1960-1969
Bob Bird
Born: April 16, 1938
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Died: June 4, 1967
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Buried: Sunny Lane Cemetery, Del City, Oklahoma
Age: 29
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Full Name: Robert Hugh Bird
Nickname: Red Bird
Location: Hulah Reservoir, near Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Event: Oklahoma City Drag Boat Association Exchange Club race
Accident Date: June 4, 1967
Boat: twin Chevy-engined unblown gas boat
Biographical: Bird was killed when he lost control of his boat at a speed of 110 MPH during the annual drag boat races. He was competing in the final run of his class against Ken Youngblood's blown fuel hydro. He was thrown from his boat when it rolled several times. He was transported to a Bartlesville hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. He was survived by his wife, Carol, and two children. He was a field representative for a uniform and towel company in Oklahoma City.
Sources
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"Mishap kills boat driver," Lawton Constitution, June 5, 1967
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Social Security Death Index: Robert Bird, b. Apr. 16, 1938, died June 1967, SS# issued Oklahoma before 1951
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Bob Fisher, e-mail communication, July 31, 2011
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Glenn Crepps, e-mail communication, June 19, 2013
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Photos
Donald Campbell
Born: March 23, 1921
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Died: January 4, 1967
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Buried: St. Andrew Churchyard, Coniston, Cumbria, England
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Age: 45
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Full Name: Donald Malcolm Campbell
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Nickname:
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Location: Lake Coniston, England
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Event: world water speed record attempt
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Accident Date: January 4, 1967
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Boat: "Bluebird K7" jet-powered hydroplane
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Biographical: He was trying to better his own world water speed record of 276.33 MPH that he set in 1964. He was trying to put his record out of reach of others who were trying to best his mark. He had already completed one run down the six-mile long lake and was on his way back when the fatal crash occurred. He was traveling at an estimated 310 MPH when the right sponson rose from the water and the nose started to lift. The boat then became airborne, somersaulted, exploded, then dove into the water and sank in a matter of seconds. Boats rushed to the crash and frogmen hurriedly tried without success to locate his body in the 120-feet deep lake. His body and the wreckage of "Bluebird" weren't recovered until 2001. Only days before, the superstitious Campbell had a premonition of his impending death. He was a son of the late Sir Malcolm Campbell, also a record-setting land and water speed racer in the 1930s. He was survived by his wife, Tonia. Donald Campbell had set the land speed record for wheel-driven cars of 403 MPH in 1964 until that record was eclipsed by the Summers Brothers streamliner in 1965. A prolific speed record holder, he set seven world water speed records between 1955 and 1964 in K7.
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Video:
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Sources
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"British speed king Campbell is killed," Lodi News-Sentinel, January 5, 1967
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"Don Campbell dies when boat crashes in England," Ogden Standard Examiner, January 4, 1967
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"Noted speed ace crashes to death,"Lethbridge Herald, January 4, 1967
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"Campbell meets death in speed boat crash,"Troy Record, January 5, 1967
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"Campbell dead after boat crash,"Kokomo Tribune, January 4, 1967
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Photos
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http://lastingtribute.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html (accessed 7/10/10)
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"Achievement or disaster: Which is remembered best?" New York Times, December 2, 2005
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http://ned.ronet.ru/0/Autosalon14.htm (accessed 7/10/10)
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Buz Coats
Born: July 17, 1933
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Died: July 17, 1967
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Buried: Glen Haven Memorial Park, Sylmar, California
Age: 34
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Full Name: William Lee Coats
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Nickname: "Buz"
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Location: Ski Land, Perris, California
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Event:
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Accident Date: July 16, 1967
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Boat:
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Biographical: He had been asked to try out a boat that someone was thinking of buying. He ended up racing against Jack Bradley for top eliminator in that boat when it flipped shortly after the start. After rising out of the water three times, on the fourth time it catapulted Coats into the air. His helmet smashed when he impacted the water. He was transported to San Bernardino Hospital where he died the next day from his injuries. He was the holder of the world record for flat-bottom, multiple-engine, unblown fuel drag boats at 132.24 MPH. He lived in Mission Hills, California.
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Sources
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"Hydro racer badly hurt," Los Angeles Times, July 17, 1967
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"Drag boat champ dies," Modesto Bee, July 17, 1967
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"Boat driver dies of injuries," Los Angeles Times, July 18, 1967
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Lori Coats Tanner, e-mail communication to site administrator, Apr. 13, 2018
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California Death Index (Ancestry.com)
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Photos
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Jerry Gleason
Born: March 6, 1936
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Died: February 22, 1969
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Buried: Memory Garden Memorial Park, Brea, California
Age: 31
Full Name: Jerome Thomas Gleason
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Nickname:
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Location: Long Beach Marine Stadium, California
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Event: World Drag Boat Championships
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Accident Date: February 22, 1969
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Boat: "Mr. Ed" hydro (owned by Ed Wills)
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Biographical: He was thrown from the cockpit of his hydroplane while traveling at an estimated speed of 130 MPH during a qualifying run. The boat flipped three times. The wind may have been a factor in the crash. He was immediately transported to a hospital where he died two hours after the crash. He was from Yorba Linda, California, and was divorced. He was survived by his mother, Veronica Hawkins of El Monte, a sister, Miss Sharon Anderson, and a brother, James Gleason, of Glendora. He had driven the boat to a world record of 190.26 MPH at Perris, California, in the previous month. He had been elected to the Drag Boat Racing Hall of Fame just three weeks before.
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Sources
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"Boat champ Gleason killed at Long Beach," Los Angeles Times, February 23, 1969
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"Services today for inboard driver," Long Beach Independent, February 26, 1969
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"Rosary tonight for champion boat driver," Pasadena Star-News, February 25, 1969
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"Fresnan tells of fatal boat crash," Fresno Bee Republican, February 24, 1969
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"Hydroplane spill kills top driver," Oxnard Press-Courier, February 23, 1969
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"Boat racer killed in flip," Quebec Chronicle-Telegram, February 24, 1969
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California Death Index (Jerome T. Gleason, born March 6, 1936 in Calif., died Feb. 22, 1969 in L.A., mother’s maiden name was Dwyer)
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California Birth Index (Jerome Thomas Gleason, born Mar. 6, 1936 in L.A. Co., mother’s maiden name was Dwyer)
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Photos
Gean Keen
Born: May 27, 1928
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Died: May 11, 1968
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Buried: Eternal Valley Memorial Park, Newhall, California
Age: 39
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Full Name: Harry Gean Keen
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Nickname:
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Location: Lake Ming, near Bakersfield, California
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Event: Kern County Boat and Ski Club-sponsored Western Boat Drags
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Accident Date: May 11, 1968
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Boat: "Keen Machine II" unblown fuel flatbottom
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Biographical: He was traveling about 107 MPH during qualifying when his boat started planing and whipping. It began flipping end over end and hurled Kenn into the air. He died later that night after being transported to a Bakersfield hospital. He was from Sepulveda, California, and was the first of two racers killed at the event. He was trying to break his own record.
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Sources
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California Death Index: Harry G. Keen, born May 27, 1928 in Calif., died May 11, 1968 in Kern Co., mother’s maiden name was Child
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Social Security Death Index: Harry Keen, born May 27, 1928, died May 1968, SS# issued in Calif. Before 1951
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California Birth Index: Harry Gean Keen, born May 27, 1928 in L.A. Co., mother’s maiden name was Child (his brother was William Roy Keen, born July 31, 1930 in L.A. Co.)
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“Racing boats flip, kill two at Kern Lake,” Fresno Bee Republican, May 13, 1968
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“Memorial Drags,” Fresno Bee Republican, June 23, 1968
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http://boatracingfacts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=715 (accessed 3/7/11)
Photos
John Lawson
Born: October 25, 1929
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Died: June 4, 1967
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Buried:
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Age: 37
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Full Name: John Russell Lawson
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Nickname:
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Location: South Thermalito Forebay, Oroville, California
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Event: NDBA-sanctioned Oroville Boat Club Spring Championship during Feather River Regatta Days
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Accident Date: June 4, 1967
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Boat: 23-foot "Cobra" Hallett blown fuel hydro
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Biographical: He had been clocked at 173.91 MPH when the propeller shaft twisted off and the boat shot skyward. He had been racing Roger Cornwall of Reno. Observers speculated that his throttle stuck. He was killed instantly. He was a television account executive, living in Paradise, California. He was survived by his wife, Denise, and four children.
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Sources
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"Oroville, Clear Lake races due," Hayward Daily Review, June 23, 1967
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"Pilot dies in Oroville boat race," San Francisco Examiner, June 5, 1967
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"Hydroplane racer dies," Redlands Daily Facts, June 5, 1967
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"Speedboater killed," Salem Statesman Journal, June 6, 1967
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Photos
Len Owen
Born: 1913
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Died: October 8, 1962
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Buried: cremated
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Age: 49
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Full Name: Leonard Ernest Owen
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Nickname:
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Location: Glenmaggie Reservoir, Australia
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Event: world water speed record attempt
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Accident Date: October 8, 1962
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Boat: "Hurricane III"
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Biographical: He was attempting to break the world 7-litre class hydroplane water speed record of 151 MPH. He was timed at over 170 MPH during the first leg of his attempt. On the return leg, his boat hit its own wash while traveling at about 150 MPH. It rose thirty feet into the air and plunged into the water. Owen was pulled from the water still conscious, but died in a hospital about an hour later.
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Sources
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"Sport shorts," Albuquerque Tribune, October 9, 1962
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"Aussie killed in speed record try," Abilene Reporter News, October 11, 1962
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"Australian killed in attempt to set new water speed record," Appleton Post Crescent, October 9, 1962
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"Hydro boat pilot dies," Centralia Daily Chronicle, October 9, 1962
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"Record try fatal for hydro ace," Hayward Daily Review, October 9, 1962
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"Speedboat driver dies in crackup," Troy Times Record, October 9, 1962
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"Aussie speed boat driver killed," Los Angeles Times, October 9, 1962
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Photos
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http://www.vsbc.org.au/history2.html (accessed 7/24/10)
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Melbourne Age, Oct. 9, 1962
Dudley Proctor
Born: ca. 1937
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Died: September 7, 1969
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Buried:
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Age: 33
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Full Name:
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Nickname:
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Location: Oxford Lake, Michigan
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Event: Blue Water Summer Dragboat Nationals
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Accident Date: September 7, 1969
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Boat: "White Mist" blown fuel Sanger flat bottom
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Biographical: He was driving a new boat that had just been brought back from California that week. It was making its first drag run. Unfortunately Proctor really got into it instead of breaking it in slowly. His estimated speed was 105 MPH on that fatal run, but he went airborne and crashed after the finish. He was taken to Pontiac General Hospital where he died about an hour after being retrieved from the water while on the operating table. He had a ruptured liver. He was from Westland, Michigan.
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Sources
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"Boat mishap kills racer," Benton Harbor News-Palladium, September 8, 1969
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http://dragboatracing.com/Community/Forums/tabid/54/aft/41954/Default.aspx (accessed 7/25/10)
Randy Zeeman, e-mail communication to site administrator, Apr. 17, 2012
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Photos
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"The Long 'T'," Hot Rod Magazine, September 1960
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Wayne Memorial High School 1954 Yearbook
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Randy Zeeman, e-mail communication to site administrator, Apr. 16, 2012
Bob Stipp
Born: October 30, 1932
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Died: May 12, 1968
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Buried:
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Age: 35
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Full Name: Robert R. Stipp
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Nickname:
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Location: Lake Ming, near Bakersfield, California
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Event: Kern County Boat and Ski Club-sponsored Western Boat Drags
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Accident Date: May 12, 1968
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Boat: hydro
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Biographical: He was traveling at a speed of about 152 MPH when he lost control of his boat while making a qualifying run. It was thought his throttle may have stuck. When the boat overturned he was thrown more than 200 feet into the air. He died shortly after being pulled from the water. His was the second death in two days at the event. He was from Buena Park, California.
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Sources
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“Racing boats flip, kill two at Kern Lake,” Fresno Bee Republican, May 13, 1968
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“Memorial Drags,” Fresno Bee Republican, June 23, 1968
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California Death Index: Robert R. Stipp, b. Oct. 30, 1932 in Kansas, d. May 12, 1968 in Kern Co., mother’s maiden name was Kendrick
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Social Security Death Index: Robert Stipp, born Oct. 30, 1932, died May 1968, SS# issued in Calif. Before 1951
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Photos