More DePue history

[racingfan1]

For the a few years the DePue Mens Club sold commermorative(sp?) license plates which were valid on cars for 30 days. Here is one of the plates. They were themed around the t-shirt designs for that year.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Dale,

What is this that I hear Depue will not be the site for this year's nationals. Is this true & why not?

[racingfan1]

John - Things are still up in the air. Perhaps someone with the USTS should answer your question. I really dont want to speak out of turn and put wrong information out there. Things are progressing in regards to the permanent dam for Lake DePue which will ensure there will be racing for years to come,which is a bit of good news.

Does anybody know if a bid for the Apba PRO Nationals was turned in at the meeting?

[mercguy]

John - Things are still up in the air. Perhaps someone with the USTS should answer your question. I really dont want to speak out of turn and put wrong information out there. Things are progressing in regards to the permanent dam for Lake DePue which will ensure there will be racing for years to come,which is a bit of good news.

Does anybody know if a bid for the Apba PRO Nationals was turned in at the meeting?

the APBA Pro Nationals will be held in Tennessee in July.....

[jmccoy]

I "think" the weekend of July 6-7, so as not to conflict with the USTS races.......would need to be confirmed by an APBA Pro Commissioner...

USTS Pro Nationals will be held in Depue July 26-28, 2013. Last weekend in July as always

NOTE: I added 2013. Is this correct?

[racingfan1]

This picture is of the bathroom building on the west side of the park in what is normally the put area. It is not expected to crest til mid Saturday afternoon.

[Gene East]

Same picture could apply in Quincy.
The drought is over!

[racingfan1]

Little hard to see but this 12 hours later. The roof of the restroom building is barely visible.

The second picture is the boat ramp and the water about to get onto the street.

Isn't it sad Gene. I don't know bad the Mississippi is but all up and down the Illinois the flooding is incredible. For those of you that know the area the village of Utica has sustained a lot of damage and the downtown area of Marseilles has flooded as well.

The way across for miles is the I-39 bridge.

[racingfan1]

A friend sent me these pictures of Utica and Marseilles.

[racingfan1]

Anybody want a double cheeseberger or a pork chop sandwich - no waiting! ! !

The second picture is from the boat ramp looking west toward the shelter.

[Gene East]

One of the 2 bridges at Quincy is closed due to high water. Several others up and down the Mississippi are closed or will be closed soon. Crest is expected to be 4th high on record middle of next week. My home town; La Grange, MO is 10 miles upstream from Quincy. The down town area gets hit hard during high water. La Grange has no levee to protect it from the river. Fortunately most residents live on the hills above the river. In my 72 years, I have never seen the River rise this quickly!

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Based on the problems last year with very little water for the Nationals, until the heroic efforts of the Citizens of Depue with the pumps, it looks like the old phrase "feast or famine" is very much in evidence. Also the last posted pictures taken last evening show the house at the corner by the ball field may have a basement full of water today. I am sure others on the street facing the lake are in trouble also.

Best wishes to our many friends in DePue and we hope you do not suffer too much damage. You are in our thoughts and prayers, and we hope to be able to visit with you this summer. As Gene mentioned, there has been so much rain in northern Illinois, that the river has come up quickly with very little warning.

For those interested, you can Google "Illinois River Crests" and there is much information about it. Record setting crests all along the river. In just a couple of days it will hit the Mississippi just north of St. Louis, along with the Missouri river, and then several Missouri towns and further south areas will be in real trouble. The Mississippi north of where the Illinois joins is already high from lots of rain and snow melt further north. Might be a real treat this late spring and summer, as it was in 1993.

Bill & Eileen

[racingfan1]

In todays world of electronic everything , the second picture make me laugh everytime I see that old phone booth. Not even sure if there is a phone in it anymore!!!!!!!!!!

[1100r]

Dale,
There used to be a phone booth by the food vendors by the kids playground. Would that be the same one? Used to use that years ago if it is before I got my cell lol.

Seen pictures of Ill and Chicago area being flooded back there on one of the BBQ sites I belong to. Hopefully the farmers can get there corn and beans in.

Todd

[racingfan1]

Yes , that is the same phone booth Todd. Like I said I am not really sure if there is even a phone still in it. Just another casuality of todays fast paced techno world.

[1100r]

Dale- Thanks for the pictures that you sent from the park at Depue. Sure nice to see the familiar sites even if there are no boats there. Even seen the flag still flying.

Your picture above with the homes under water sure looks like what we get here in Ca during our winters when we have flooding issues here in the Valley. Havent had anything serious lately but it sure reminds me when we have had to and bag areas in town to help those in need far to often.

Todd

[racingfan1]

This picture appeared in the 1961 race program and then in quite a few programs after that. So it must date back prior to 1961 . The picture was definitely taken at Lake DePue but does anyone know who this is. I have looked in past race logs but can not find an H-10 , maybe an early Kirts number ???

[racingfan1]

2013 Lake DePue efforts.

Link #1
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=612922455408980&set=vb.344698618946193&type=2&theater

Link #2
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=483939045022149&set=vb.344698618946193&type=2&theater

[racingfan1]

If you are coming to DePue this year stop by the tent where Ray announces the races from on Wednesday and Thursday and refresh your memory on the 40 years of Alky/PRO Nationals on Lake DePue. Include are various programs , race results , old heat sheets , Propeller articles , Hydroplane Quarterly articles and local newspaper articles. Thanks to everybody who has helped me in this endeavor.

[racingfan1]

Just wanted to say THANK YOU to all who stopped by and shared a story about past races at DePue and the kind words about the books. I appreciate it. It is your history , I just want to preserve it.

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Just wanted to say THANK YOU to all who stopped by and shared a story about past races at DePue and the kind words about the books. I appreciate it. It is your history , I just want to preserve it.



Dale:

As one of the winners of the 1100 Runabout "simulated"(big laugh here, that was about as good a two man runabout race as I have seen lately) race during Sunday's intermission, you should be much more appreciative of the history of racing at DePue that you have put together.

Just imagine 12 of these hitting the starting line with the big heavy iron on the transom and side by side seating that made them a handful and really brought home the description of "two man" runabout.

Eileen and I were wondering how much money you had to put in the pot to assure getting a ride, and KUDO's to whoever came up with the idea. What a great way to express USTS thanks for all the Men's Club and Village of DePue have done for PRO racing over the years, and add some cash to the Men's Club treasury.

Also many thanks for the superb job you have done with keeping the DePue boat racing history alive, and I am sure the ride you got Sunday was the topping on the ice cream and cake. I was not close enough to see, but Eileen said you had a grin on your face that was from ear to ear and that was after the helmet came off. If you have any photos' please post them.

[racingfan1]

How I wish it was me Bill but it was my oldest brother Dave who got to take the ride , we kind of look alike. But if given the opportunity I would certainly do it.

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

How I wish it was me Bill but it was my oldest brother Dave who got to take the ride , we kind of look alike. But if given the opportunity I would certainly do it.


Well, as I said, I was not close enough to see when Dave came in that is was not you, and since Eileen must have misunderstood "Dale" for"Dave" ( her hearing is going also from yelling at me all the time) and I did not hear the PA announcement as to who it was, it was an easy mistake for her to make. Like you said, perhaps next year.

It still was a great idea to build interest, and to thank the DePue citizens for all their years of support of the race.

Additionally that still does not take away from what you are doing with the DePue history, and by association, PRO history for those years. We all who have competed or crewed there for those who competed, owe you thanks for that.

[racingfan1]

Mother nature is trying to help out with Asian carp problem at Lake DePue.

http://newstrib.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=126&ArticleID=31109

[Gene East]

Great news on the Asian carp kill. 100 bow fishermen couldn't dream of such success. The great part is such a low count on game fish. Wish there were more big heads in the kill count. As far as the stink is concerned, that will go away in time.

[racingfan1]

I am going to start posting more DePue PRO Nationals information. Does anyone have any requests for any certain years ??????

Also , I never did get a reply on post #19. Certainly some body must remember who drove the H-10 rig that is in that picture. It has to be pre-1961 as it appeared in the 1961 Nationals program.

[racingfan1]

Been making some trips to the local libraries and collecting more local newspaper articles and pictures to post with new and old threads. Look for them soon.

[racingfan1]

If you are coming to DePue this year stop by the tent where Ray announces the races from on Wednesday and Thursday and refresh your memory on the 40 years of Alky/PRO Nationals on Lake DePue. Include are various programs , race results , old heat sheets , Propeller articles , Hydroplane Quarterly articles and local newspaper articles. Thanks to everybody who has helped me in this endeavor.

[smittythewelder]

I don't know who H-10 is/was, but his engine is one you won't see in many photographs, a cross-flow B Konig. I didn't start racing until 1965, by which time the loop-scavenged FB Konig had long-since replaced the deflector B's, so the only one of the old motors I ever saw on a racecourse belonged to Bill Myers, a wonderful guy then in his fifties, J-Dub's grandpa. For a time he ran it on a C Stock Charleton hydro, the only Charleton that ever made up here to Reg. 10, so the whole rig was quite a novelty, if not very fast.

Can one of you really old fellers:rolleyes: tell me how well the best of those early cross-flow Konigs (there was also a 3-cylinder C motor) did against the alky deflector Mercs? Who built pipes for them? I do know that Turner sold pistons for them.

[rumleyfips]

I remember B and C stock Konig stocks in Canada c. 1965. That engine looks like them.

[racingfan1]

I was told its been 19 years since Neil Larose raced on Lake DePue , if that's true it's way to long. I remember the battles between him and Dan Kirts !! Epic - welcome back Neil !!!!!!!!

[1100r]

Nothing like seeing Neil back in a boat. I think Marc the brother is going to start racing as well. Looks like Chick will be kept busy for sure. What a great family the LaRoses are. I stayed with them many years ago rebuilding my 500 yamato when they lived in Safety Harbor. Dale thanks for sharing!!! The video of the 500 Hydro at the Worlds years ago between Neil and Kirts is awesome!!!

[racingfan1]

While the PRO Nationals returned to Lake DePue in 1985 there were a couple of USTS races held at Lake DePue in 1983 and 1984. The DePue Democrat Club was the sponser of the 1983 race as part of the DePue Summerfest. Then in 1984 a newly organized group called the DePue Men's Club took over the USTS race, Who would have thought 31 years later they would be hosting their 30th consecutive PRO Nationals on Lake DePue.

[Steve Litzell]

Great memories Dale! Is it OK if I say I was there????? Steve

[racingfan1]

Absolutely Steve. There were still alot of the greatest drivers in Alky racing history still at it back then. Stay tuned , there may be alot more history of the early years at DePue still to come.

[racingfan1]

Wayne Baldwin recently sent me a couple editions of the PRO-MOTION from July2000 and July & August 2001. Would anybody have some other July and August issues that I can make copies of ? If so , send me a PM. Thanks Dale

[racingfan1]

Robby Galetta is joining in the fight to help the village of DePue try and save Lake DePue. Here are a couple newspaper articles.

http://www.bcrnews.com/2015/01/23/the-life-machine/aunwbmh/

http://newstrib.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=41535&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=29&S=1

http://newstrib.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=41814&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=126&S=1

[Donald]

Bravo!

[racingfan1]

Hoping somebody out there can help me out. I am looking for some contact information on Harry O'Brien. He is the gentleman who had put out the editions of the PRO-Motion booklets. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Hoping somebody out there can help me out. I am looking for some contact information on Harry O'Brien. He is the gentleman who had put out the editions of the PRO-Motion booklets. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks


Harry has been deceased for several years now. His son, Mike. still lives in the Indianapolis area I believe, or used to. Possibly someone else may have contact info for him if that would help. I believe his wife who helped him with the booklet is also deceased now. Possibly Todd Brinkman with USTS??

[racingfan1]

Thanks Bill. I was hoping to locate some more of the PRO- Motion booklets he created. I will continue to search.

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Thanks Bill. I was hoping to locate some more of the PRO- Motion booklets he created. I will continue to search.



Which ones do you need. We have some.

[racingfan1]

Thank you Bill. The only 3 I have are July 2000 , July 2001 and August 2001.

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

[QUOTE=racingfan1;145189]Thank you Bill. The only 3 I have are July 2000 , July 2001 and August 2001.[/QUOTE)


I will look in the next couple of days. I probably have a substantial amount of the ones that were printed, but they are in a box in the Basement and I will have to find them.

Do UPS employees get a company discount? Probably take a good size box to get them to you.

[racingfan1]

I was doing some google searching over the weekend and came across a newspaper archive website. There were some pages from local newspapers dating back to 1915 The DePue Labor day was covered in many articles from 1915 thru 1949 which stated boat races to be held in conjunction with the festivities. The sponsoring club was the Riverside Boat Club. Just wondering if anybody knows the who , what and where about the Riverside Boat Club ????

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

I was doing some google searching over the weekend and came across a newspaper archive website. There were some pages from local newspapers dating back to 1915 The DePue Labor day was covered in many articles from 1915 thru 1949 which stated boat races to be held in conjunction with the festivities. The sponsoring club was the Riverside Boat Club. Just wondering if anybody knows the who , what and where about the Riverside Boat Club ????

I think there was a Riverside Boat Club on the Rock River in the Quad City area in the last 25-30 years or so. I remember going to a small race there to test with ZAK in the 1980's time frame.

"Riverside" could be a very common name for any Club on the Illinois, or any other small river in the area. I would guess, If I had to, that it would have been on the Illinois River as travel was not as easy in those days as it became after WWII or now and the chances of it being a club close to DePue would be better than not, especially to draw a good number of boats.

Maybe see if some of the local Illinois River history might be of help.

[racingfan1]

I would like to thank Bill Van Steenwyk and Michael Schnidt for helping me continue the DePue history. Bill has let me borrow and Mike and given me most of the copies of the Pro-Motion booklet the USTS , Harry O'Brien and Brad Barth did for many years. I am hoping to get my stuff updated in time for the USTS Nationals. Look for them in the same place.

[racingfan1]

Hoping someone may be able to help me. I was looking through the heat sheets for the 1974 Nationals and there was a listing under A Hydro for Tom Queen - V-27. I thought maybe a typo and it was supposed to be Clyde but he is also listed as driving V-17. Does anyone know if it was a brother or son or another relative.

http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=52702&stc=1&d=1360429949

[ProHydroRacer]

Tom Queen is Clyde and Charlotte son he only ran a few years.

[racingfan1]

Received this picture from my daughter who is at the Constantine race this weekend. After the accident last year it is good to see Sean McKean back at a race , even if it is to watch.

[Gene East]

Sean and Alan Ishii communicate often, and Alan keeps me posted on Sean's progress. It's good to see him back in the water even if it's only knee deep.

All of boat racing is praying for you, Sean!

[racingfan1]

http://thoughtsofawannabewriter.tumblr.com/post/126177788779/a-little-town-called-depue

[racingfan1]

http://cleanupdepue.org/

[F-12]

Got to spend some quality time with Sean, Bob, and Don Rusnak at Constantine. Sean was a HUGE help and he is happy to be back in the pits. Looking forward to seeing them again soon.

[racingfan1]

A couple years ago Wayne Baldwin told me about some pictures he had taken but never had the opportunity to have autographed by the people in the picture. So I started to go back and take some of my better pictures and do just that. I started with this one , altho new from this year , it is never to early to start. Thanks Wayne for the inspiration.

[racingfan1]

The fight continues thanks to Village President Eric Bryant. This is out of the local newspaper.

http://www.bcrnews.com/2015/08/28/bryant-cautiously-optimistic/a72ha4o/

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I hope for your successful efforts Dale. The only time I ever blew over was in C Hydro at DePue when I passed over a sudden rise in the lake bottom. I think Sean McKean was severely injured when he blew over at the same place years ago, and don't know for sure, but from what I heard, it was the same place that Jerry Drake blew over and was killed.

My Marchetti cleared the trees on the opposite shore from the viewpoint of the pits. I don't remember falling. I think I must have passed out from fear...or altitude:D. Nonetheless, I was lucky to have ended up feet first. My legs and lower body were in muck. From about my waist up to my neck was the water we were racing in. I had clasped my hands above my head after I had come to rest signaling the officials and rescue people that I was OK, but I could not move. I was pretty much stuck in something a little firmer than quicksand. Maybe it was my Gentex life Jacket that kept me from sinking further.

When the rescue crew got there, both of them grabbed me by each arm to pull me in. The john boat just healed over and was about to swamp. They backed off and started to pull me in slowly, but the john boat tilted over again. One of the guys jumped into the water, and he grabbed me under the armpits and pushed while the guy in the boat pulled my arms, and they were able to break the suction of the muck and get me aboard. Billy Seebold told me I wouldn't be able to race in the finals and he was right.

While I was stove up in the pits on Saturday with some cracked ribs and a stiff neck, one of the local DePue residents came up to me to tell me about the river. I wish I could remember his name. After seeing what I had gone through he began to tell me how that river, or backwater (can't remember for sure) had gotten silted up. He had told me that when he was a little boy that the water there was thirty feet deep. The discharges from the zinc smelter had filled up that body of water. Some I am sure had washed away in flooding, etc., but the heavy stuff would have settled. That was in 1972, so the guy from DePue would have been talking about 1942 when Lake DePue was deeper and much cleaner water.

[racingfan1]

All I am doing is keeping the racing community up to date on what is going on with the lake. Village President Eric Bryant and the city council are the ones doing all the work. We all want the same end result , the cleanup of the village of DePue.

[racingfan1]

Well I guess the State of Illinois can get something accomplished.
http://newstrib.com/m/Articles.aspx?ArticleID=51375

[racingfan1]

Just doing what DePue does to ensure the races will go on. Just a shame that a permanent solution cant be agreed upon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1HcAARzrTM&feature=youtu.be

[racingfan1]

Here is the latest on the ongoing cleanup in the village of DePue. http://www.newstrib.com/free/another-step-in-depue-pollution-cleanup/article_4ffd05a6-50ff-11e7-8061-530991c398e1.html