early vancouver, part 15

Tragedy finally struck the local scene when Dudley Lamberton Smith died as the result of injuries suffered in an accident at Hastings Park, August 18, 1923.

The result was to limit the entry of racers to only so-called "professionals" from the U.S.

When I spoke with Gordon Reelie many years ago he said that he was at Hastings Park when Smith was killed. At that time Reelie lived in North Burnaby, within hearing distance of the horse track, especially if there were cars racing. The incident ultimately didn't deter him from getting involved with the sport.

And, in one of those eerie coincidences, I bought a paperback book called "The Complete Book of Auto Racing" by Lyle Kenyon Engel and the staff of Auto Racing Magazine.

Inside the book had passages underlined and some comments made in the margin. A bit frustrating except that I already had a cleaner copy of the book. What made me buy it was a comment written by this unknown owner of the book previous to me:

"My first contact with car racing -- when working at 'Standard Motors' -- Ford -- 8th and Kingsway. A mechanic 'Dud' Smith -- killed at Hastings Park -- 1923 -- driving a Model T Ford -- with Rajah head -- went thru outside board fence at full speed."

Then this unknown writer added, beneath a line drawn beneath the above passage:

"Drove this track several years later in a touring Ford and was chased off by speed cop Charles Palmer -- 'for my own protection'."

33--August 17, 1923, Hastings Park

--mile against time
1st, Bloom, Stutz, No. 6
2nd, Butler, Butler Special
3rd, Bloom, Special

--5-miles, 3 heats
heat no. 1--1st, "Tip Bloom", Stutz
time, 7:10

heat no. 2--1st, Dud Smith, Crescent Special
2nd, Robins, Ford
3rd, Dave Grant, Carmichael Garage
time, 7:20

heat no. 3--1st, George Smith, Frontenac Ford
2nd, Black, Ford No. 1
3rd, Barnett, Maxwell No. 5
time, 6:53

--25-miles
1st, George Smith, Frontenac Ford
2nd, Bloom, Stutz
3rd, Grupp, Stevens Special
time, 29:15


34--August 18, 1923, Hastings Park

--30-miles
1st, Tip Bloom, Stutz, No. 6
2nd, Pat Reed, Stevens Special
3rd, C. Latta, Baby Romano