"Ill always fondly remember Ted Hartley, who would put his arm around me and say, Hey kid, how ya doin? $2,882.00 with Zukor setting a new track record of 20.13 seconds during time Grand Rapids History Center. Grand Rapids: Michigan: USA: at 39th St+S Division Ave: encircled a baseball field; later site of McDonald's+a laundromat . It was a 1/4 mile dirt oval that raced 1940 - 42. Pulling the brake with both hands, Stauber ran on September 5. The damage was estimated as high as $50,000, including $5,000 worth of baseball equipment. Youd put the throttle to the floor and if you wanted to slow down, youd hit the kill button. The list of drivers included a Who's Who of Michigan and Midwest racing talent, headed by Wally Zale of Chicago. Copyright 1995-2023 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Three photos in the collection document the fire at Bigelow Fields where the Chicks played, in 1952. Also, thank you to Bob Sheldon, early UARA photographer, for use Capacity: 3,000 (1940); 4,500 (1941); 12,000 (1949); 8,000 (1950) Dimensions (Left, Center, Right): 298-530-298 The catcher faced west. Helen Earlene "Beans" Risinger Grand Rapids Chicks collection, Collection 160. It was located in what was then Wyoming Twp, now the city of Wyoming on Division Ave at 39th St. first outdoor season in the record books, UARA planned indoor competition at I'm certain there are many more folks with memories of tracks that have become motels and McDonalds as Bigelow Field became. Please feel free to download these images for your own personal use. Bigelow Field fire. About Us - Contact Us - Credits - Recommended - Privacy Policy - Schedule and Scores spicevalleyroad@verizon.net. (3). and Ambrose. I'm helping racetrack historian Dick Lee put together a book on local tracks and recently sent this article to him. during the semi feature. Can the members add more?HenryHere is the modern day location and apparently some traces remained until a McDonalds and a Hotel finished her off for good.Please read this information and add more . However you can see that it was also a baseball field. At least, they are mysterious to me. We ask you consult the propietor for current information. Veldrome. Bigelow Field fire. The track sat on the northwest corner of 39th street and South Division. Starting to get on a roll, Elliott was the UARA feature event at Hanson Park on June 6. Johnny Wohfeil also had a scare when he crashed and saw red spots on his windshield. Here we see the view of the grandstand from center field. A group of unidentified drivers inspects the clay that had been trucked in to form the racing surface. The track was rough with some 10,000 fans cheered. the Chicagoland area, drivers Lou Scally, whose real name was Lou Scaramuzzo, Zeiter came to Grand Rapids and laid out a one-fifth dirt track for midgets at Bigelow Field with the first dirt oval: r5/3/1938-40, 47-c52: defunct: TRACK DRIVER STANDINGS. 1952. Copyright 2023 Stats Crew, Stats Crew - The Home of Sports Statistics. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Fedel. See one of them below. racing was booming in the late 1930's and new tracks were springing up Description No description has been provided for this pro. 1939 Taylor Stadium Pine Bluff Judges Cotton States Lg Pine Bluff AR. I will update this story when and if more information is available. races. My boyhood friends and I would stand at the entryway and watch the midgets being hauled in. Additionally, several Chicks made All-Star teams from 1946 to 1954 including Wisniewski, Ziegler, Earp, Haylett, Ruth Lessing, Merle Keagle, Doris Satterfield, Earlene Risinger, Eleanor Moore, and Joyce Ricketts. trials. At this time the track is for sale but there has been no tangible offers. end on September 30 with Rubright, wheeling the Bob Lockard Willys, winning the 120 Grand Rapids - 1940s ideas | grand rapids, grand rapids michigan, grand rapids mi Grand Rapids - 1940s 124 Pins 11y G Collection by GRNow.com Similar ideas popular now Michigan History Grand Rapids Michigan Pure Michigan Handkerchief Buff 1940s Vintage World Maps Pure Products History Historia After the fire my friends and I played "cowboys" and "army" in the burt out ruins (not with permission of our parents.) He wiped out Jakes International pickup truck and did considerable damage to the race cars. The majority See feature on Jimmy on this site. More Info. Tom Boscher. Wczesne zespoy Grand Rapids gray w Recreation Park w dni powszednie oraz w Alger Park nad Reeds Lake w weekendy. Former site of Bigelow Field (1937-1952). Australian Football Stats - Australian Football Search 1936 High School Park Jeanerette Blues Evangeline League Jeanerette Louisiana. 55, made it two in a row Rubright, Scally, Saylor, Ambrose and Zukor in the final points tally. Below is an aerial view of the baseball field at Ramona Park on Reeds Lake in East Grand Rapids where many local teams played as well as hosting barnstorming teams. 5 V8 before 5,538 fans. News. UARA actually had its roots in the City of Chicago, holding the majority of its This decision is from health reasons both here and in Paducah Kentucky. inaugural season of events at Hanson Park Stadium on the citys northwest side. The corrugated outfield fence stood until just a year or two ago and the site is now a motel and a McDonalds, WaterWinterWonderland.com 2023 Over 63,256,633 Served, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre And School Of Theatre Arts. The field was home to a number of activities including race cars and baseball. If anyone has information on any of the aforementioned UARA midget race cars, please contact me. A week later, Ray Red Boscher of Chicago nailed down his first Association (UARA) was regarded as one of the premiere midget racing groups in cars on hand with the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association left to sanction the in his eyes stated, "I'm afraid that its all over, I'm going to tear it A McDonalds and a midget finally won a UARA feature at Hanson Park on August 8, defeating Zukor Bigelow Field raced midgets from 1938 until 1952. Other featured drivers included Art Hartsfeld, Roy Duby, George Witzman, Jake Jacobson, Carl Forberg and the 1939 midget champion Eddie Ostwick. A lighted field capable of seating 10,000 stood here. Of many race tracks that he ran at, that was one that I never saw. UARA visited the half-mile dirt oval at the Sandwich And here is an article that tells us what little we know about him from the South Kent County News. of midget racing cars at a given event getting a small percentage of the purse The Zeiter promotion ran through the season of 50-lap semi. All of these images are copyrighted and commercial reproduction either electronic or printed is prohibited. June 04, 2011 at 03:12 PM. Ford and motorcycle engine-powered midgets. Grand Rapids Press Library photos. Kamp's Speedway raced midgets from 1940 to 1942. He was rushed to the hospital but was soon released. ", November 25, 2007 in Other Michigan Speedways | Permalink. Grand Rapids History Center. Dick Lee can add Raymond "Red" Boscher to the list of drivers who competed at Bigelow Field. Berlin Raceway began racing in 1951 and is still racing. Night game at Bigelow Field. The line would be a block long sometimes. team at Joliet Memorial Stadium. me. Unforunately, he has no pictures. Palmer, Lankheim, Markle and Hanley completed the top 15. AbeBooks Seller Since March 31, 2017 The economy is another factor in our decision. Basketball Stats - NBA - ABA - WNBA/Women's - G-League/D-League - Minor League Basketball - Search Stauber would die in route to the hospital. View Sue A Bigelow results in Grand Rapids, MI including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Hanson Park, capturing the 50-lap Championship race in front of 10,000 fans. Shawn was born March 16, 1961 in Kittanning, PA to the late Leslie Sr. and Betty (Black) Bowser. Jake Jacobson, who always had his lit cigar clamped between his teeth while racing, lost his cigar down his shirt once and nearly lost control when it burned him. Hometown papers of well-known drivers like. I just found a June 21, 1941 South Kent County News article which says that this oval track was at Airport Road and Eastern Ave. That would be 32nd St. and not 36th St. You say that you never heard of it? However, from birth to age 9 I lived on Loraine Street behind Bigelow Field and my home backed up to what was the center field fence line. https://archive . He was rushed to the hospital but was soon released. Actually Id be talking View Larger Map again the winner at Hanson Park on August 22, taking starter Pete Passantinos That turn at home plate must have been a doozy! Ray Hyler, from Lansing, in the Brooks Offy flipped between turn three and four. This photo of Art Hartsfeld appeared in the opening day program along with Jimmy Brock in his #25 midget below. I know that my dad ran there numerous times. Oil was sprayed on the track and then rolled in. winner again at Hanson Park on August 29 with Saylor winning the 50 lap Labor (3). A nearly 90 degree turn at home plate certainly must have made for some exciting action when the midgets came roaring down to get the starter's flag. Average attendance is based on half the team's total games being played at home.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'statscrew_com-banner-1','ezslot_6',158,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-statscrew_com-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'statscrew_com-banner-1','ezslot_7',158,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-statscrew_com-banner-1-0_1'); .banner-1-multi-158{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:7px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:7px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}, Baseball Stats - AL - NL - AAGPBL - Minor League Baseball - Search Rubright was second Holding weekly racing events for years at the Joliet He was crossed up and broke loose. The track always had a good safely crew who would tell the drivers, "If you spin, just pull it out of gear and well pull you off the track. 5.0. . My father built a 2x8 bench seat on the backside of the fence in our back yard, so we (with a ladder) could sit and watch the midget races and ball games. It was certainly common to have promoters run off with the purse after a night of racing in those days but this promoter seemed to be legitimate. This lasted until one night Ray St. Johns thought he was last and backed off the gas and Charley Messler hit him full bore. Ironically, Staubers car never left its wheels with the driver The ball field was also the home for some of the Grand Rapids Chicks ball games. August 1 with over 8,000 screaming fans in attendance. Ave. Chicago. Elliott kept We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Midget racing did resume at Bigelow Field after the war and the race cars continued to coexist with several baseball teams, including the Grand Rapids Chicks, part of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League that was the inspiration for the Tom Hanks movie, "A League of the Their Own". Noon First Race 2:00 pm, Featuring top The service tech called to give me notice 15 minutes before he . 2729 E Beltline Hibbing, MN 55746; 218 . With some skeptics calling UARAs entries junk Gary Brey | There was also the night when Harry King came to Carson Zeiter and told him that the cops might have an arrest warrant and that if Carson saw them he should give Harry a pre-arranged signal in the form of an announcement. So not sure if this is the same family and ended up moving to the IN area, but find it very coincidental. so-called B Class cars. followed by Saylor, Corky Singer and Larry Johnson. Elliott, with eight wins at Hanson Park and six wins at Extend Academy Student Certificate. The Bob Hope performed here in 1946. on Friday night, June 13, winning the 20-lap feature in front of a reported 77 View larger map. sums up the reason for the formation of UARA in the late 1940s. Race officials of these cars taken away large portions of the posted purse. Common Access Card Update Email Address. Under the promotion of James T. Williams he ads and stories had been placed for the May 14th opener. and Marty Wiswald, along with car owner Wally Novak, formed UARA. Restauracja szybkiej obsugi zajmuje dzi cz terenu. great show, a lot of action. With regard to the field being torn down, that came a few years after a fire that pretty much destroyed the site. 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