The Wilmington morning star., 1947-05-31
Rose Flashes To Victory;
Crash Causes One Death
By CHARLES w. DUNKLEY

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, May 30
PETragedy rode the bricks of the
Indianapolis motor speedway to-
day with the death of a veteran
driver as Mauri Rose, Chicago,
triumphed over a teammate by
seconds in winning the 31st renew-
al of the 500-mile automobile clas-
sic.
Rose, Al, was co-winner of the
l941 race with Floyd Davis. 1t
was his ninth start in the event.
The triumphant winner, a bache-
lor and a grand little guy with a
short black mustache, dramatically
snatcheo the lead from Bill Hol-
land Of Bridgeport, Conn.,, with
less than II miles to go. Holland,
80, a dirt track veteran, making
his first appearance at the speed
way, led for 258 miles until the
flying Rose overhauled him on the
south turn on the 483rd mile and
streaked on to victory.
The spectacular duel between
Rose and Bill Holland, his team
mate, was witnessed by a crowd
in excess of $4,000.
Rose, who made only one pit stop
of a minute and 40 seconds for tire
changes, covered the perilous 500
miles in 4:17.52:17 to average 116.
1913 miles an hour. This was the
second fastest race in speedway
history, being eclipsed only in 1888
when the late Floyd Roberts aver
aged 117.2 miles an hour.
Rose finished exactly 80 seconds
ahead of Holland, with Ted Horn
of Paterson, N. j., trailing in third
place, two and one-half minutes
behind the winner. Cliff Bergere,
5O-year-old Toledo, O., veteran,
was fourth.
Jimmy Jackson, indianapolis,
runner-up in the 1916. race, finished
fifth with Rex Mays, Glendale,
Calf, sixth in an original start
ing field of 80.
Only IL cars survived the punish
ing grind.
Tragic death ended the racing
career of Indianapolis 43-year-old
William Shorty" Canton who lost
his life trying to avoid a collision
with Holland, as Canton was tear
ing around the two and n nall
mile brick course on his l0Otn
mile.
Holland had spun on the deadly
southwest with his car ultimately
shooting into the grassy infield.
Canton, seeing danger ahead
shot to the top of the track to
avoid hitting Holland. His car
crashed into an eight-foot high
outside retaining wall with terrific
impact in sight of thousands OF
spectators occupying the two spa
cious stands at the turn.
His chest was crushed, a leg
also was fractured and he suffered
internal injuries when the steering
wheel of the 16-cylinder car pierced
his chest. The wrecked car re-
NAMED on the track where it stop
ped until the race was finished.
C~antlon's death was the first
fatality since 1889 when Floyd Rob
erts lost his life in crackup. 1t
was the 33th fatality since the race
was established in 1911.
Holland and Rose were contend
ers from the start with Rose never
being worse than third and Holland
eve further back than fourth.
Bergere was pacemaker for the
first % laps when he surrendered
the spot to Holland. Bergere sci
2 new track record for the first
lap when he covered the two and
one half miles at an average OF
1872. 516 miles an hour. He lost the
lead TO Holland when he was forced
to stop for a quick tire change.
Rose snatched the lead after
Holland made the first of his two
stops and held it at IT'S miles with
a lead of almost five miles. Rose
made his only stop at 225 miles,
but Holland had been picking up
50 rapidly that he overlook MS
teammate.
From then to the finish it was
Holland all the way with Rose
trailing him by seconds, until he
made his dramatic overhauling
finish. Horn and Mays were al
ways in hot pursuit.