Ron Hill Family: Hill Marine and Signature Propellers

[Skoontz]

Marlee:

In the schedule I found in my dads trunk of stuff, you'' see a guy named Russ Hill driving a boat called Skippy. I'm not sure this was the Rockholt Skippy Ron had posted a while back. The date, 1943. Hope this little tidbit helps your project.

[russhill]

Well, Marlee, a long time. Your great grand-father, Russ, Sr. ran in a lot of "run what you brung" races at Lake Elsinore in the late '30s. They set out 3 or 4 five gallon cans tied to rock anchors and race until all the equipment was broken or they were all out off gas.

We always went to the races in the late '30 in Long Beach. We generally went after they stopped collecting the 25 cent "gate." We'd generally get to watch the Fs run, and that was all that really mattered. When I was in Kindergarten, circa 1938, my "artwork" was always F Runabouts.

I think the first real race (entry blank and 50c entry) a Hill ever raced was in 1941 at the "puddle." The Puddle was where we later ran the televised "Speedboat Rodeo." Maybe on our trip up north this weekend to the Copperopolis race, I can tell you a lot more and only bore you instead of all the readers here.

Urse

[Bunker Hill]

Well Marlee,
I began racing on February 12, 1977, 30 years after my dad Russ Hill Jr. You began racing 30 years after that, in September, 2007!! My grandfather, Russ Sr. began racing some 20 years before my dad! So, we have been around racing for almost 80 years and to date, 8 Hill's from the Russ HIll Sr. bloodline have raced boats!!!!When you get into cousins and other "Family" Like Pat Bowman there are scores more. To mention a few, Wayne and John Peeters and John Heggenberger all of whom have had very much sucess in this sport icluding: National and divisional championships (Two this past year, John Peeters in 20ssh and Wayne in sst45, the first ever father and son nationals winner) and dozens of competition and world speed records.

Bunker

[geodavid]

I can honestly say that our families have been friends for the 80 some years.
It was great seeing Russ and Ron after so many years had passed. I can remember my Dad telling me about Russ Sr. driving a C runabout and young Russ telling me about seeing my Dad race a B and C hydro. The Hills were the first boat racers that I had ever met. I want to see you race Marlee. 80 years later

[Bunker Hill]

Allan,
I knew that our families went way back, but, when you put it into perspective, 80 years, wow what a history!! We Hill's always have held you and your family in the highest regards. You and your family have always been great ambasssadors to this sport. As I have posted before it would be a great honor for me to have you see Marlee race, she is really comming along as a driver and really loving the whole experience. Salt Springs this weekend (May 3&4) will be Marlee's AXSH debut!! I know we Hills look forward to seeing you in the near future!

Add...
I don't think that I have seen you since the late 60's at someplace like Hansen Dam...

Bunker

[Ron Hill]

I took this off of Wayne Baldwin's thread...A long time ago that I was Region 12 Chairman...

[Marlee Hill]

Here are some pics from Copperopolis..I hope this works...I've never done it before

[Ron Hill]

Thought you might like to see granddaughter #2....The guy with the COOL sunglasses is me, Ron Hill, May 2008...That lady next to me, Laurie, provided me with the COOl sunglasses....

Jessica and Matt provided me with Reece and Peyton...(Peyton and I went to swimming lessons today...).

Can you believe that at Swim Lessons the advertise SPORT racing? Ain't that in TEXAS???

J driver in the future!!!

[Ron Hill]

We, Hill Racing, had quite a weekend. Chad's birthday was Saturday, August 2...Seems only yesterday, I was racing the 1977 Bakersfield Stock Nationals. 31 years goes by fast.

I was talking with my brother, and I got to thinking most of my boat racing stories never really talked about my brother...and the Truth is he was the "RING LEADER" for all kinds of things around boats....

When I was talking to my sister, she told about the time she and Russell were racing on their bicycles and Russell was looking back to see how far ahead of my she he was (He was behind), but he kept looking back to find her and he hit a parked car and put a big dent in the trunk of the neighbor's Chevy with his head. She said after that he was never the same, whatever she meant by that, I'm not sure...

John Drake, Tom Gouldstone, maybe Johnny Klecker, and my brother would wear red night shirts and smoke cigars and make all kinds of noises at the boat races and in restaurants (They'd wear these things) near where we raced...

My brother, John, Tom and Judy (My brother's late wife) all went to Lodi for a race, they got there late and slept of Chuck Parson's front yard...Every time they rolled over in their sleeping bags they'd hear CRUNCH, CRUNCH...Next morning they woke up to about 400 dead snails.. They's slept on the grass and the grass was covered with snails.

My brother was driving about 90 miles an hour and his friend John Drake said, "Man this is slow..." My brother said, "Hell John, I'm pulling a trailer and going faster than your '54 Plymouth will go without a trailer......" John said, "I meant the cigarette lighter was slow."

Once coming home from Salton Sea my brother looked out the back window of George Peak's Packard, just in time to see he Neal hydro blow off the trailer and land on a cactus plant...That was the same weekend, they'd gotten in the middle of a parade in Palm Springs, by accident, and they just cruised and waved...then got the hell out of town...just past the first In and Out hamburger joint!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

There's no telling how many Hill stories have not been told yet Marlee. It must be fun sitting around just listening to all of your family bantering about the old boat racing stories.

I keep coming across certain articles when I am looking for something else and I have seen this one so many times, but I think I have not posted it before. This is from the April 1978 issue of Powerboat & Waterskiing. They got your name and Lou Brummet's a little bit misspelled Ron, so I don't know about the accuracy of the rest of the article. There's no byline. But I don't know if you've ever seen this or not Ron. Anyway....here it is.