More racers who are hall-of-fame worthy
A few weeks ago, I wrote about some racers who I think are worthy of induction into the Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame. This is round two and includes those who made their mark in motorsport on the water and on two wheels.
Earlier this week, the HSHOF decided to cancel its annual celebration due to the pandemic. But there will be an honouring later this year in a low-key event that will feature Hamilton sports figures who completed their accomplishments before 1950. For the majority of names below and mentioned previously, they will have to wait. But not so for a couple on the following list.
One of the most-prominent and significant contributors of the 20th century in powerboat design and racing was a man from Hamilton.
Harry Greening rocked the powerboat world in the 1920s, amassing many world records for speed and endurance.
His achievements in the sport started in 1904 with a boat of his own design and a hand-built engine of three horsepower.
This was the catalyst for larger, more-powerful boats, and his Gadfly IV, built in 1918, could top 30 m.p.h. on water.
This Hamilton industrialist helped develop the hydroplane, and shattered world records in speed and endurance in marine competition during the 1920s. His succession of Rainbow I through Rainbow IX power boats were dominant on the international stage. He continued to promote the sport after his racing retirement in ’29.
There are several two-wheel racers who should be honoured.
Hamilton’s Bill Mathews raced in hill climbs in the area in the late 1930s before setting his sights on AMA competition in the U.S. He entered and raced in the 1940 Daytona 200, the biggest motorcycle race in North America. He came back to the Beach for ’41 and, with his Norton, won the event, the first Canadian to do so. Mathews won the 200-miler again in ’50, moved to B.C. in ’53 and retired from racing in ’57.
Another prominent motorcycle racer was Ted Sturgess, a secondgeneration rider who in the late 1930s became Canada’s most successful road and dirt-track rider. He also raced at Daytona and, after his service in the Second World War, he chalked up many victories on the half-miles of Oshawa, New Hamburg and Beamsville with his Norton while working at his day job with the family’s motorcycle business in Hamilton.
A German native who settled in Canada in 1968, Helmut Classen’s career on motorcycles varied from competing in the Isle of Man TT to road racing at nearby Harewood Acres, but he is best known for his achievements in motocross and enduro riding. He was Canada’s enduro champion in ’78. After retiring from racing after five decades, Classen remained involved as a prominent ambassador for the sport.
I received many comments/suggestions for others to be honoured in the HSHOF, which at present has only one from the motorsport world, motorcycle racer Larry Bastedo. Among the suggestions was Andy Brown. This Beach Strip resident competed in two sports. Working his way through hockey’s farm system, Brown made the bigtime as a goalie in the National Hockey League and World Hockey Association, retiring from the Indianapolis Racers in 1977.
Aside from his day job, Brown tried his hand at auto racing and, with the help of Jimmy Howard, bought and repurposed an ex-Mario Andretti front-engined Indy car and went Super Modified racing, running some USAC events in the late 1960s. He also had a Late Model Chevelle that he raced locally at tracks such as Cayuga Speedway.
From his home and shop in Stoney Creek, Jim Wildgoose continues to race. He started drag racing in the ’60s and, with his succession of Chevrolet station wagons, has won many honours and titles in the Stock divisions of NHRA and IHRA competition.
He had his first NHRA class win in ’78, and set 14 more national marks. He still competes locally in the Can-Am Stock/Super Stock Series.