John Hill

[Ron Hill]

I was just reading about John Hill on Master Oil's Autograph collection...

John Hill, I know was OE World Champion at one time. (OE is like our Mod 50 at that time)... Paul Kalb was sent from OMC Waukegan, Illinois to run OMC's Racing in Europe. When Paul got there he cleaned the race shop...or made a race shop and he tossed out about 20 old aluminum propellers...Not long after that, OMC did inventory and Paul's inventory was 20 props short. So, he called me and ordered 6 OE props, send to send him a bill, if OMC paid, he wanted six more....If OMC didn't pay, he'd pay me for the first six...Turned out OMC paid for 20 OE props. John Hill was driving for Paul in those days. John and I met several times, pre internet, but were were friends til the end...

Wayne used the word "bizarre" Formula One accident....AS I recall watching the race where John Was killed, Abu Dabie (Some such spelling)...It appeared that John rolled over about have way through the turn. The accident didn't look THAT BAD....I never heard the part of the RESCUE Boat sinking before, but I do know that Jimmy Hauenstein was killed in a Burgess hull, same as John Hill was driving, and I never thought Jimmy's "ROLL OVER" looked bad enough to kill him...Somewhat like Dale Earnhart's Daytona accident...Just didn't look like the kind of wreck that should kill someome...

As I recall, John Hill was on the rescue boat MOTIONLESS....

I hope someone will post some of John's history, we were NOT related, but I always tood SPECIAL pride when he won thinking he WAS A HILL, and I made many props for him.....(The OE props were made from Mercury's blanks....John's OE was an OMC, remember)...