1948-06-13, OH, Dayton, racing accident, Johnny Shackleford, AAA Midwestern Champion
1948-07-01, IA, Oskaloosa, racing accident, Jimmie Wilburn, CSRA Champion
1948-07-25, IN, Winchester, racing accident, Orville Epperley, CSRA runner-up
1948-10-10, IL, Du Quoin, racing accident, Ted Horn, posthumous & repeated AAA National & Eastern Circuit Champion
1949-05-22, CA, Chico, racing accident, Buck Whitmer, ARA Champion
1949-07-24, IN, Salem, racing accident, Tommy Mattson, reputed AAA Midwestern Circuit & recent AAA Eastern Circuit runner-up
1949-08-21, OH, road accident, Wally Stokes, CSRA Champion
1949-11-06, CA, Del Mar, racing accident, Rex Mays, reputed AAA Pacific Coast Champion
1950-04-23, OH, Columbus, racing accident, Pee Wee Northern, CSRA Champion
1950-04-30, CT, Stafford Springs, racing accident, Paul Becker, repeated PJARC Champion
1951-06-03, PA, Reading, racing accident, Lee Wallard, Indy 500 winner
1951-07-29, IN, Winchester, racing accident, Bill Mackey, AAA Midwestern Circuit runner-up
1952-08-17, IA, Cedar Rapids, racing accident, Troy Ruttman, Indy 500 winner, AAA Midwestern Circuit & Pacific Coast Champion
1952-09-20, PA, Allentown, racing accident, Bill Schindler, AAA Eastern Circuit runner-up
1952-09-21, GA, Atlanta, racing accident, Frank Luptow, repeated IMCA Champion
1952-10-18, IN, Fort Wayne, racing accident, Sid Bufkin, posthumous & repeated CSRA Champion
1952-11-02, CA, San Jose, racing accident, Joe James, posthumous AAA Midwestern Circuit Champion
1953-06-14, PA, Reading, racing accident, Ringy Lloyd, NARA runner-up
1954-07-17, IN, Salem, racing accident, Wally Campbell, recent NASCAR runner-up
1955-05-15, IN, Speedway, racing accident, Manny Ayulo, AAA National Championship runner-up
1955-05-30, IN, Speedway, racing accident, Bill Vukovich, repeated Indy 500 winner
1955-06-05, IA, Des Moines, racing accident, Bob Slater, IMCA Champion & recent runner-up
1955-09-24, NC, Shelby, racing accident, Charlie Miller, recent URC Champion
1955-11-06, AZ, Phoenix, racing accident, Jack McGrath, recent AAA National Championship runner-up
1956-06-17, IN, Salem, racing accident, Bob Sweikert, AAA National & Midwestern Circuit Champion & recent Indy 500 winner
1956-08-19, IL, Springfield, racing accident, Pat Flaherty, Indy 500 winner
1957-11-03, CA, Clovis, racing accident, Andy Linden, USAC Midwestern Circuit runner-up
1958-05-30, IN, Speedway, racing accident, Pat O'Connor, recent USAC Midwestern Circuit Champion & Southern Circuit runner-up
1958-07-04, GA, Atlanta, racing accident, Art Bisch, recent CRA Champion
1959-04-04, FL, Daytona Beach, racing accident, George Amick, USAC National Championship & Indy 500 runner-up
1959-07-19, PA, Mechanicsburg, racing accident Van Johnson, repeated USAC Eastern Circuit runner-up
1959-09-12, KS, Topeka, racing accident, Nick Valenta, CRA runner-up & recent Champion
1960-06-19, PA, Langhorne,racing accident, Jimmy Bryan, *recent Indy 500 winner
1960-09-24, PA, Allentown, racing accident, Johnny Thomson, recent USAC Eastern Circuit Champion
1961-05-12, IN, Speedway, racing accident, Tony Bettenhausen, recent USAC National Championship runner-up
1962-03-10, CA, Imperial, racing accident, Bud Sterrett, *recent CRA runner-up
1962-08-05, OH, New Bremen, racing accident, Don Davis, recent CRA Champion
1964-05-03, OH, New Bremen, racing accident, Jim Maguire, URC Champion
1964-06-07, WI, West Allis, racing accident, Jim Hurtubise, *recent USAC Sprint Car runner-up
1964-06-14, IN, Terre Haute, racing accident, Johnny White, recent IMCA Champion
1966-06-11, PA, Reading, racing accident, Jud Larson, recent USAC Sprint Car runner-up
1966-06-11, PA, Reading, racing accident, Red Riegel, recent URC runner-up
1966-11-12, CA, Gardena, racing accident, Don Branson, recent USAC Sprint Car Champion

[Uncle Ed]

There were many other fatal accidents to AAA big-car drivers in the forties and fifties:
1946, 9/1 or 9/2, Atlanta: George Barringer; 9/?, Indy Fairgrounds: Al Putnam
1947, 5/30. Indy 500: Bill "Shorty" Cantlon
1948, 5/16, Indy 500 practice: Ralph Hepburn
1949, 6/3?, Indy?, George Metzler; 6/28 Trenton: Bill Sheffler; 7/10 Seattle: Les Anderson
1951, 7/29, Winchester: Cecil Green; same day, Williams Grove: Walt Brown
1952, 5/4 Dayton: Gordon Reid; 6/8 Milwaukee: Johnny McDowell;
1952: 8/31 Dayton: Jim Rigsby; 9/7 Detroit: Pete Romcevich
1953, 5/15, Indy 500 practice: Chet Miller; 5/30 Indy 500: Carl Scarborough
(Scarborough died of heat exhaustion, not an accident)
1953, date? Carrell Speedway: Bobby Ball (died some months after accident)
1954: 7/5, Darlington: Bobby Scott
1955, 3/20, Langhorne: Larry Crockett; 5/1 Langhorne: Mike Nazaruk
1955, date?, Oklahoma City: Jerry Hoyt
1956, 4/22 Vallejo: Walt Faulkner; 6/17, Salem, indiana: Bob Sweikert
1957, 5/15, Indy 500 practice: Keith Andrews
1958, 9/28, Trenton: Jimmy Reece
1959: 5/18, Indy practice: Jerry Unser; 5/19 ditto: Bobby Cortner;
1959, date, Daytona: Marshall Teague (stock car and big car driver)
Enough for now; I can come up with more if anyone wants. Just a personal note:
My dad drove the ambulance at Horton Hospital in Middletown, New York in the early postwar days, covered the midget races there, and knew many of the mdget drivers who went on to AAA big cars personally, including Mike Nazaruk, Art Cross, Tony Bonadies, Al Keller . . . and Bill Schindler. He liked all but the last; the one-legged Schindler seems to have been "the man you love to hate". I still have a big autographed photo of Tony Bonadies, who was injured at Middletown and in the hospital for a stretch, that Tony gave my dad. Years later he had a fatal crash while testing a car for a friend. It was a few years after Tony Bettenhausen died in a similar accident in in 1961, but I don't have the date.
All the best,
Uncle Ed

[Uncle Ed]

A few additions and corrections:
1946: 9/15, Indy Fairgrounds, Al Putnam
1949: 5.28, Indy, George Metzler
1953, 1/4, Carrell: Bobby Ball sustained head injuries and was in a coma until he died 2/27/1954.
1955: 7/10, Oklahoma City: Jerry Hoyt
1959: 2/11, Daytona, Marshall Teague
Re Tony Bonadies, he was best known as an ARDC midget driver but also drove AAA/USAC big cars and NASCAR stocks. He tried to quality for the Indy 500 three times (1955-56-57) but never made it. He died at Wlliams Grove PA on 7/5/1964, either driving his own car or testing a friend's; the rear axle broke in a turn and the car rolled several times, killing him. Not a big star but a very popular driver.
One of the ARDC midget drivers my dad knew in the forties was known then as Ted Tappet. He later drove Briggs Cunningham's sports cars under his real name, Phil Walters.

[john glenn printz]

DEATH SUPPLEMENT I: MAJOR LEAGUE "AAA" U.S. DRIVERS KILLED 1909-1918 by McMaken and Printz

"I had not thought death had undone so many" - Dante

1909 (1.) William Bourgue at Indianapolis in a 250 miler, August 19.

1910 (1.) Tommy Kincaid at Indianapolis while car testing, July 6; (2.) Al Livington died at Atlanta from head injuries suffered in practice session, October 1; (3.) William H. Sharp died at Savannah from injuries sustained in practice, October 14; and (4.) Tobin DeHymel, exact date unknown to us after but after Oct. 2, killed at San Antonio.

1911 (1.) Marcel Basle killed at Chicago, June 11; (2.) Ralph H. Ireland killed at Elgin in practice, August 21; (3.) Dave Buck killed at Elgin, August 26; (4.) J. D. McNay killed at Savannah in practice, October 20; (5.) Billy Pearce killed at Sioux City, October 19; and (6.) Louis Strang killed at La Crosse, WI. during a reliability run, July 20, i.e. not an automobile race proper.

1913 (1.) Paul Zucarrelli killed in France, Nonancourt-Evreux road, while testing the new 1913 Peugeot Grand Prix car, June 19; (2.) Harry Knight killed at Columbus, July 4; and (3.) Harry Endicott killed at Jackson, MI in practice, September 5.

1915 (1.) Jesse Callahan at Ascot, February 7; (2.) G. C. Cox at Sioux City, July 3; (3.) Billy Carlson at Tacoma, July 4; (4.) Joe Cooper at Des Moines, August 7; and (5.) Harry Grant died of burns sustained in practice at Sheepshead Bay, October 7.

1916 (1.) Carl Limberg at Sheepshead Bay [Championship race], May 13; (2.) Lewis Jackson at Santa Monica [Championship race], November 18; (3.) Hughie Hughes at Uniontown during a race, i.e. hit by Frank Galvin's Premier while standing on track, December 2; and (4.) Frank Galvin at Uniontown, December 2.

1917 No deaths among major drivers!

1918 No deaths among major drivers!

This listing was made in the late 1970's and had also included David Bruce-Brown (1912), Spencer Wishart (1914), and Bob Burman (1916).

Sincerely

[ensign14]

So is it a curse or just that the more successful a driver is the better his chances of getting a better and faster drive in a bigger formula for longer, which increases his chances of a fatality/serious injury in murderous times?

[Paul Parker]

I agree with Ensign.

American track racing was invariably lethal for over 60 years. The longer you did it the more likely you were to die or at least suffer crippling injuries.

Even today despite all the inbuilt safety features and precautions it is still very dangerous, obviously due to the aeroplane velocities involved.

[MPea3]

Originally posted by john glenn printz


(2.) Al Livington died at Atlanta from head injuries suffered in practice session, October 1;

Would this be the only recorded fatality at the Atlanta Motordrome during it's short existence?

[john glenn printz]

DEATH SUPPLEMENT II: MAJOR LEAGUE "AAA" U.S. DRIVERS KILLED 1919-1942.

1919 (1.) Louis LeCocq at Indianapolis, May 31; and (2.) Arthur Thurman at Indianapolis, May 31

1920 (1.) Eddie O'Donnell dies of injuries sustained at Beverly Hills [Championship race], November 26.

1921 (1.) Alton Soules at Fresno [Championship race], October 1; and (2.) Omar Toft at Phoenix in a 50 miler, November 12.

1924 (1.) Dario Resta at Brookslands, England in a speed record attempt, September 3; (2.) Ernie Ansterberg at Charlotte [Championship race] in practice, October 16; and (3.) Count Louis Zborowski at Monza, Italy in the Italian Grand Prix, October 19.

1925 (1.) Ray Cariens, died from injuries sustained at Culver City [Championship race], December 1.

1926 (1.) Herbert Jones at Indianapolis [Championship race] in practice, May 27; and (2.) Jack Foley at Salem [Championship race] in a qualifying attempt, July 4.

1928 (1.) Pietro Bordino at Alessandria, Italy in practice for a sport car race. A stray running dog hit by Pietro locked up his steering, April 15; and (2.) Fred Comer at Salem [Championship race], October 12.

1929 (1.) Bill Spence at Indianapolis [Championship race], May 30.

1930 (1.) Bob Robinson at Woodbridge in a 50 miler, July 27; (2.) Bill Albertson killed at Middletown in a qualification attempt, August 16; and (3.) Dutch Bauman at Kankakee, IL from injuries in a 15 miler, August 19.

1931 (1.) Joe Caccia at Indianapolis [Championship race] in practice, May 26; and (2.) Jimmy Gleason in practice at Syracuse [Championship race], September 12.

1932 (1.) Milt Jones killed in practice at Indianapolis [Championship race], 5/27; and (2.) Ray Campbell at Winchester, May 30; and (3.) Frank Farmer at Woodbridge, August 28.

1933 (1.) Bill Denver at Indianapolis [Championship race] during a qualifying attempt, May 28; (2.) Mark Billman at Indianapolis [Championship race], May 30; and (3.) Baconi Borzachini in a heat event for the Monza Grand Prix, Seotember 10.

1934 (1.) Peter Kreis. killed at Indianapolis [Championship race] in practice, May 25; (2.) James "Jimmy" Patterson at Winchester, May 27; (3.) Joe Russo died from injuries sustained at Langhorne in a 50 miler, June 10; and (4.) Bert Karnatz at Detroit, July 15; (5.) George Brayen at Syracuse [Championship race], September 9.

1935 (1.) Stubby Stubblefield killed at Indianapolis [Championship race] in a qualifying attempt, May 21; (2.) Clay Weatherly at Indianapolis [Championship race], May 30; and (3.) Harris Insinger at Oakland in a 50 miler, September 8.

1936 (1.) Ernest von Delius died from injuries received in the German Grand Prix, July 26; and (2.) Ray Pixley at Roby in a qualifying attempt, August 30.

1938 (1.) Bernd Rosemeyer killed in Germany in a speed record attempt, January 28.

1939 (1.) Dick Seaman in the Belgium Grand Prix, June 26.

1940 (1.) George Bailey at Indianapolis [Championship race] in practice, May 7; (2.) Bob Swanson at Toledo in a qualification for a midget race; and (3.) Lou Webb at Syracuse [Championship race], September 3.

1941 (1.) Tony Willman at Thompson, CT in a midget race, October 12.

1942 (1.) Everett Saylor at Cape Girardeau MS, May 31.

P.S. We have possibly missed a few.

Mr. Michael Ferner has already listed: Gaston Chevrolet (1920); Roscoe Sarles (1922); Howard Wilcox (1923); Joe Boyer, Dario Resta, and Jimmy Murphy (1924); Frank Lockhart (1928); Ray Keech (1929); Herman Schurch (1931); Bob Carey, Bryan Saulpaugh, and Lester Spangler (1933); Ernie Triplett, and Al Theisen (1934); Johnny Hannon (1935); Al Gordon and Doc MacKenzie (1936); Billy Winn, Chet Gardner, and Frank Beeder (1938); Floyd Roberts and Jimmy Snyder (1939); Tony Willman (1940); and Gus Schrader (1941).

[fines]

Originally posted by ensign14
So is it a curse or just that the more successful a driver is the better his chances of getting a better and faster drive in a bigger formula for longer, which increases his chances of a fatality/serious injury in murderous times?

Certainly not a curse, but why do drivers like Clark or Senna die, while Andretti or Foyt race on for decades? Much of it depends on luck, or rather the lack of it. And, of course, dirt track races in the pre-roll cage days carried their own bad luck karma... But then again, even during the same era, successful drivers like Tommy Hinnershitz or Emory Collins raced three decades at the top of their game, and survived the roll of the dice! Not to mention Midget great Ted Hartley, who raced open cockpit cars for five decades, and competitively, dirt tracks and all!

[fines]

Originally posted by john glenn printz
P.S. We have possibly missed a few.

1915-08-13, IA, Spirit Lake, Rube Donaldson
1919-07-14, OH, Toledo, George Buzane
1925-10-17 (?), NH, Salem, Vic Spooner
1926-09-06, IA, Cedar Rapids, Lou Scheibell
1927-06-29, CA, Alhambra, Nick Guglielmi
1927-10-16, IN, Vincennes, Arthur Dan Cain
1928-05-28, IL, Decatur, Glenn Hiett
1928-11-25, TX, Houston, D. D. Morris
1929-10-27, NJ, Woodbridge, Johnny Rohrer

[john glenn printz]

DEATH SUPPLEMENT III: MAJOR LEAGUE "AAA" U.S. DRIVERS KILLED 1946-1955.

1946 (1.) Roy Russing in a warmup lap at Stockton, CA, April 21; (2.) George Barringer at Atlanta [Championship race], September 2; and (3.) Al Putnam at the Indianapolis Fairgrounds [Championship race] in a warmup qualification lap, September 15.

1947 (1.) Shorty Cantlon at Indianapolis [Championship race], May 30.; and (2.) Eddie Casterline at Seekonk, MA. during a warmup lap for a midget race, June 7.

1948 (1.) Ralph Hepburn at Indianapolis [Championship race] in practice, May 16.

1949 (1.) Jean-Pierre Wimille at Buenos Aires in practice, January 28; and (2.) George Metzler at Indianapolis [Championship race] on a warm up lap during qualifications on May 28, died from injuries, June 3; (3.) Bill Sheffler from injuries received in practice at Trenton [Championship race], June 28.

1950 (1.) Raymond Sommer at Cabours, France, September 10.

1951 (1.) Cecil Green at Winchester in a qualification attempt, July 29; (2.) Bill Mackay at Winchester in a qualification attempt, July 29; and (3.) Walt Brown at Williams Grove in a qualification attempt, July 29. July 29, 1951 is collectively known in U.S. racing lore as "Black Sunday".

1952 (1.) Gordon Reid at Dayton, April 20; (2.) Jim Rigsby at Dayton, August 31; and (3.) Pete Romcevich at Detroit, September 7.

1953 (1.) Chet Miller at Indianapolis [Championship] in practice, May 15; and (2.) Carl Scarborough at Indianapolis [Championship race] from heat prostration, May 30.

1954 (1.) Bobby Ball died from injuries received on 4 Jan. 1953 in a midget race held at Gardena, CA., February 27. Ball had been in a coma for almost 14 months; and (2.) Bob Scott at Darlington [Championship race], July 5.

1955 (1.) Larry Crockett at Langhorne, March 20; (2.) Mike Nazaruk at Langhorne, May 1; (3.) Alberto Ascari car testing at Monza, Italy, May 26; and (4.) Jerry Hoyt at Oklahoma City, July 11.

Mr. Michael Ferner has already listed: George Robson (1946); Elbert Booker (1947); Johnny Shackleford and Ted Horn (1948); Johnny Mattson and Rex Mays (1949); Bill Schindler and Joe James (1952); and, Manual Ayulo, Bill Vukovich, and Jack McGrath (1955).

P.S. Again, we have possibly missed a few.

Louie Meyer, a three time AAA National Champion (1928, 1929 and 1933); and a three time Indianapolis winner (1928, 1933, and 1936), once told me half joking and half serious, "Nobody goes to an auto race to see somebody get killed, but if no one was killed, then nobody would go!"

Ernest Hemingway (1898-1961) is supposed to have said, although it is apocryphal, "There are only three real sports, i.e. mountain climbing, bull fighting, and automobile racing, the rest is all kid's stuff." Compare with Hemingway's DEATH IN THE AFTERNOON (1932), a book on Spanish bull fights.

The general reader will undoubtedly be surprized both by the number and frequency of these deaths. That so many AAA drivers were killed even in the earliest days (i.e. 1909-1918) will astonish many. Until I had made this listing of the fatalites, I had no idea that so many top AAA drivers had been killed before 1956. But I did know that there had been more deaths than most prople would have believed. All the deaths which occurred during the 1953 season and/or later were no surprize to me personally as, with the exceptions of Fonder, Crowe, and Congdon, I can still remember when they occurred. The fatal accidents of Eddie Sachs, Dave McDonald (1964), Chuck Rodee (1966), and Swede Savage (1973), I actually witnessed.

The USAC National Championship driver fatalities (1956-1965) are listed by McMaken and myself in the 1984 PPG Indy Car Annual on page 110. It lists a further 29 individuals.

[Collombin]

I'm not sure that champions suffered any more of a jinx than non-champions competing at the top level - it was just a much more dangerous time for all.

Consider, for example, that over half the starting field in the 1955 '500 were killed in racing accidents - with survivors Andy Linden, Pat Flaherty and Jimmy Daywalt legitimately joining the jinx list too.

There are some interesting little jinxes around if you look closely though - e.g. it's quite a coincidence that the only 3 drivers to lose their lives at Altoona were all Indy 500 winners.

[john glenn printz]

REGARDING DEATH SUPPLEMENT I, for 1910. I have, quite by accident, come across Tobin DeHymel's death date, i.e. Nov. 12, 1910. Tobin was killed driving a Stoddard-Dayton at high speed when a front wheel flew off and the car crashed into an embankment at San Antonio, TX. It was in a 12 mile event.

[MPea3]

Originally posted by john glenn printz
DEATH SUPPLEMENT III: MAJOR LEAGUE "AAA" U.S. DRIVERS KILLED 1946-1955.


1948 (1.) Ralph Hepburn at Indianapolis [Championship race] in practice, May 16.

I thought he died during a qualifying run.

[fines]

Nope, a practice run.

[elvis334]

For the Record:

1935-04-06, OH, Dayton, racing accident, Al Theisen, AAA Midwestern Circuit Champion
Theisen was Killed at Detroit. He lived in Dayton. Buried in Michigan.

Rick P.
Dayton

[fines]

Yes, you're correct - sorry, my mistake!

Thnx Rick

[Jerry Entin]

Fines: Eddie Haddad in 1949. The date was October 20, 1949. From what I am hearing a much loved and respected race driver. In a midget at Gilmore Stadium.
Eddie had won "The night before the 500" twice in 1948 and 1949. Eddie Haddad also had won the biggest midget race to my knowledge ever held at the LA Coliseum on October 11, 1945 with a purse of over $30,000. Eddie's share was over $6,000. In 1949 Eddie Haddad was the AAA Midwest Chanpion.

[fines]

Thanks, Jerry - as mentioned before, there must be many Midget drivers to be added to the list. Haddad was a seasoned veteran, also driving Big Cars in the mid thirties. In 1949 he even tried to qualify for the Indy 500.

[fines]

An addition to my original list:

1949-10-02, IL, Macomb, racing accident, Al Ketter, posthumous & repeated MRA Champion

MRA stands for "Mutual Racing Asscoiation", an Illinois-based breakaway of the MVARA (Mississippi Valley Auto Racing Assoc.), sometimes also (probably incorrectly) called "Mutual Auto Racing Association", perhaps to distinguish it from the Track Roadster sanctioning body of the same name in the neighbouring state of Indiana!!?