(AP) -- WILBUR SHAW, 52, president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and three-time winner of the 500-mile race, and two companions were killed in a plane crash near Decatur Indiana late today. Shaw actively sought investors to purchase the facility from then-owner Eddie Rickenbacker, who was focusing his energy on developing Eastern Airlines. The collection (1940 1956) includes materials from Shaws time working for the Firestone Tire Company, in addition to correspondence relating to his efforts to find a buyer for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a typed sale agreement between Eddie Rickenbacker and Tony Hulman for the purchase of the IMS. Today is the sixty-fourth anniversary of Wilbur Shaw's death in a plane crash near Decatur, Indiana. Shaw held the position at the Speedway until he died in a plane crash on Oct. 30 . Part II Thursday will review Bills part of the book. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Book Review: Wilbur Shaws Story Continues in Updated Version of His Autobiography- PartI. Weve updated the security on the site. In the 1941 race, Shaw was injured when his car crashed; it was later discovered that a defective wheel had been placed on his car. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. BS talks about how the site of the plane crash where his father died, and how it looked like he had always imagined it. Biggest shock and more, F1 commentators: 2023 Sky Sports, Channel 4 and F1TV line-ups, Norris hits back at Button: If someone says c**p about me, then cool, Hope for Hamilton? Shaw's AAA National Championship awards (from the days when the American Automobile Association sanctioned open-wheel racing, which it did through 1955). A.K.A: sneaking into and photographing abandoned buildings, armed with a camera and flashlight. But Shaw feels that sharing the priceless pieces of history with fellow Indianapolis 500 fans, via display at the Hall of Fame Museum, is the right thing to do. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum is open 364 days a year (closed Christmas Day), from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (EST). (AP) -- WILBUR SHAW, 52, president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and three-time winner of the 500-mile race, and two companions were killed in a plane crash near Decatur Indiana late today. From 1935-1940 Shaw won three times, had two second place finishes and a seventh place. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. /* Crittenden Library Topic Box 300x250 */ Page 1 of 3 - Racings air crash victims - posted in The Nostalgia Forum: A thread in the RC forum mentions a NASCAR family lost in a crash at the weekend. English If not for his efforts, 16th and Georgetown would now be the site of apartments, homes, or a strip mall. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. A. Despite what Hulman saw amongst the weeds and deterioration when Shaw took him to Indianapolis, he purchased the Speedway from Rickenbacker in November 1945 for the sum of $750,000. The light plane exploded and crashed in a field as a farmer watched nearby. 06:40 BS shares what he learned about his father's last words and moments. "Heaven knows, Dad loved this place like no place else. While working a racecar driver, Shaw also worked for Firestone Tire Company and wrote several articles on automobiles and auto parts. Oct. 30, 1954-- Wilbur Shaw, president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in Decatur, Ind. Family (1) Spouse A lifelong fan of automobile racing in general and the "500" in particular, Hulman listened with great interest to what Shaw had to say. Please try again later. When the United States entered World War II, ending racing at Indianapolis and elsewhere for the duration, Rickenbacker padlocked the gates and let the race course slowly begin to disintegrate. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Homer Ginter, owner of the farm, said he heard a roar, looked up and saw the plane in pieces, 20 to 30 feet from the ground. Wilbur ShawS3318, OBE101940 19561 folder, 1 os folder, Manuscripts & Rare Books DivisionIndiana State Library, Return to the Alphabetical List of All Online Finding Aids, Processed by: Brent Abercrombie, August 2012. Shelbyville, Indiana. At the time of his death in plane crash, he was president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and had just finished this autobiography. He participated in the 1927 Indianapolis 500.[1]. INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 31 (AP) -- Civil Aeronautical Administration investigators tried to determine today whether mechanical failure, the only thing that ever stopped Wilbur Shaw on an auto race track, caused the airplane crash that killed the Indianapolis Motor Speedway president and two companions Saturday. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. The couple had one child Warren Wilbur Shaw Jr. Wilbur Shaw tragically died in a plane crash near Decatur, Indiana on October 30, 1954. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Hepburn was president of ASPAR, American Society of Professional Auto Racing, a drivers group that was asking for 40% of gate receipts as the purse from tracks running 100 mile races. Shaw was married twice, first to Beatrice Patrick who died giving birth, and the second time to Cathleen Boots Stearns. (Shaw drove in early Milwaukee auto races, See Page 9. SHAW survived several racing accidents and a severe heart attack. ). google_ad_width = 300; He was in critical condition for several days but made it back to his office before the 1952 race. Extended hours are in effect during the Indianapolis 500. Since the Borg-Warner Trophy did not become the "property" of the winner after its debut in 1936 (which is still the case today), the winners of the era were presented with a "half" Borg-Warner Trophy, mounted on a wood base. Wilbur Shaw wasn't just an early racing folk hero. DECATUR, Ind., Oct. 30 (AP)Wilbur Shaw, 52, president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as three-time winner of the 500-mile race, and two companions were killed in a plane crash near here late Saturday. Shaw was killed in an airplane crash near Decatur, Indiana, on October 30, 1954, one day before his fifty-second birthday. The light plane exploded and crashed in a field as a farmer watched nearby. (Appeared in the Kansas Salina Journal 10-31-1954). WILBUR SHAW Home Contact About Site Map Privacy Copyright 2014 IndySpeedway.com All Rights Reserved WILBUR SHAW (October 31, 1902 - October 30, 1954) WILBUR SHAW KILLED VICTIM OF PLANE CRASH. Source:The Indianapolis Times May 28, 1955. Shaws autobiography covers his life from childhood through the start of the 1952 Indianapolis 500. Many fans of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway can credit their fathers with introducing them to the 93-year-old monument to speed, but few can claim the kind of heritage and passion shared among the men of the Shaw family. C. L. Gill has not added any memorials to this virtual cemetery. This account has been disabled. He was dismayed at the dilapidated condition of the racetrack and quickly contacted then-owner Eddie Rickenbacker, the World War I flying ace and president and founder of Eastern Air Lines. HOMER GINTER, owner of the farm, who was working on his tractor, said he heard a roar, looked up and saw the plane in pieces, 20 to 30 feet from the ground. . It seemed as though Shaw and Hulman had a "Midas touch" at the Speedway. In 1941, in his last Memorial Day race, he hit the wall and spent the summer in a vast with three smashed vertebrae. At 10:35 a.m. on December 17, 1903, Orville Wright flew the Flyer for 12 seconds over 120 feet of the ground. USA. During World War II, Shaw was hired by the tire manufacturer Firestone Tire and Rubber Company to test a synthetic rubber automobile tire at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which had been closed due to the war. The Indianapolis "500" of the late Forties and early Fifties was a very special event through the work of Hulman and Shaw, although Hulman was always sure to point out that it was Wilbur putting it all together. The collection also contains two photographs of Wilbur Shaw attending social events and newspaper-clippings. A household name because of his racing exploits, he loved to talk about his first race here at the Shelby County Fairgrounds, in a goat cart! ten died in the crash, apparently. Shaw sent out letters to the major car manufacturers trying to find a backer to buy the speedway. [1], He was born in Shelbyville, Indiana on October 31, 1902. The light plane exploded and crashed in a field as a farmer watched nearby. When a plane crash ended Shaw's life in 1952, AAA official James H. Lamb wrote: In the racing world, Wilbur Shaw was a champion, and in the universal definition of the sports world, he was a true and great competitor. Jennifer Rosenberg. He was president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1945 until his death in 1954. Shaw won the big race at Indianapolis in 1937, 1939 and 1940. 31 October 1954. Your email address will not be published. We have set your language to USAC Plane Crash . He told a newsman recently: "Auto race drivers are like boxers, or pit bull dogs. At Detroit, where the men had gone to take part in a car test, the third man in the plane was identified as ERNEST ROOSE, Indianapolis businessman and artist. In 1923 he suffered a skull fracture at Paris, Ill., and he broke some ribs in two crack-ups at Ascot, Calif. In some cases, photocopying may not be permitted due to the condition of the item. Photocopies and/or digital reproductions (i.e. Updated on April 06, 2018. He was married and had one son, WARREN WILBUR SHAW, JR. Only a few weeks ago, SHAW asserted he would be willing to drive the powerful Novi Special in an attempt on a new closed course record at Chrysler's proving ground track at Chelsea, Mich. "There was a time when having those items on display in your home was the way to display and honour them," he said. Hepburn sat out the 1947 race but entered the next year. DECATUR, Ind., Oct. 30 -- Wilbur Shaw, president of the Indianapolis motor speedway and three-time winner of the 500-mile race, was killed with two companions in a plane crash near here late today. Shaw's legacy at the Speedway is unique in that he was one of the most successful drivers ever to grace the track, and he, alongside Anton "Tony" Hulman, was a key figure in guiding the Speedway from the brink of extinction to growing international prominence and financial vibrancy in the years following World War II. Shaw flew the plane to Detroit and Roose was to have flown it back, the advertising man said. The pilot, Ray Grimes, and artist Ernest Roose were also killed. Shaw then met Terre Haute businessman Tony Hulman who had inherited his family's business, Hulman & Company, a wholesale grocer and producer of coffee and baking powder, Clabber Girl. A compromise was reached allowing some ASPAR members to get into the race. SHAW was identified by a credit card and a private pilot's license. Shaw and Hulman countered their offer, but the group did not accept. There is a problem with your email/password. Besides his three victories, SHAW finished second in the "500" in 1933, 1935 and 1938, fourth in 1927 and seventh in 1936. Despite what Hulman saw amongst the weeds and deterioration when Shaw took him to Indianapolis, he purchased the Speedway from Rickenbacker in November 1945 for the sum of $750,000. He was president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1945 until his death in 1954. Subscribers may view the full text of this article in its original form through TimesMachine. Hulman poured money into improvements, and Shaw delivered the world's greatest automobile race to enthusiastic crowds, which grew in number by the year. After racing, he became a sales manager for Firestone (for whom he tested tyres for) and president of the Indianapolis Speedway, for . "Wilbur Shaw Is Killed In Indiana Plane Crash", Shaw's Blend Of Skill, Charisma Looms Large In Speedway History, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wilbur_Shaw&oldid=1105015907, International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees, National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductees, Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1954, Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 18 August 2022, at 02:24. Part II Bill, Jr.s biography, will be up on Thursday. But you knew that. There is also mention in the thread about an undue number of NASCAR teams that have been hit by air crash disasters. To this job, Shaw brought his extensive knowledge of the business of auto racing, something Hulman would admit that he himself didn't have, and Shaw's hard work only cemented the reputation of the "500" as the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing.". He has a Fine Art degree from Indiana University, a Masters in Historic Preservation from Ball State, and currently works with the State of Indiana to advocate for the adaptive reuse of Indiana's historic buildings into affordable housing. Husband of Cathleen Sage Shaw was returning from a race car demonstration in Michigan at the Chrysler test track. USA, Omaha, He remains the last Hoosier to win the Indianapolis 500. Son of James O Shaw and Etta May Shaw Wilbur Shaw died in an unfortunate plane crash the day before he turned 52. While reading it again, I was shocked by how much of it I remembered- not just the episodes, but the exact wording. "What better time than Dad's 100th birthday? passenger's hand tightening seat belt - airplane crash stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Buford mentions one crash that took out a bunch of officials all in one go. Shaw was the automotive test evaluator for Popular Science magazine. State police said the plane exploded on striking the ground on a farm near Peterson, five miles southwest of Decatur. 3 cemeteries found in will be saved to your photo volunteer list. There was a problem getting your location. We're all comfortable with what we're doing. USA. He was returning to Indianapolis from a visit to Chrysler's testing. "There is a sense of history (with the Speedway) that I have that is very personal. Father of Private. Shaw was killed in an airplane crash near Decatur, Indiana, on October 30, 1954, one day before his fifty-second birthday. No major injuries were reported when a Boston-bound plane carrying more than 20 people struck a fence and erupted in flames while taking off at Houston Executive Airport on Tuesday morning,. Connect to the World Family Tree to find out, Oct 31 1902 - Shelbyville, Shelby, Indiana, United States, Oct 30 1954 - Decatur, Indiana, United States, Apr 1 1950 - 5th Ho Hussey Lane, Clay Township, Hamilton, Indiana, United States, ", Decatur, Columbia (Continued Od Page Six column "sj Sel, ") Funeral services were read today for, "of other stories. Shaw also tells how he met Tony Hulman and saved the Speedway. 3 cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Email: donate@boyleracingteam.org. October 1954. From 1947 through the 1954 race, Shaw presented this silver cup, filled with ice and water, to the hot and thirsty Indianapolis 500 winner in Victory Lane. Thanks for your help! In 1923 he suffered a skull fracture at Paris, III., and he broke some ribs in two crackups at Ascot, Calif. He was in critical condition for several days but made it back to his office before the 1952 race. Today is the sixty-fourth anniversary of Wilbur Shaws death in a plane crash near Decatur, Indiana. The name Wilbur Shaw is synonymous with auto racing in Indianapolis. He was dismayed at the dilapidated condition of the racetrack and quickly contacted then-owner Eddie Rickenbacker, the World War I flying ace and president and founder of Eastern Air Lines. The light plane exploded and crashed in a field as a farmer watched nearby. 31 Oct 1902 The photos are a great visual record of the era. A representative of an advertising firm - McCann-Erickson -- said SHAW, GRIMES and ROOSE were in Detroit today testing a new Chrysler car on the Chrysler proving grounds. Rescuers gather at the site of a plane crash in Pokhara, Nepal on January 15, 2023. Shaw finished first in the National Championship in 1937 and 1939, second in 1938 and 1940, and third in 1935. He was the leading money winner at the track, with a total of $91,300 in winnings, until Bill Vukovich won his second straight victory last May 31. DECATUR, Ind., Oct. 30(AP)Wilbur Shaw, 52, president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as three-time winner of the 500-mile race, and two companions were killed in a plane crash near here late Saturday. He went on to become one of the most iconic figures in all of American sports. Shaw was a three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 (1937, 1939, & 1940), and served as President of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) from 1945 until his death in 1954. Hepburn had been one of Shaws biggest rivals on the track. 2 Friends of Race Driver Also Killed It was a very fortunate thing that he and Tony were introduced, because they clicked. But under SHAW'S direction the Memorial Day event boomed again, drawing crowds estimated at more than 150,000. Wilbur Shaw was born in Shelbyville on October 31, 1902, and reared here. But under Shaw's direction the Memorial Day event boomed again, drawing crowds estimated at more than 150,000. Please check with the Manuscript Librarian for possible alternatives. Within seconds of flying at 200 m.p.h. S haw's racing heritage lives on, not only at the track he helped to save, but also at a track of a slightly different nature on the near northwest side. SHAW flew the plane to Detroit and ROOSE was to have flown it back, the advertising man said. Wilbur Shaw was born on October 31, 1902 in Shelbyville, Indiana, USA. HistoricIndianapolis.com P.O. All rights reserved | Privacy policy | About us | Image policy. World War II ended his career as a driver, but when ANTON HULMAN, JR., of Terre Haute, Ind., bought the big two-and-one-half-mile track at the west edge of Indianapolis in 1945 he gave SHAW the job of running it. He was born in Shelbyville, Indiana on October 31, 1902. In August, 1951, while officiating at the Soap Box derby Finals in Akron, Ohio, Shaw suffered a heart attack. Oct. 31, 1954 The New York Times Archives See the article in its. A system error has occurred. Nebraska, It seemed as though Shaw and Hulman had a "Midas touch" at the Speedway. The pilot of the plane was identified as RAY GRIMES, 40, Greenfield, Ind. This was the car in which noted drivers RALPH HEPBURN and CHET MILLER were killed -- but SHAW wasn't afraid of anything. I never was about to back off and let somebody pass me in a jam.". Copyright Don Radbruch, 2006. In 1944, Shaw discovered the deplorable condition of the Speedway when he arrived at the track to conduct a tire test for Firestone, his employer at the time. Warren Wilbur Shaw (October 31, 1902 October 30, 1954) was an American racing driver. Shaw found the Speedway's saviour in Hulman, who took ownership of IMS on Nov. 14, 1945, and immediately placed Shaw as the track president and general manager. He was the leading money winner at the track, with a total of $91,300 in winnings, until Bill Vukovich won his second straight victory last May 31. It presumably was returning to Indianapolis at the time of the crash. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Seeks to Find if Plane Failure Killed Auto Racer, https://www.nytimes.com/1954/11/01/archives/shaw-crash-inquiry-on-c-a-a-seeks-to-find-if-plane-failure-killed-a.html. Bill Shaw, the only son of Wilbur - a man who not only became the first driver to win the race in consecutive years, but deserves a great deal of credit along with Tony Hulman for saving the Speedway from demolition after World War II - loaned the items long term t. Bill Shaw, the only son of Wilbur - a man who not only became the first driver to win the race in consecutive years, but deserves a great deal of credit along with Tony Hulman for saving the Speedway from demolition after World War II - loaned the items long term to the Hall of Fame Museum in honour of his father's 100th birthday, which would have been Oct. 31. At Detroit, where the men had gone to take part in a car test, the third man on the plane was identified as Ernest Roose, Indianapolis businessman and artist. However, his dedication to restoring America's most notable racetrack helped preserve an important piece of Indiana's motorcycle and racing history. Grab a cooler, lawn chairs and some friends and get there early to grab a good seat! To this job, Shaw brought his extensive knowledge of the business of auto racing, something Hulman would admit that he himself didn't have, and Shaw's hard work only cemented the reputation of the "500" as the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing.". Wilbur Shaw 52, president Indianapolis Motor Speedway: Decatur, Indiana: Cessna: Crashed into a corn field and broke into pieces. The tradition was carried on in 1955 and 1956 after Shaw's death. Not only was Shaw the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 in consecutive years, but his consistency was among the best ever recorded in the gruelling race, with top-five finishes (including his three wins) in five of six "500" starts between 1935 and 1940. "The thing to do with them now is to put them on display here. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Track tours are available when the track is not in use for the same price. RayCampbell, LetterioCucinotta, NickEckerle, AlGordon, SamHoffman, JerryHouck, CyMarshall, ChetMiller, JohnnySawyer. Shaw was identified by a credit card and a private pilot's license. found: Wikipedia, April 16, 2014: Wilbur Shaw (Warren Wilbur Shaw; born October 31, 1902, Shelbyville, Indiana; Died October 20, 1954, Decatur, Indiana in plane crash; American racing driver; won the Indianapolis 500 three times (1937, 1939, and 1940); during world war II was hired by Firestone Tire and Rubber Company to test rubber automobile tires at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; president of . Shaw then met Terre Haute businessman Tony Hulman who had inherited his family's business, Hulman & Company, a wholesale grocer and producer of coffee and baking powder, Clabber Girl. Legacy. Wilbur Shaw Dies in Air Crash, Won Top Auto Race Three Times; WILBUR SHAW DIES IN A PLANE CRASH, https://www.nytimes.com/1954/10/31/archives/wilbur-shaw-dies-in-air-crash-won-top-auto-race-three-times-wilbur.html. Wilbur found himself hanging upside down from a tree by a boot lace. However, all indicated that should they buy the IMS they would turn it into a private testing facility for their own cars only. He crashed and suffered fatal injuries during practice early on qualifying afternoon. SHAW won the big race at Indianapolis in 1937, 1939 and 1940. It appeared there would be a drivers strike for the 1947 500. The dapper Shaw was the ideal man to represent racing to automobile executives, whose cooperation Shaw realized was sorely needed. An Indianapolis 500 great, one of the '500's finest and most skillful drivers who was killed in an aircraft crash, when the plane crashed into a cornfield in a snowstorm. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. A few of the more notable items include: All three of Shaw's Borg-Warner Trophy plaques from his "500" wins in 1937 and 1939-40. Shaw was the automotive test evaluator for Popular Science magazine. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Geni requires JavaScript! Together the two men steadily rebuilt the Speedway grounds, adding modern concrete and steel grandstands and other facilities as resources came available. Crew of B-17 bomber that crashed at Oregon's Cape Lookout 2 August 1943. It (the collection) should be put on display, where it can be shared. My mind is weird. Speedway star : the story of Wilbur Shaw ( Visual ) Shelbyville's four famous faces : Thomas Hendricks, Charles Major, Marjorie Main, Wilbur Shaw by Kenneth Clark Fallis . Once one gives ground to another, the other fellow will be the boss forever after that. 2 Friends of Race Driver Also Killed. During World War II, Shaw was hired by the tire manufacturer Firestone Tire and Rubber Company to test a synthetic rubber automobile tire at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which had been closed due to the war. Scope and Content: The documentary included below in two video panels, represents a three year .