Miami Marine Stadium triple Flip

[fgbiv]

I think this was 1976. I know it was at the Miami Marine Stadium, as I was there to see it myself. #295 Homer Greene. I can't remember if #76 was Reggie Fountaine or Bill Seebold, pretty sure it was Reggie? I do remeber that #486 went all the way over and landed back on the sponsons, I think he even kept going, can't remember who it was though?

Frank G. Brown IV

[Mark75H]

an article from 1975 identifies the drivers as Reggie Fountain, 76, Merc; Danny Piggot, 486, Johnson; Harry Kerslake, 575, Evinrude. Other photos in the sequence show the engines on 486 and 575. 76 and 486 appear to land upright and the driver even stays in 486.

2 lucky photographers shot the flip as a sequence of 35mm pictures. One was by Jim Jost, the other a Merc photographer .... or at least the photos ended up as Merc's property from the second guy.

I have been holding back on putting them here due to possible copywrite issues.

Please do not put the rest of them here without written permission from the copywrite owner.

[John Howe]

I do indeed remember that triple flip! I was a young man back then, sitting in the stands. I still do live in Miami. It was at the the start, and the pack had just hit the line when it happened. Fountain did break a leg, or both, in that accident.

The stadium is still standing, but just barely. Large cracks began appearing through out the entire structure in the very late 80`s, so the city had to condem it because it was unsafe. Closed course boat racing then went into a steep decline. Still, some boat racing does go in in Florida, and I`m hoping to watch some again in the upcoming season.

I wish everyone the best of holidays, and a great new year.

[Mark75H]

John, there have been 2 engineering studies of the stadium. One financed by those who want to tear it down say it is unsafe. Another says it is still safe, just has cosmetic problems.

The deed to the property says it can only be used for boat racing and may not be sold for any other use.

[kip69]

Wow, where exactly is this place at?

[fgbiv]

The Miami Marine Stadium is located off of the Rickenbacker Causeway on Virginia Key in Miami, Fla. I have many fond memories from the Miami Marine Stadium. I went there as a little tyke watching many family friends racing in many different classes of boats. Everthing from OPC through Unlimited Hydroplanes. My father raced OPC there when I was too young to appreciate it! I even got to participate in ONE RACE there, it was when I had just turned 13yrs old, it was an APBA/OPC Class called "MIDGET" Dad let me help put together a little V-Bottom with a 9.8 Merc, I named it "Daddy's Fault". Mark Hauptner even made me a "ONE OFF" Two Bladed PROP for it! The V-Bottom did not fare too well against the little Tunnel's and Hydro's of the other Racers though. Especially the one that one of the younger Titus's had, but it was still a blast. It was the only class I ever raced in. As I grew older, I got side tracked from racing by girls, etc... I did try to go to every Unlimited Race held there though. It is a shame that we do not have the Marine Stadium for others to build such great memories from....

Frank G. Brown IV

[Mark75H]

Click here to see Terraserver Image of the stadium area (http://www.terraserver.microsoft.com/GetImageArea.ashx?t=1&s=13&lon=-80.1780044052329&lat=25.7479721444136&w=600&h=400&logo=1&p=2:-80.20191172:25.74796902)

[Mark Poole]

First, this is a great site! I just joined a few days ago. About the stadium, this might sound really crazy....until you think about the way boat racing is going. Since the property is condemed (I assume because of the roof structure over the grandstands) and because the property is deeded for racing purposes.....what about starting a fund to buy it? Yea, I realize it would take big bucks....anything can be bought. Every boat race class, participants, fans, manufacturers, sponsors, from stock outboard to superboat offshore contribute to purchasing the place! If the roof is the main problem then remove it. Every picture of it I ever saw during a race showed packed stands. Consider the benefits of a racer organization owned racing facility. Noise regulations and insurance issues, no negotiations or permits needed for races. Heck, the property is already deeded for the purpose! Could race hydros, inboards, tunnels and even have a staging area for offshore races there. Seems all it would take is the $$ and participants willing to do the leg work. You think the city of Miami would like the idea? All the racers and fans coming back to spend money in the hotels, shops and restaurants. It's all about $$.

[Ron Hill]

Do some "Homework" and get back with us...There are people, in boat racing, that may have some "ASSETS" that could help.

How "hands on" would you be will to be involved???

Quick "Hair Brain"...The Indians at Havasu Landing sponsor Boat racing, maybe they could take control and establish a Reseravtion Havasu Landing East...

I'm sure the City of Miami has their "LEGAL STAFF" working on this....and reading every "LOOPHOLE" in the world.....

[Jengle37]

Did a little research, and found a couple of sites for info. It is advertised by the city as being a marina and storage area, and I also found a site that shows pictures of the current condition. It would take some serious bucks to fix up, but I think it's within the reach of the pocketbooks of the boat racing community if someone is willing to go up against the government agency that's trying to tear it down. Some links:
http://www.ci.miami.fl.us/PublicFacilities/Marinas/stadium.html
http://spork.no-ip.com/~uef/gallery/marine_stadium

Also, did a search on Orange Bowl Regatta.....now it's a junior sailboat race. :(

[John Howe]

I first noticed the cracks in the stadium at about 1990, or 1991. These cracks were very large and through and through the main supports. A lot of rusty steel reinforcing rods were visiable at numerous locations around, and under the seating area. About a year later a very powerful hurricane struck just south of Miami and did mass destruction in that area. The city of Miami went to the insurance company and said that the hurricane wrecked the stadium. The insurance company investigated and in a polite way told the city "nice try". The stadium was then condemed. In 1992 the Unlimiteds ran their last race there. Spactators were not allowed into the stadium itself. I was a back up timer for that event and all the timers, and other officials, had to sign an additional liability release form and could not sit underneath the roof.

There had been a small marina located in the pits since about the mid 80`s and it was in their lease that they had to move all the pleasure boats back and shut down 4 weekends of the year for racing. That marina is now very large. I don`t know about their lease now days.

A Ft. Lauderdale realator, and long time racer, Allen Vordermier, tried to head up a redevelopment plan to revive racing back in the stadium area during the mid 90`s. The stadium would have to be torn down, and a smaller one built. It would include shops and a major hotel. He said after a year or so that trying to work with the city was insane. Another major problem was that the stadium location is actually and island called Virginia Key. On that key is also a sewage treatment plant. Shop and hotel builders don`t want to build near a sewage plant.

If I could only turn back the hands of time.

Only 7 & 1/2 more weeks till the Morgan City race! WOOHOO!

By the way, it was another short sleeve shirt day today! :D

[Mark Poole]

Hi Ron! Gosh I remember reading about you when I was a kid. I still have all of those Powerboat magazines. Well, I would be willing to make some calls on my nickel and even travel some to test the waters and see what others think about such an undertaking as this. Man O man, those links to the pics of the place really hurt when you think about what a great place it was and how often they had races there. The only other place that I remember as being a dedicated race boat site was Firebird Lake out west. Is it a government agency that wants to tear it down or a private group with the governments blessing? There is one extremist (and they are just that!) group in Florida that wants all marine facilities stopped. That is why I see this as possibly a chance to preserve a place to help protect the sport. Yea, I will do some homework!!

[Tomtall]

Hey Mark - Thinking about this at work tonight.Get a proposal together for rebuildin the Miami stadium and submit to "Donald Trump Investments Inc." and sell him on the idea to hold boat race,gambling races like they do in Japan! If there's money to be taken from people I'm sure he'd go for it!:D All he can do,is say - "Your Hired"!:eek:

[Tomtall]

One more pic.

[alan akerstrom]

Depending on how you feel about the old Elvis Presley movies, this may be of interest. I recently saw one of his old movies which I believe was titled "Clambake". I think this was partially shot at the Miami Marine stadium and has some "racing" footage there. Elvis rebuilds the broken boat at the end and wins the race, gets the girl. etc...

[Tomtall]

Only in an Elvis movie.;)

[Madpoodle 1]

I grew up watching races in the stadium. As a teen i used our center console as a patrol boat for many of them, heck I may have fished some of you guys out of the water once or thrice :)

It's a shame, the city is going to let it rot till iit falls down. They are trying to get around the deed, and zone it for a mall like Bayside. I doubt they will sell it since they want the tax stream a mall would provide..

[Ray Lumpkin]

This flip was on August 24, 1975 OPC National Championships. Yes it was Reggie and Danny, but the 295 in the picture is my friend Buck Thornton. I was there the next race to run (Mod 90 class) sitting in the water waiting to race next. I thought WHAT am I doing here!!. After a little wait for the rescrue we ran our 2 Mod 90 heats. I finished second that day with a broken lower unit skeg.
Ray

[GP199SD]

I watched this from the stands just behind the scorers. I remember that most of the pack were approaching the clock slightly early and were feathering back a bit when Fountain, who had nailed the start perfectly, kept his lane between Piggot and Kerslake. Just as he filled most of the gap between them, all 3 took off. I don't think any of the boats ever made contact throughout the ordeal. I have 2 newspaper clippings by different photographers. One is by Joe Migon. This one shows all 3 drivers seperated from their boats. The other simply says "AP Wirephoto". I vaguely remember that Mary Gagen had taken a multiple-shot sequence of this but I may be mistaken. Also, lots of good memories at Miami Marine Stadium. Does anyone remember Bill Seebold getting smacked in the face there by a jumping mullet? I also remember going to the hospital a couple of years later with Morrell Mahan after he suffered injuries from a blowover in SG class at the Stadium. While we were at the hospital, Buck Thornton was admitted to ICU with virtually the same injuries. After a couple of days I think they put them both in the same IC room because they kept getting up with their IV stands and walking to each others room to talk boat racing. Non-boat racing related -- We were staying at the Holiday Inn at Biscayne Blvd one year. Harley Wilson and Doug Pearl were discussing whose 4WD vehicle could pull the other's backwards. They finally hooked up Harley's Ford PU and Doug's van back-to-back and proceeded to dig 8 holes in the Inn lawn. I think an EP boat ended up in the pool that night also. I hope the fog of time hasn't distorted my memory too much. :o)

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Those are some funny stories Tony.:D That AP wirephoto made it across the pond. I have a copy of the English publication Powerboat & Waterskiing, and either the German magazine BOOTE or a German newspaper clipping with that picture in it. And it may be in a German boat racing program. It is in many boat racing programs in the U.S. It is most often in the section I think that says how boats can get airborne.:eek:

[GP199SD]

This flip was on August 24, 1975 OPC National Championships. Yes it was Reggie and Danny, but the 295 in the picture is my friend Buck Thornton. I was there the next race to run (Mod 90 class) sitting in the water waiting to race next. I thought WHAT am I doing here!!. After a little wait for the rescrue we ran our 2 Mod 90 heats. I finished second that day with a broken lower unit skeg.
Ray
That's funny! My very first race was a marathon at Lake Alfred, FL. With all classes running at the same time it didn't take but about 10-15 minutes before I was getting lapped by the faster classes. There I was tooling along, minding my own business and thinking I was hauling a** when I was passed on either side by 2 UJ boats. They got about 100 yards ahead of me when both lifted off. I could swear that they were still in the air when I finally caught up with them. I had the very same thought.....What the heck am I doing out here?!? :o)

[GP199SD]

Those are some funny stories Tony.:D That AP wirephoto made it across the pond. I have a copy of the English publication Powerboat & Waterskiing, and either the German magazine BOOTE or a German newspaper clipping with that picture in it. And it may be in a German boat racing program. It is in many boat racing programs in the U.S. It is most often in the section I think that says how boats can get airborne.:eek:
I also have a newspaper clipping from a race in Lakeland showing a series of 6 shots showing Corky Callahan and Bob Hamilton performing a twin blowover in SE class. Date was July 1976. I'd scan and post these but I don't know what the rules are for posting pics from old newspapers or magazines. I got to thinking about the mullet incident and now I can't be absolutely sure it was Seebold but I would almost bet on it. I may be confusing that incident with another at the stadium where Seebold "pickleforked" a bouy and carried it around the course. May have been Seebold in both cases. ? (Getting old sucks!) I'm pretty sure the EP boat in the pool belonged to Mark Mowl.

[Smokey]

I do indeed remember that triple flip! I was a young man back then, sitting in the stands. I still do live in Miami. It was at the the start, and the pack had just hit the line when it happened. Fountain did break a leg, or both, in that accident.

I was there in the stands also. However, I saw Reggie a week later in Washington cleaning out his fuel tank. He joked that the only injury was a sprained trim button thumb!

[Beale Tilton]

Chick Gagen struck a mullet at the stadium. I was there at the time , but years later Chick told me the rest of the story. It hit his steering wheel and him at the same time. Knocked Ckick out for a few seconds. When he came to it scared the devil out of him because he was covered with fish guts and blood. Thought he was seriously injured.
Similar scare happen to me the last time I went over. I went to climb up the ladder on the pick up boat, when I put my right foot on the step it didn't feel right. I looked down and saw nothing but red. Thought I did it this time. Then realized I had been thrown out of my shoes and was looking at my red sock.

[GP199SD]

Chick Gagen struck a mullet at the stadium. I was there at the time , but years later Chick told me the rest of the story. It hit his steering wheel and him at the same time. Knocked Ckick out for a few seconds. When he came to it scared the devil out of him because he was covered with fish guts and blood. Thought he was seriously injured.
Similar scare happen to me the last time I went over. I went to climb up the ladder on the pick up boat, when I put my right foot on the step it didn't feel right. I looked down and saw nothing but red. Thought I did it this time. Then realized I had been thrown out of my shoes and was looking at my red sock.
Thanks! I remember when it happened but over the years trivial incidents like that get scrambled and shuffled. I love these little bits of trivia. (You wore red socks!?) :o)

[boatmark59]

This thread has been dormant for a while, but thought I would clarify a point. Yes, my EP boat did end up in a Holiday Inn pool, but it was the Winter Haven location during I believe the Lakeland race in 1980. Somebody took pictures, but I never got one. If anyone still has one out there I would kill for a copy.

I have many great memories of racing and testing at the the Miami stadium when I was a kid. I wish there was a way to save it, but just don't see it as being realistic. I was actually sitting there when the three boat flip happened. It was the first race I ever went to. I was with with Jeff and Sally Titus. They were my neighbors, so I guess I was destined to be involved in racing.

[Smokey]

Chick Gagen struck a mullet at the stadium. I was there at the time , but years later Chick told me the rest of the story. It hit his steering wheel and him at the same time. Knocked Ckick out for a few seconds. When he came to it scared the devil out of him because he was covered with fish guts and blood. Thought he was seriously injured.
Similar scare happen to me the last time I went over. I went to climb up the ladder on the pick up boat, when I put my right foot on the step it didn't feel right. I looked down and saw nothing but red. Thought I did it this time. Then realized I had been thrown out of my shoes and was looking at my red sock.

It was around 1975, I was working a patrol boat (we called ourselves "marshals") for the Portsmouth VA OPC/Stock Outboard race weekend. One of the Speedmasters from D.C. (I think it was Bobby Alford?) blew over in his McCall kneel-down right past me. I think he was running SJ or UJ. When I got to him it looked like his guts had come out of him, but it was actually the kapok out of his less-than-acceptable life jacket poking out in a knot. When he saw the look I had, he started to laugh. Said whan you can't win, you could at least give the crowd a show!
Wish Lumpkin was still with us, he could certainly verify this event. He was probably leading the heat!
Godspeed, Ray.:)
Smokey

[Randy Gore]

I wish I could have seen that boat in the pool!

[F-12]

Boy, Randy............it's nice to see you surface every now and then. Send me a pm with a number I can get you. Been a very long time.............Naples 1971 I guess. Let me know where I can call you..................

[boatmark59]

Uh, Randy, you should have a vivid memory of my boat in the pool . . . I seem to remember you, Eric, Wiggers, and some of the St. Pete crowd as the guilty parties who splashed it.

I was hoping you would surface again . . . PM me with an e-mail address or a number. It would be great to catch up.

Mark

[F-12]

Andy Wiggers?

[boatmark59]

Yep, the one and only, and unfortunately the late Andy Wiggers.
I am certain Andy and Randy were the ring leaders in the pool event.

Randy, search for a thread on here about Phil.

I originally started it trying to look up O'Berry (I wasn't aware he had passed) but there is a guy on there restoring the Molinari you drove for Phil after Rudy. I remember that boat blowing over, but cannot remember if it who was driving. Seems like it was at lake Maggorie in St.Pete, so I am guessing it was you. Check it out, maybe you could answer some of his questions about the boat.

[Randy Gore]

Yes Mark, I do remember that night (at least some of it) pretty well, you were a pretty good sport about it. I think you were in denial for a bit. That story has been told many times over the years (by me, then multiply it by the amount of other people that were there). Your boat/pool story is right up there with the bubble gum machine that went missing from the foyer of a high end Steakhouse in St. Pete and turned up in Phil O'Berry's boat showroom in Solomons, MD.

I also got to see the triple flip at the stadium, Seems like the middle boat (maybe Reggie?) tried to come thru between the other two, he started to lift and pulled the other two up with him. Marine Stadium was usually a pretty noisy place but after the initial gasp, you could have heard the proverbial pin drop. It was on the start and almost directly in front of the stands.

Every time I find my way back to this site I get the STRONG urge to climb back in a Champ or FI boat, do they have a class for old farts?

Mark, I also think I still have a picture of your boat in that pool, but I don't think any of the pranksters are in it, I will check. I am sending contact info to you under pm. My email address on this site is correct.

Randy