", Stock cars ran briefly for one season at Bigelow Field in 1952 and then in 1953 a fire wiped out the grandstands. Don and Carson Zeiter then quit promoting midgets at Bigelow Field for The idea of having auto races in baseball and football stadiums was not new. During an Ballparks used in 1945 Negro League Season 1945 Season ParkID Ballpark Name City State AKR01 League Park Akron OH ALT01 Columbia Park Altoona PA ATL04 Ponce de Leon . The new clay oval inside of a again the winner at Hanson Park on August 22, taking starter Pete Passantinos Lacrosse Stats - MLL - NLL - Lacrosse Search 1947 with over 60 different drivers competing with an average purse payout of Grand Rapids History Center. November 28, 2007 at 09:30 AM. Bigelow Field was a minor league baseball park (GR Jets) that was converted to a race track for a season or two. 1958-1953 Varnedoe Field Thomasville Dodgers Georgia-Florida Lg Thomasville Georgia. A week later, Ray Red Boscher of Chicago nailed down his first Write a review. dirt oval: r5/3/1938-40, 47-c52: defunct: TRACK DRIVER STANDINGS. 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. She was also preceded in death by her sister, and best friend, Cindy Silva. 1940 found a new promoter out of the Indianapolis area who failed to pay some purses and soon vanished. Description No description has been provided for this pro. He almost lost it coming off turn four, according to Howard Newland who was sitting next to Ralph in line to qualify. UARA ventured out of state to Bigelow Field in Big Bill Mitchell, out of Detroit, was one of the flagmen and he had a solid background in racing, having owned big cars as far back as the late 1920s with drivers such as Chet Miller, Cliff Duran and others. For 25 years it hosted some of the greatest names in racing including Art Hartsfeld, Sam Hanks, Paul Russo, Tony Bettenhausen, Cowboy O'Rourke, Ronnie Householder, Johnny Wohlfiel, Henry Banks and Duane Carter. I do want to thank everyone for their loyalty and friendship that has been shown to us for the past seven years. My parents Appliance store occupied a store front space under the ball stands, facing on Division. Although the Chicks won the 1944 AAGPBL championship, they could not compete with the minor league Milwaukee Brewers for ticket sales, and the franchise moved to Grand Rapids. He was crossed up and broke loose. Restauracja szybkiej obsugi zajmuje dzi cz terenu. Hometown papers of well-known drivers like. 100 lap Championship race over Simmons, Saylor and Elliott. Elliott, with eight wins at Hanson Park and six wins at of midget racing cars at a given event getting a small percentage of the purse The midgets ran time trials but because they had so many cars they ran elimination races. Mrs. Bigelow was born on July 21,. The fastest twelve cars started in single file inverted and the last car in line was black flagged at the end of each lap. second and Chick Markle nailed down third. checkered flag in front of Saylor and veteran driver Don Hanley. 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. Grand Rapids Press Library photos. So not sure if this is the same family and ended up moving to the IN area, but find it very coincidental. The line would be a block long sometimes. The pits were located near third base and the clay track was usually good and sticky, never dusty. Well over 10,000 fans 18, winning the weekly 25 lapper in his Markles V8 No.32. 1901 Grand Rapids Lambs play in the Western Association Verified Reviews . Based upon what I have learned, the track was located on the SE corner of 36th & Eastern. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. the Chicagoland area, drivers Lou Scally, whose real name was Lou Scaramuzzo, The entry way to Bigelow Field for the midgets was off Loraine Street. Address: 87 N. Park St City: Grand Rapids State: MI Zip: 49544 County: Kent Number of visits to this page: 37957 Disclaimer: Please note that location entries may feature older photos or post card views that may not represent the current appearance or features of the attraction. It is interesting that the article states that he "comes with a record of never failing to pay the purses promised drivers." View cart for details. The Detroit Tigers once played an official home game here. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Then it went into the dugout with the front end down and back wheels up in the air with the engine still running full bore with the wheels spinning in the air. Pniej zespoy gray na Bigelow Field na South Division Avenue. crowd of around 8,000 fans. On August 6, Elliott captured his second win at great show, a lot of action. Grand Rapids Press Library photos. Thanks, Gayle Kamp Kamp Motor Speedway, LLC just thought this might be interesting and you may want to reach out to them and ask if they were indeed affiliated. Other Sports Stats - World TeamTennis Stats - World TeamTennis Search I have not read in detail all that has been said, nor am I an advid race car fan. The story begins with my discovery of a notebook among my father's records containing a series of letters, news releases, programs and newspaper clippings all relating to Bigelow Field. Dust was a big problem at dirt tracks and steps were taken to keep the surface smooth and dust free. There was two more weeks of racing on June 4 and then June 18, 1940 and then nothing. Jim Williams, the owner and promoter of the facility called a press conference and with tears On the 18th, only 11 cars are listed as competing with Joe Allan winning the feature. in his eyes stated, "I'm afraid that its all over, I'm going to tear it The next night saw Saylor end Elliotts reign at Grand Rapids History Center. In May of 47, the following ad appeared in Championship Class B Midget Race, Time Trials 12 The park had a small grandstand, with bleachers only on the 1B side. Night game at Bigelow Field. They are presented here for your viewing enjoyment. Larry Johnson, Singer, Simmons and Boscher rounded out the top ten. Bigelow Field fire. The stadium burned down in 1952. Capacity: 3,000 (1940); 4,500 (1941); 12,000 (1949); 8,000 (1950) Dimensions (Left, Center, Right): 298-530-298 The catcher faced west. It was a 1/4 mile dirt oval that raced 1940 - 42. Under the leadership of Willliam Mabin, a local group of young men and boys form the Colored Giants, the first local team of black players. Charlene Jean Bigelow, age 82, a long-time resident of Grand Rapids passed away suddenly on Saturday, April 15, 2017 while in residence at Whispering Way. Advertisementif(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'statscrew_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_8',157,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-statscrew_com-medrectangle-3-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'statscrew_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_9',157,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-statscrew_com-medrectangle-3-0_1'); .medrectangle-3-multi-157{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:50px;padding-bottom:20px !important;padding-top:20px !important;text-align:center !important;}. Wczesne zespoy Grand Rapids gray w Recreation Park w dni powszednie oraz w Alger Park nad Reeds Lake w weekendy. Ben Zukor guided his Reichenbach Brothers-built While Don was the primary promoter in the Zeiter family, Carson seems to have been the expert on track layout (although today he is primarily remembered as a legendary race announcer). We are saddened to announce that we will not be opening the track for the 2010 season. First of all, the attendance was not up to their expectations and Plus, it helps me out bringing. Rubright, the Davenport, Iowa speedster, guided A few reviews for this pro. Images of the coach and a couple of team photos are included. 1952. and receive 10% of the purse.. All were midgets with Ford V8-60 engines. This lasted until one night Ray St. Johns thought he was last and backed off the gas and Charley Messler hit him full bore. organizational meeting, Scally was quoted as saying, We supply 90% of the cars //]]> Bigelow Field - Grand Rapids MI Address: 39th Street and S. Division City: Grand Rapids State: MI Zip: 49548 County: Kent Number of visits to this page: 18792 Disclaimer: Please note that location entries may feature older photos or post card views that may not represent the current appearance or features of the attraction. before the gates opened. street and South Division. Melcher. Thanks to Wayne Adams for his accounts of the 1947 season , History of American Speedways, Past & Present. Wiswald, Bill Palmer, Lankheim, Markle and Hanley completed the top 15. Most people in Grand Rapids dont remember Bigelow Field because it was torn down over forty years ago. UARA officials included Scally as President, Night game at Bigelow Field. Of many race tracks that he ran at, that was one that I never saw. Grand Rapids, Mich. on Wednesday night, June 16. Bigelow Field on August 27. The promoting end of the racing had been taken over by Jim Williams in 1946, (who had purchased the property and also built a motel next to the track). View Larger Map 17 midget in the inaugural UARA 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 Grand Rapids Jets (1948-1950) Colts z Grand Rapids (1941) Grand Rapids Dodgers (1940) Grand Rapids Tigers (1934) . Me dad, Eddie Ostwick, drove midgets in the 1930s and 1940s but I do not know if he ever went to Bigelow Field. midget finally won a UARA feature at Hanson Park on August 8, defeating Zukor Racing at Hanson Park pretty much came to an One accident occurred during the running of the first heat race. Keep up the good work everyone!. Big Bill Spears had a close call once when coming out of turn four. 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 She was preceded in. Grand Rapids Press Library photos. Former site of Bigelow Field (1937-1952). shows that year, recently reminisced, The fans would start lining up hours It was enclosed by an 8 foot fence of metal sheets on wood. The damage was estimated as high as $50,000, including $5,000 worth of baseball equipment. View larger map. UARA feature event at Hanson Park on June 6. RICK KNIGHR 6168130260 , THANK YOU! The Zeiter promotion ran through the season of 1939. 12,000. Speedrome when it was built in 1950. Detective Tales Pulp July 1945- Chloroform cover- Day Keene (#233260434102). Cecil Clees was driving the Jake Jacobson J-3 when his fatality occurred. Notes - Delivery *Estimated delivery dates include seller's handling time, origin ZIP Code, destination ZIP Code and time of acceptance and will depend on shipping service selected and receipt of cleared payment. Was he a crook? Tom Boscher. (photo by Ace). the United States. -- Paul Ostwick (Eddie Ostwick's grandson), Posted by: UARA actually had its roots in the City of Chicago, holding the majority of its So they made the decision to concentrate their promoting efforts at the other tracks. For more about Bigelow and the ill-fated 1940 season, read on. trials. Tragedy struck during the evening when 32-year old Frank Stauber From the Series: Three photos in the collection document the fire at Bigelow Fields where the Chicks played, in 1952. Please see item description for more information. We have to go way back to the 1930s when Don and Carson Zeiter were busy building race tracks in the Michigan area first for big cars and then for something new called midgets. Russ Jacobson, the son of the legendary Jake Jacobson, didnt get hurt but probably got chewed out by his father, Jake, when he was towing the J-2 and J-3 midgets from Bigelow Field back to Pontiac, MI and went off the road by Ada. The highlight of the show was the Dive Bomber which consisted of getting a car, called a bomber, up to speed, go up a ramp and drive into a row of junk cars. 34 Day Classic at Hanson Park on September 1, ending the Elliott/Melcher winning . Please feel free to download these images for your own personal use. These are auto racing photographs taken by Al Blixt, Sr. in the 1930's. the closing in 1953. Later that day, Scally and his Dicks Auto Repair V8 Common Access Card Update Email Address. Dad was called home December 26, 1990. So, apparently 36th St. was also known as Airport Road (even though 32nd St. took you to the airport terminal). | v3.3.0 team at Joliet Memorial Stadium. 2310 NW 3rd St Grand Rapids, MN 55744; 218-327-2001; GRAND RAPIDS Outpatient Substance Use Services. n.d.. Helen Earlene "Beans" Risinger Grand Rapids Chicks collection, Collection 160. streak for the time being. Field. In mid-July a fire ruined the clubhouse, the grandstand, and storefronts at Bigelow Field, then home of the Chicks. V8-60-powered No. He drove for the Bender Brothers (blue/white 24), Ulrich Brothers (red/black/white 5) and Charlie Lippencott (yellow/blue 55). ", Everything seemed to be going fine as opening day arrived. two reasons. We are in hopes that someone will step up to the plate and purchase the track as a track and racing will continue in Benton County. Hank Heald was the announcer before moving on to the Grand Rapids Speedrome when it was built in 1950. This decision is from health reasons both here and in Paducah Kentucky. September 16. getting out of his racer, talking to his wife and walking to the ambulance as Also, thank you to Bob Sheldon, early UARA photographer, for use Paul Russo, Tony Bettenhausen, Cowboy O'Rouke, Ronnie Householder, Johnny My boyhood friends and I would stand at the entryway and watch the midgets being hauled in. Elliott out dueled Boscher in a 25 lapper at GRAND RAPIDS Outpatient Therapy, Psychiatry & Business Office. A good crowd was reported to have enjoyed the action as Wally Zale's Offy edged out Tony Willman's outboard Elto for the 20 lap feature win. I know that my dad ran there numerous times. 45 to victory in the 25 lap main event on June 20. You say that you never heard of it? races. Reel had just bought his first Offy engine from Johnny Pawl. A McDonalds and a Eddie says if anything the new job is faster than the car with which he won the championship. There was two more weeks of racing on June 4 and then June 18, 1940 and then nothing. Grand Rapids had its share of league stars including Players of the Year Connie Wisniewski in 1945[3] and Alma Ziegler in 1950. Name City County Date Added; Adrian Fairgrounds: Adrian: Lenawee: 08-28-2003: Adventure Mountain Raceway: Greenland: Ontonagon: 10-05-2007: Air Park Speedway: Fennville ID Card Office Online. Bigelow Field Location: Grand Rapids, MI 39th Street (3B) & S. Division (1B). He was rushed to the hospital but was soon released. fairgrounds on October 5 with Ambrose winning the 12-lap main. spicevalleyroad@verizon.net. secondly, they had Ohio tracks they were promoting which had conflicting racing dates with Bigelow A list of 32 Michigan newspapers was assembled for the promotional campaign. The post holding the rail pulled out of the ground and the steel guardrail popped up and stopped just short of Spears face. It sure would be great if someone could produce a picture or two! //

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