Please check with the Manuscript Librarian for possible alternatives. Your email address will not be published. Email: [email protected]. Both his time as IMS president and life were cut short in a plane crash near Decatur, IN on October 30, 1954, one day before his fifty-second birthday. It seemed as though Shaw and Hulman had a "Midas touch" at the Speedway. Husband of Cathleen Sage A number of items will be on display on a long-term basis. In 1923 he suffered a skull fracture at Paris, Ill., and he broke some ribs in two crack-ups at Ascot, Calif. He went on to become one of the most iconic figures in all of American sports. "There is a sense of history (with the Speedway) that I have that is very personal. Indianapolis 500 results Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired, 1927 29 19 104.465 32 4 200 0 Running, 1928 1 29 100.956 25 25 42 0 Timing gears, 1930 3 25 106.135 5 24 54 0 Wrist pin, 1932 3 22 114.326 5 17 157 27 Rear axle, 1933 17 23 115.497 12 2 200 0 Running, 1934 3 2 117.647 3 28 15 0 Lost oil, 1935 14 20 116.854 7 2 200 5 Running, 1936 3 9 117.503 4 7 200 51 Running, 1937 6 2 122.791 4 1 200 131 Running, 1938 1 7 120.987 13 2 200 0 Running, 1939 2 3 128.977 4 1 200 51 Running, 1940 1 2 127.065 2 1 200 136 Running, 1941 2 3 127.836 3 18 151 107 Crash T1, He was named to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1990. USA. It presumably was returning to Indianapolis at the time of the crash. 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. To use this feature, use a newer browser. 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 was the second person to win the 500 three times, and the first to win it twice in a row. 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. He participated in the 1927 Indianapolis 500. He was president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1945 until his death in 1954. He spent the rest of the year recuperating. Yeti Airlines plane carrying more than 70 . Warren Wilbur Shaw was born October 31, 1902 in Shelbyville, Indiana. After racing, he became a sales manager for Firestone (for whom he tested tyres for) and president of the Indianapolis Speedway, for whom he effectively saved the site - and the race - forever by his involvement in pushing to make sure the speedway was bought and maintained, and most notably promoted properly after World War Two. State police and Sheriff Robert W. Shraluka said the bodies were ground to bits in the wreckage. 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. Shaw was returning from a race car demonstration in Michigan at the Chrysler test track. 3 cemeteries found in will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Shaw was the second person to win the 500 three times, and the first to win it twice in a row. 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. Buford mentions one crash that took out a bunch of officials all in one go. Shaw was married twice, first to Beatrice Patrick who died giving birth, and the second time to Cathleen Boots Stearns. Required fields are marked *. Wilbur Shaw 52, president Indianapolis Motor Speedway: Decatur, Indiana: Cessna: Crashed into a corn field and broke into pieces. The pilot, Ray Grimes, and artist Ernest Roose were also killed. Wilbur Shaw tragically died in a private plane crash near Decatur, Ind., on Oct. 30, 1954, the eve of his 52nd birthday. The native Hoosier is one of the most pivotal individuals in the century-plus history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The couple had one child Warren Wilbur Shaw Jr. Wilbur Shaw tragically died in a plane crash near Decatur, Indiana on October 30, 1954. During a meeting soon after the tire test, Rickenbacker informed Shaw that what was left of the track would be demolished and the land turned into a housing subdivision. Please consider supporting this community asset. Shaw was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1991. In 1941, in his last Memorial Day race, he hit the wall and spent the summer in a vast with three smashed vertebrae. Today is the sixty-fourth anniversary of Wilbur Shaw's death in a plane crash near Decatur, Indiana. Hancock County, TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Yes, he was the first driver to win back-to-back runnings of the Indianapolis 500, and the second to win it three times. Warren Wilbur Shaw (October 31, 1902 October 30, 1954) was an American racing driver. Thanks, Ryan buildings and places have more meaning when we know the history of the people for whom they were named. 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 . 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. View Full Article in Timesmachine , See the article in its original context from. 3 cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. The only death which seemed to really move him to tears was that of Ralph Hepburn. With Hulmans financial backing and Shaws foresight and leadership as track President, the two managed to turn a weed riddled eyesore into what would become known as the greatest spectacle in racing. He was born in Shelbyville, Indiana on October 31, 1902. 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. .Rites Set Tuesday ,For, 1940 - 4519 Guilford, Indianapolis, Washington, Marion, Indiana, USA, Shelbyville, Shelby County,, Indiana, United States, Decatur, Adams County,, Indiana, United States, Vernon Cemetery, Vernon, Jennings County, Indiana, United States, Vernon, Jennings County, Indiana, United States. "There was a time when having those items on display in your home was the way to display and honour them," he said. Family (1) Spouse Shaw in 1945 convinced Tony Hulman to buy the track, and Hulman made Shaw the famous Brickyard's general manager. (Shaw drove in early Milwaukee auto races, See Page 9. USA. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. He was seven years old. Once one gives ground to another, the other fellow will be the boss forever after that. Within seconds of flying at 200 m.p.h. The track, built in 1953 and recently upgraded to feature a laser timer, digital weighing system and scorers bridge at the base of the hill, has featured an All-American race each year since its construction. We're all comfortable with what we're doing. Indianapolis 500 fans have the opportunity to view one-of-a-kind trophies and other memorabilia from the collection of three-time Indy winner Wilbur Shaw, thanks to a new exhibit opening at the IMS Hall of Fame Museum this weekend. The light plane exploded and crashed in a field as a farmer watched nearby. 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. A.K.A: sneaking into and photographing abandoned buildings, armed with a camera and flashlight. Resend Activation Email. Photocopies and/or digital reproductions (i.e. Thanks for your help! [1], He was born in Shelbyville, Indiana on October 31, 1902. Jennifer Rosenberg. This was the car in which noted drivers RALPH HEPBURN and CHET MILLER were killed -- but SHAW wasn't afraid of anything. In 1923 he suffered a skull fracture at Paris, III., and he broke some ribs in two crackups at Ascot, Calif. The plane crashed into Mount Slesse after an engine caught fire and the plane experienced severe icing and turbulence. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Don't miss the special HI extras in our newsletter! Odenweller to Wilbur Shaw replay to sale of Motor Speedway (Photostat)6-1-1945Patrick J. Smith to Wilbur Shaw reply with four copies of a re-drafted proposal to purchase the Motor Speedway (re-drafts included)6-5-1945A Proposal to Purchase the Issued and Outstanding Common Capital Stock of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation (8 pgs)12-2-1946M.P. A. "Most of Dad's peers are gone, but there are a whole world of individuals who are interested in this place and the men who made it happen," Bill Shaw said. 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. He heard of Floyd Roberts death during one of his pit stops in the 1939 500, and while stunned by it, he went on to win. Jennings County, He died on October 30, 1954 in near Decatur, Indiana, USA. Size of Collection:1 folder, 1 os folderCollection Dates:1940 1956 Provenance: Purchase from Cowans Auction June 29, 2012Access:The Collection is Open for Research UseRestrictions: NoneReproduction Rights:Permission to reproduce, exhibit, or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Manuscripts and Rare Books Division, Indiana State Library. 06:40 BS shares what he learned about his father's last words and moments. based on information from your browser. The total or partial reproduction of text, photographs or illustrations is not permitted in any form.