Forest Shipman “Blackie” O’Bannon
alias “R. F. Dutton”
1903 – 1929
Above and below are photos of Blackie O’Bannon in his Hutch special Chevrolet #45 in Arkansas City, Kansas. Russell D. Hill built this car for O’Bannon while both men were residing in Arkansas City. Photos from the Russell D. Hill collection
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Blackie O’Bannon was born July 6,
1903, the younger of two sons born to a young farm couple, Haywood Abiatha
O’Bannon (1869-1906) and his wife, Erie Jane (Files) O’Bannon
(1874-1949). After the death of Blackie’s father, his mother remarried
and moved with
her family to Inola, Oklahoma. By 1920, the
family was living at Arkansas City, Kansas.
For some, as yet, undetermined reason, O’Bannon
occasionally raced cars using the alias “R. F. Dutton”. He also wrestled
professionally in the 1920s as a welterweight known as “Blackie” O’Bannon.
O’Bannon’s incomplete racing record follows:
July 4, 1927 – ˝ mile dirt oval – Cushing Speedway Park at Cushing, Oklahoma
Car: O’Bannon’s own Hutch special Chevrolet #45 built by Russell D. Hill of Arkansas City, Kansas.
Finish: 2nd in the 1st 6-mile heat race behind Earl L. Hovenden of Duncan, Oklahoma.
2nd in the 2nd 6-mile heat race behind Roy Rinehart of Arkansas City, Kansas.
Feature Race Winner: Earl L. Hovenden of Arkansas City, Kansas driving a Chevrolet special #2 owned by George Dwight Moody of Arkansas City, Kansas
July 30, 1927 – ˝ mile dirt oval – Cowley County Fairgrounds at Winfield, Kansas
Car: O’Bannon’s own Hutch special Chevrolet #45 built by Russell D. Hill of Arkansas City, Kansas.
Finish: O’Bannon entered these races but his name does not appear in the published results.
Feature Race Winner: Earl L. Hovenden of Arkansas City, Kansas driving a Chevrolet special #2 owned by George Dwight Moody of Arkansas City, Kansas
September 5, 1927 – ˝ mile dirt oval – Cushing Speedway Park at Cushing, Oklahoma – Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Car: O’Bannon’s own Hutch special Chevrolet #45 built by Russell D. Hill of Arkansas City, Kansas.
Finish: O’Bannon entered these races but his name does not appear in the published results.
Feature Race Winner: Ted Simpson of Los Angeles, California who was driving an 8-cylinder Miller special..
May 30, 1928 – ˝ mile dirt oval – Cushing Speedway Park at Cushing, Oklahoma – Sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (A.A.A.)
Car: O’Bannon’s own Hutch special Chevrolet #45 built by Russell D. Hill of Arkansas City, Kansas.
Finish: O’Bannon entered these races but his name does not appear in the published results.
Feature Race Winner: Lee Bammel of Taylor, Texas who was driving his own Bammel special Fronty Ford #U2.
July 23, 1928 – ˝ mile dirt oval – Cowley County Fairgrounds at Winfield, Kansas
Car: O’Bannon’s own Hutch special Chevrolet #45 built by Russell D. Hill of Arkansas City, Kansas.
Finish: O’Bannon finished in 3rd place in one of the races run on this afternoon but it has to be determined which race that was in.
Feature Race Winner: Ira T. McIntire of Arkansas City, Kansas who was driving the #44 Ford Rajo special owned by Joe Hutchinson of Arkansas City, Kansas.
July 28, 1928 – ˝ mile dirt oval – Cowley County Fairgrounds at Winfield, Kansas
Car: O’Bannon’s own Hutch special Chevrolet #45 built by Russell D. Hill of Arkansas City, Kansas.
Finish: 2nd in the 6-car, 8-lap consolation race behind Phineas Comador “Dad” Harrier of Hiawatha, Kansas driving a #5 Ford Frontenac.
4th in 6-car, 12-lap “Grand Final” race behind James Floyd Pickens of Arkansas City, Kansas in the #440 Ford special owned by Joe Hutchinson of Arkansas City, Kansas; Marvin Wesley “Mack” McAnally of Winfield, Kansas in the Superior special #1434 owned by Wendell Arthur Sparling of Winfield, Kansa and Alfred Lloyd “Ducky” Scott of Topeka, Kansas in a #571 front-wheel-drive car.
Feature Race Winner: James Floyd Pickens of Arkansas City, Kansas in the #440 Ford special owned by Joe Hutchinson of Arkansas City, Kansas.
Blackie O’Bannon passed away from typhoid fever on January 22, 1929 at Arkansas City, Kansas. He is buried in the Riverview Cemetery on the north edge of Arkansas City. He never married and has no descendants. If you know anything more about Forest Shipman “Blackie” O’Bannon or his involvement in auto racing, please contact Bob Lawrence at: sprintguy @ cox.net