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Dick O'Dea Gentleman Boat Racer
My brother is writing the definition of a GENTLEMAN BOAT RACER, but for now, I will say that I know Dick O'Dea is one.
An example of why he's a GENTLEMAN. At the 1954 Stock Outboard Nationals in DePere, Wisconsin, Dick had my dad measure his "B" foot before the race. My dad passed the foot. Dick ran the foot in "B" and won his qualifying heat. His foot was protested because it had a bushing cone, not a needle bearing. Dick was disqualified, as a bushing cone had never come on a 20-H.
My dad felt bad. Dick said, I didn't ask Russ if the cone was legal, I asked about the foot's measurements. Dick and my dad were friends for many years after the DePere Nationals..
Just one example of Dick's Sportamanship and of being a Gentleman racer...
AB Swift Hydro, KG-7 Mercury...Won the Kiekhaefer Trophy in 1953-54 with this rig..
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9 1/2 Sid Craft A Stock Hydro...
Powered by a Konig A, UIM and APBA Kilo Record of 72.94, Norristown, PA, November 1961...
This is a CLASSIC O'DEA picture with the big steering wheel... I remember his D Stock Hydro, I think it had the same steering wheel..
He could drive. He could build engines...
Anyone have O'Dea's e-mail??
Missing from all time racers list
After gaging on all the castrol I realized that Georga Andrews was missing from the list. I remember seeing the sid race on the lakes of Forked river in NJ in the 60s (wicked fast but didn't turn on those tight courses). I also remember seeing George race it against the garveys in Barnegat bay and take a very respectable 3rd.
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Dick O'Dea... Reunion Pictures
John Schubert has been looking for a good picture of Dick O'Dea for the reunion...and he sent me these...I just had to post them...
Last picture is John Schubert and Dick...
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Dick O'Dea (world speed record)
Dick O'Dea Mod U World Record....George, Dick, Bill, John
Dick O'Dea Has Some Questions...
Hi Ron,
I was thinking of you the other night while searching Google about old time unusual
boat racing sites. Maybe some of the readers would know about the 3 listed below.
1-A quarry of some type in PA where Hank Bowman and others ran night time boat races under lights. Alky hydros after WW2. I heard of this site, never saw it, Craig and Shannon may know about this?
2-Seekonk Speedway,MA . Speedway is bowl shaped (still is there), About 1950 speedway was flooded with 12ft. of water and stock outboard races were held there.
I went and watched 1 time, A driver by the name of Tommy Von Mello won some races as I remember. I also remember if you ran on the outer edge of the course you could knock your lower unit off on the track pavement.
3-Danbury Speedway, Danbury CONN. after WW2, built a moat around the race car track for boat racing. The speedway had a number of boats built using Crosley engines for very small inboard race boats. I never saw a boat race there, but heard from friend about the boat races. Also heard a midget race car ended up in the moat one evening?
Best,
Dick