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Seattle Outboard Assn. members have just got word of the passing of Tom O'Neill.
In 1965, when I joined SOA, Tom O'Neill was one of the top racers in a very competitive D Stock Hydro class. Names I recall from then and the next few years would include Mike Raich, who held the competition record which O'Neill soon broke and held for several years; also, Roy Williams, who was killed at a race in Oregon. Paul Longthorpe, Bob Rhoades, Jim Daniels, probably Dave Jenkins, Dave Jaeger, John Lasher, Wendell Ward, Bob Luke, . . . other old Reg. 10 guys can add more names here. Several of the fast guys at the time had short-sponson Sid-Crafts, but I don't remember anyone who could pitch one of those tricky boats around like O'Neill did and keep getting away with it. He even sometimes ran alky Merc D's and 44's on that 10' 8" Sid.
On first acquaintance, Tom seemed to have a bit of a brusque manner manner about him, and he was a very tough competitor for sure, but a highly likeable guy, very good company. I have the impression that he didn't take many trips out of the region, but he certainly was "Nationals-fast" in his day.
Later on, I understand he did a lot of support work for the club as a referee and race organizer.
I saw him for the first time in decades two months ago, and was dismayed and saddened to see how frail he looked, this tough customer of long ago. But his sense of humor and enthusiasm was all there. A neat guy. There'll be a hundred Tom O'Neill stories told for years to come.
In 1965, when I joined SOA, Tom O'Neill was one of the top racers in a very competitive D Stock Hydro class. Names I recall from then and the next few years would include Mike Raich, who held the competition record which O'Neill soon broke and held for several years; also, Roy Williams, who was killed at a race in Oregon. Paul Longthorpe, Bob Rhoades, Jim Daniels, probably Dave Jenkins, Dave Jaeger, John Lasher, Wendell Ward, Bob Luke, . . . other old Reg. 10 guys can add more names here. Several of the fast guys at the time had short-sponson Sid-Crafts, but I don't remember anyone who could pitch one of those tricky boats around like O'Neill did and keep getting away with it. He even sometimes ran alky Merc D's and 44's on that 10' 8" Sid.
On first acquaintance, Tom seemed to have a bit of a brusque manner manner about him, and he was a very tough competitor for sure, but a highly likeable guy, very good company. I have the impression that he didn't take many trips out of the region, but he certainly was "Nationals-fast" in his day.
Later on, I understand he did a lot of support work for the club as a referee and race organizer.
I saw him for the first time in decades two months ago, and was dismayed and saddened to see how frail he looked, this tough customer of long ago. But his sense of humor and enthusiasm was all there. A neat guy. There'll be a hundred Tom O'Neill stories told for years to come.
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