Playland Park

[Budman]

COOL, Joe!

[fast18]

I have a couple of posters on my office wall that I thought were cool. Bought them many years at a swap meet. Two are from Playland ! I never knew that until I saw the pictures posted here. I know at least one is the # 118 rolling over.

[4PROP]

Came across this old photo. Supposed to be from Playland Park. Anybody recognize it?

 

Taken circa 1955, Car owned by Archie Lacy, driver (in dark shirt) Billy Wade. It was not during competition. I believe it was the first time the car was taken out. Indeed at Playland, turn 1 at west end of the track near entry gates. Interestingly, the picture was taken just about three fence planks ahead of the spot were Blackie Lothringer took his (unforunate) short cut to the parking lot one evening in 1959.

[57Tbird]

From a previous post of mine here last September...

"This photo brings back a very dark memory for me. It was 1959-1961. I'm not exactly sure of the year. Maybe someone can help out here with the exact date. I had picked up a friend of mine for an evening of always exciting auto racing at Playland...an event that had become fairly routine for me, starting in the mid-50's. I left my wife at the friend's house with his wife and we took off. After we entered the gate, we stopped to look at some of the pictures of previous races put up on display near the concession stand. I could hear a car roaring around the track during the pre-race warm-ups. MFB's photo shows the area between turn 1 and turn 2 with what was about an 8 ft corrugated metal fence between the track and the spectator gate and entrance area. As we turned to head for the south stands where we alway sat, I heard a loud bang and looked up in time to see a wheel come flying over the wall...followed immediately by, what I would learn later, Blackie Lothringer's car. His car must have left the track about right where this picture was taken. I was about 50 feet from where the car landed. Needless to say, there was pandemonium, with people screaming and running everywhere. Three people were killed and many injured, as they were headed from the gate area to the stands. If I hadn't stopped for a Coke and to look at the pictures, I would probably been where the car came down. Many of us did what we could to help the injured until medical personnel arrived. Blood was everywhere. It was a very sickening experience. Of course the races were called off. When we got back to my friend's house and walked in, my wife saw the look on my face and knew something was wrong before I had a chance to say anything. She later told me that I looked like I had seen a ghost."

 

With the aid of Archie Lacy's grandson. who was also there and only 10 years old at the time, I managed to place a date on this accident. It was Saturday, September 5, 1959. With this information, I contacted the Houston Public Library to see if they might have a microfilm copy of the next day's Houston newspapers on file. They did have, and they sent me some not so good copies which I have scanned and put the links below. If interested, I can scan the copy of the Houston Post and put it on here also.

 

Chronicle Page 1-Top

Chronicle Page 1-Bottom

Chronicle Page 8

[texastracker]

nick and others, what does it mean when you can't view the attachment. There is a little box with a red X in it.

 

Thanks, Kenny

[NickHolt]

nick and others, what does it mean when you can't view the attachment. There is a little box with a red X in it.

 

Thanks, Kenny

Kenny,

 

It means that the person who posted those pics did not use the TXSZ attachment system to post the pics. Instead, he/she made a link a pic on his/her own website. Perhaps the picture is no longer on that website or perhaps he changed the path to the file without change the path on his/her TXSZ post.

 

Either way, TXSZ has no control over posts linked to other sites.

 

Sorry about that.

 

Nick

[Del Harris]

hi folks, i'm new to this forum, but i've been around since playland park. i'm del harris, my dad is f.l.harris which owned harris transmissions off of n. shepherd dr. in houston back in the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's and finally gave up rebuilding trannies and rearends. he raced a little at playland with lester ellisor's old buick i believe, that's where he met some of these old racers like, aj foyt, doc cassey, norman pierce, billy griswald, charlie ritter,blackie lofinger, billy wade, and several more at playland. i was 4 years old when this accident happen and i will never forget it, i thought it happened in 1958, but i stand corrected with this news paper clipping, thanks for going to the trouble of getting that information for us to share. my mom had 6 other kids besides me and one more on the way, she had just got us into the grandstands when blackie went over the wall and landed not far from us. i could have thought that i remembered fuel leaking from his car, was the reason everyone was running, i'm not sure, but i was only 4 years old. i do remember the tract that we loved so much because of the family getting to enjoy the whole evening at playland, we almost every week rode the bumper cars or the roller coaster after the races. i can recall there used to be a big hammer when we'ed walk up to the rides and i'd try to ring the bell at the top by hitting the platform with that hammer, it weighed more than i did. after that bad wreck it closed, to this day, what a loss!!! i think that in 1960, joseph f. meyer had a race track started at hillcroft and s. main and was running go-carts, then when playland closed, they built meyerland speedway, if i'm correct. in 1963, when i was 8 years old, i sold programs at meyer, " program, get your program, only 25cents ". i got paid 5cents a copy, didn't make much but, a coke was 5cents. we met a lot of good people in that time and some are still good friends, over the years dad and i built trannies and gears for most of them and even figured out the ratio's for them to run so the car would perform best, from the old inclose drive to the old banjo rears, we did it all. dad ran the ole # 29 wild and willy bronco at meyer and had fun every week. i always admired racers from this era because they watch me grow up, greasy and barefooted, i still wanted to fix up a racecar tranny. some of our customers included; ronnie chumley, george nash, bill blimrick, walter ballard, charlie schilds, roy tulley, m.j. burton, billy parrin, galveston gambler joe plowman, roy cody, tony barcellona, bill farris ( was the first fatality wreck at meyer) if i'm correct, i could keep going on with names of, but to me, my racing heros, some are still around, and some is making left turns on an angles halo. thanks, del ( little ) harris

[Budman]

Thanks Del, welcome to this forum. I enjoyed reading your post. I had known about the incident at Playland for decades, but never new its cause. Having read the article, I now know it was caused by the racers' old nemesis ........... the stuck throttle.

[jakdad]

Thanks for the post Del. I think I knew your dad. I also ran a Bronco. We had a lot of fun. I think at one time, Billy Griswold ran the 29 Bronco. Seems like it was sponsored by an auto supply store. Been awhile...........

[jakdad]

Here's a pic of AJ tangled up at Playland.

 

[57Tbird]

Here's a pic of AJ tangled up at Playland.

jakdad, I think that's at Arrowhead. Playland only had three timbers for the track wall.

[jakdad]

Here's a pic of AJ tangled up at Playland.

jakdad, I think that's at Arrowhead. Playland only had three timbers for the track wall.

57, I believe you're right. Anyway it was Houston. I'm still trying to figure out who is in the 9 car. Maybe Billy Griswold? Looks like Buddy Rackley's offy just comming into the pic. I can't remember who owned that 76 car........................

[4PROP]

hi folks, i'm new to this forum, but i've been around since playland park. i'm del harris, my dad is f.l.harris which owned harris transmissions off of n. shepherd dr. in houston back in the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's and finally gave up rebuilding trannies and rearends. he raced a little at playland with lester ellisor's old buick i believe, that's where he met some of these old racers like, aj foyt, doc cassey, norman pierce, billy griswald, charlie ritter,blackie lofinger, billy wade, and several more at playland. i was 4 years old when this accident happen and i will never forget it, i thought it happened in 1958, but i stand corrected with this news paper clipping, thanks for going to the trouble of getting that information for us to share. my mom had 6 other kids besides me and one more on the way, she had just got us into the grandstands when blackie went over the wall and landed not far from us. i could have thought that i remembered fuel leaking from his car, was the reason everyone was running, i'm not sure, but i was only 4 years old. i do remember the tract that we loved so much because of the family getting to enjoy the whole evening at playland, we almost every week rode the bumper cars or the roller coaster after the races. i can recall there used to be a big hammer when we'ed walk up to the rides and i'd try to ring the bell at the top by hitting the platform with that hammer, it weighed more than i did. after that bad wreck it closed, to this day, what a loss!!! i think that in 1960, joseph f. meyer had a race track started at hillcroft and s. main and was running go-carts, then when playland closed, they built meyerland speedway, if i'm correct. in 1963, when i was 8 years old, i sold programs at meyer, " program, get your program, only 25cents ". i got paid 5cents a copy, didn't make much but, a coke was 5cents. we met a lot of good people in that time and some are still good friends, over the years...

Hi Pro2000Racing,

I also grew up at the Playland races (up until accident night). I must confess, I used Meyer Speedway as a cheap place to take my future wife since I always got in free. Just as he did at Playland, my grandpa would provide me with as many tickets as I wanted. Since you sold programs, you probably heard of him. Remember "It's time to check you lucky number program! The next number will be for two free passes to next week's event courtesy of our good friend Archie Lacy." I really felt like a big shot to my friends when the announcer would call that out. (Yes, my sweetheart and I are still married and I am still just as cheap.)

 

My grandpa had the wild idea in 1965 to give away a lucky number grand prize for a few weeks that my dad did not like at all. The prize was a sight-seeing flight in the company plane over the newly completed domed stadium. Why didn't my dad like it? ...He was the pilot and some of the winners had never flown before.

[Del Harris]

some of you guy's and gal's that went to playland and meyer speedway back in our early day's, jump on here and let's keep this thing alive. i know theres a lot more of you out there. i race now at houston motorsports park in the hobby/prostock class, this class brings back racing from nascar in the 80's. it's nothing like the 50's, 60's racing, but i know some of you folk's would like to meet up and have an old time get together. i was at the track this last week and after our race it was intermission. i went to the grand stands to watch that late models run after intermission and you would never guess who sat down in front of me and talked for almost an hour during the race. none other than mr. a j foyt himself, we talked about some of those good ol'e days at playland and meyer. a j foyt IV was driving a late model, he started on the rear and made it up to 5 th, bumped the wall out of turn 4 and messed up his steering, but still finished 6 th. he a real good driver just like his grandpaw. we had a great time out there. if some of you would like to hook up some time, you can contact me at 936-449-4444, thanks del ( little ) harris p.s. lets keep this thing going!!!

[RETrott]

Came across this old photo. Supposed to be from Playland Park. Anybody recognize it?

 

The gentleman in the white pants appears to be the driver, the great Billy Wade, and the gentleman wearing the hat is possibly Archie Lacy. This would be turns 1 & 2 before boiler plate was added to the fence. The background is basically looking south and the amusement park is to the right. The amusement park was Playland Park, and the racetrack was Playland Park Speedway, aka Playland Speedway. The address of the park was 9201 South Main, Houston, TX. That is now South Main @ Murworth. The speedway being east and to the rear of the amusement park would be a very short distance from the present location of Reliant Stadium.

[RETrott]

Over the fence at Playland

Front straightaway looking east/southeast towards turns 3 & 4 and the pit area. Picture appears to be about 1952. A little past the pit area is what is now Kirby Drive near Westridge Drive, Houston, TX. Playland Speedway was dirt but paved later.

 

Stormin' Norman Pierce and Billy wade @ Playland Park

 

The 98 appears to be Norman Pierce, but the 89 does not appear to be Billy Wade. I seem to recall seeing this picture elswhere and the 89 driver I believe, was identified as Eddie Harrow. The track appears to be Arrowhead Speedway which was located on O S T near Stadium/Greenbriar in Houston. Just a little ways north of the Astrodome/Reliant Stadium area, the speedway was torn down in about 1956.

 

Another wild night @ the Playland "1952"

 

Sideways @ Playland Park

 

Playland Park in HOUSTON!!! Back of the photo reads "Buddy Rackley #76"

[RETrott]

Thanks for the post Del. I think I knew your dad. I also ran a Bronco. We had a lot of fun. I think at one time, Billy Griswold ran the 29 Bronco. Seems like it was sponsored by an auto supply store. Been awhile...........

 

Yeah, I remember watching that 29 car being driven by FL Harris. You know, it was supposed to be a beginners' class. I used to sit behind FL in the stands watching FL (Billy Griswold) Harris race. What a way to begin! Oh well, I also remember Tim (MJ Burton) Cates race at Playland Spdwy. Even at Meyer Spdwy, MJ thought he was Don for awhile. Ole Tater Pete had fun with all those names and nick names.

[Del Harris]

hey mr. trotter, how in tha heck are you, i haven't herd from ya'll in years. are you kin to jason trotter? if you get a chance, call me at 936-449-4444, i'd like to hear from you. you remember when we sat almost to the end of the stands close to turn one about 3/4 of the way up? ernie rigby, marvin ottmer, pop davis, richard jeffcoat, billy griswold, gene howard, bill hawkins, awe man, there is so many i haven't even scrath the dirt yet, give me a call if you can, thanks del harris.

[RETrott]

hey mr. trotter, how in tha heck are you, i haven't herd from ya'll in years. are you kin to jason trotter? if you get a chance, call me at 936-449-4444, i'd like to hear from you. you remember when we sat almost to the end of the stands close to turn one about 3/4 of the way up? ernie rigby, marvin ottmer, pop davis, richard jeffcoat, billy griswold, gene howard, bill hawkins, awe man, there is so many i haven't even scrath the dirt yet, give me a call if you can, thanks del harris.

Mr Who? Jason Who? I started lying about my age and going to the pits in '64. In '65, the age was lowered to 18 and I was then legal. Up until then I almost always sat in that last section at the end of the front straightaway near the top. Didn't Richard Jeffcoat race some? I remember many conversations with an older gentleman named Ernie. I think he had a wrecking yard and had a connection to "Bronco" Stock Car 29. Man, that's over 40 years ago, but I do remember there were a few Harris family members there. TV weatherman Sid Lasher and his son sat in that area in those days as well. I have only talked to Jason once or twice since his Dad died in '02. I know he was racing at Willis for awhile, but I don't know now. I'll try to catch up with ya sometime. Take care!

Larry

[jakdad]

hey mr. trotter, how in tha heck are you, i haven't herd from ya'll in years. are you kin to jason trotter? if you get a chance, call me at 936-449-4444, i'd like to hear from you. you remember when we sat almost to the end of the stands close to turn one about 3/4 of the way up? ernie rigby, marvin ottmer, pop davis, richard jeffcoat, billy griswold, gene howard, bill hawkins, awe man, there is so many i haven't even scrath the dirt yet, give me a call if you can, thanks del harris.

Mr Who? Jason Who? I started lying about my age and going to the pits in '64. In '65, the age was lowered to 18 and I was then legal. Up until then I almost always sat in that last section at the end of the front straightaway near the top. Didn't Richard Jeffcoat race some? I remember many conversations with an older gentleman named Ernie. I think he had a wrecking yard and had a connection to "Bronco" Stock Car 29. Man, that's over 40 years ago, but I do remember there were a few Harris family members there. TV weatherman Sid Lasher and his son sat in that area in those days as well. I have only talked to Jason once or twice since his Dad died in '02. I know he was racing at Willis for awhile, but I don't know now. I'll try to catch up with ya sometime. Take care!

Larry

Well that's coincidence , 'cause that's where we sat when not in the pits. Small world.

Jim

[Del Harris]

larry, ernie rigsby owned e & w auto parts next to red williams service station where antione road use to deadend at old hempstead hwy. just west of the old thunderbird drive-in theater, i think he's the one that got my dad building standard transmissions back in about 1952. dad worked at smith industrial evening shift and built trannies in his off time, he got tired of working in the pulp wood fields and wanted to learn a trade, standard trannies was a big thang back then. he invented how to grind gears in the trannies to keep them from jumping out of gear. i sat down at his old grinding bench for hours porting heads for several of the old racers at meyer. it took me about 16 hours per head to get one done, dad would keep checking me, to see if i was doing them right. i had a lot of fun in that old shop. i gotta run right now, but i will be back and wright you more. thanks, del harris

[Guest HUFF MOTORSPORTS]

HI EVERYONE,

 

I AM THE SISTER TO DEL HARRIS & DAUGHTER TO F.L. HARRIS

THIS IS THE ONLY PHOTO OF THE 29 CAR THAT WE HAVE. THAT WAS

OUR BABY SISTER ON THE HOOD.

DAD HAD 13 CHILDREN 4 BOYS & 9 GIRLS. OUT OF THE CHILDREN 3 OF

THE BOYS RACED CARS. AS OF THIS DATE DEL HARRIS & JANETTE HUFF

ARE THE ONLY ONES RACING & JANETTE BEING THE ONLY DAUGHTER TO

EVER RACE.

DAD IS 80 YEARS OLD, DEL IS 52 & HAS RACED OFF & ON FOR YEARS, QUIT RACING

FOR ABOUT 4 YEARS TO MANAGE A RACE TRACK & IS NOW BACK TO RACING

ASPHALT, TWO YEARS AT HOUSTON MOTORSPORTS PARK. JANETTE IS 53 RACED ON DIRT FOR THREE YEARS FINISHED 8TH PLACE FIRST YEAR,

SECOND YEAR DID NOT COMPLETE SEASON FINISHING 17TH, AND IN 2005 WON

THE CHAMPIONSHIP. WENT TO ASPHALT 2006, 1ST YEAR FINISHING 4TH PLACE &

RECEIVING MOST IMPROVED DRIVER AWARD & 2007 SHOULD BE FINISHING 5TH PLACE.

JANETTE'S HUSBAND JAMES HUFF WHO HAS BEEN RACING SINCE 1956 ALSO RACES

WITH THEM.

WE ALL RACE THE SAME RACE AT HOUSTON MOTORSPORTS PARK PRO STOCK, THIS

REALLY GIVES THE ANNOUNCER SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT.

[quadsquad]

Only have two shots of Playland, taken Thanksgiving Day, 1950 at the Texas State Roadster Championship. They're both Thompson photos, taken for the Lavelys. The first shows Harry Elbel (?) in #20 and Billy Rowland #3. No I.D. on the car with the plumbing pipe "roll bar." The other is Henry Majers (?) in Don Bragg's #11, who won the race even after this dustup, and Dick Lundstram in the question mark car, which was owned by Tex Hale. Lundstram was the owner/promoter of Corpus Christi Speedway.

 

[RETrott]

I was almost age four when the '50 Thanksgiving pictures were made and had probably not attended an auto race yet, but I do recall seeing Stock Car Races there when Playland Speedway was still dirt in the early 50s. Even had a Steeplechase Race, and possibly an Australian Pursuit. The picture on the left appears to be the turn 3/4 area and the turn 2 exit in the right picture, from what I remember.

[Budman]

I love those shots quadsquad. Lordy, there's a lot of history there! Post More!