APPENDIX3-BH
Participants in AMERICAN THERMAL-Balloon Races
1960-1970
| First Hot-Air Balloon
competition in the World |
| 1962 (28 Jan.) |
St. Paul, Minnesota |
(NAA-Sanctioned) |
4-entries |
| Jean Piccard Trophy Race
#1(White Bear Lake) |
| Winner: BARNES, Tracy |
#3 PICCARD, Don L. |
| #2 KEUSER, Richard |
#4 YOST, Ed Paul |
| Official: STEFAN, Karl - Chief
Judge. ok |
| 1963 (28 Jan.) |
St. Paul, Minnesota |
(NAA-Sanctioned) |
4-entries |
| Jean Piccard Trophy Race #2
(White Bear Lake) |
| Winner: STEFAN, Karl |
#3 YOST, Ed Paul |
| #2 KEUSER, Richard |
#4 BARNES, Tracy (D) |
| Officials: P.PELLEGRINO &
R.BLOCK=Judges; D.PICCARD=C.Clerk. + |
| First Hot-Air Balloon
CHAMPIONSHIPS in the World |
| 1963 (17-18 Oct.) |
Kalamazoo, MI |
(NAA-Sanctioned) |
11-entries |
| National Hot-Air Balloon
Championship #1 |
| Winner: POLLARD, Richard |
#4 STEFAN, Karl |
| #2 YOST, Ed Paul |
#5 SEMICH, Mark/McGRATH,
Will. |
| #3 HIGBIE, Richard |
#6 BURGARD, Ralph |
| Officials: PELLEGRINO, P.;
BLOCK, R.; PICCARD, D; LAURE,
G.
ok |
| 1964 (Jan. 18) |
Catalina, CA |
(not sanctioned) |
5-entries |
| Winner: YOST, Ed Paul |
#4 TALLMAN/Robertson |
| #2 HIGBIE/Elliot |
#5 KEITH, Barbara (K) |
| #3 SEMICH/Crawford |
#6 PICCARD, Don L. |
| Officials: SIMMONS, Dick, Chief Judge;
Lamport, Noah. ok |
| 1964 (28 Jan.) |
St. Paul, Minnesota |
(NAA-Sanctioned) |
4-entries |
| Jean Piccard Memorial Trophy Race #3 (White
Bear Lake) |
| Winner: STEFAN, Karl |
#3 PICCARD, Don |
| #2 WRIGHT, Terry |
#4 JOHNSON, Tom |
| Christenson, Richard Mickelson,
Richard Official: D.PICCARD =Chief Judge & Clerk of
Course. r:
BF-V12#5p10
ok |
| National Hot-Air Balloon Championship
#2: |
| 1964 (Sep. 12-20) |
Reno, Nevada |
(NAA sanctioned) |
11-entries |
| Reno National Trophy Race #1 (Sky Ranch
Airport) |
| Winner: CRAIG,
Jim 1519 |
#7 CLARK,
Gary
560 |
| #2 YOST, E.
Paul
1859 |
#8 SEMICH,
Mark
541 |
| #3 HIGBIE,
Richard 1519 |
#9 DeJESUS, Manuel
162 |
| #4 MUMA,
Lloyd
1216 |
#10 CRAWFORD, John 140 |
| #5 BERRY,
William
867 |
#11 SANDERS,
John
15 |
| #6 FIONDELA,
Jay
714 |
(N) PICCARD, Don L.
ok |
| Officials: Judges =C.Beaman, D.Elliot, &
Kurt RUNZI; D.PICCARD =Clerk. r:
BF-Nov.64p9. |
| 1965 (24 Jan.) |
St. Paul, Minnesota |
(NAA-Sanctioned) |
?-entries |
| Jean Piccard Memorial Trophy Race #4: (White
Bear Lake) |
| Winner: STEFAN, Karl |
? BARNES, Tracy |
| #2 McGRATH, Richard |
? BERGARD, Ralph |
| #3 BERGARD, Ralph |
? JOHNSON, Tom |
| #4 WRIGHT, Terry |
? others unknown |
| Official: D.PICCARD =Chief Judge &
Clerk of Course. |
| National Hot-Air Balloon Championship
#3: |
| 1965 (9-12 Sep.) |
Stead, Nevada |
(NAA Sanctioned) |
12-entries |
| RENO/STEAD National Trophy Race #2: (Stead
Air Force Base) |
| Winner: CRAIG, Jim |
? BERRY, William |
| #2 YOST, Edward P. |
? BREWERY, Don |
| #3 KERSTEN, Don |
? CLARK, Gary |
| #5 HIGBIE, Richard |
? EMMRICH, Lynn |
| #6 MUMA, Loyd |
? others unknown |
| Official: PICCARD, Donald L. (Clerk of
the Course) |
| 1966 (30 Jan.) |
St. Paul, Minnesota |
(NAA-Sanctioned) |
4-entries |
| Jean Piccard Memorial Trophy Race #5: (White
Bear Lake) |
| Winner: SONNICHSEN, Deke |
#4 BIGELOW, Burt (?CRAIG, James) |
| #2 MESHBESHER, Irwin |
#5 PICCARD, Don |
| #3 CRAIG, George |
(N)BERRY, William |
| Officials: JOHNSON, Donald; D.KERSTEN
(Source: BF-Mar.66p9; BM-Jan.77p26) |
| 1966 (15 May) |
Indianapolis, IN |
(NAA-Sanctioned) |
10-entries |
| Indianapolis Speedway-500 Race #1: (speedway
Racegrounds) |
| Winner: CRAIG, Jimmy |
? CRAIG, George |
| #2 YOST, Ed Paul |
(N)GRIMM, Norton |
| #3 PICCARD, Don |
(N)THIEL, Dave |
| (D)BERRY, William |
(N)LANGJAHR, Steve |
| (D)SONNICHSEN, Deke |
? SEMICH, Mark |
| (D)KERSTEN, Don |
? HASHBARGER, Owen |
| ? BEAMAN, Chuck |
|
| r: BL-Feb.90p44 |
| 1966 (Sep.
22-25) |
Reno, Nevada |
(NAA-Sanctioned) |
12-entries |
| RENO/STEAD National Trophy Race #3: (Stead
Air Force Base) |
| Winner: CRAIG, George |
?7 SONNICHSEN, Deke |
| #2 PICCARD, Don |
?8 FINK, Mal J. (I) |
| #3 KERSTEN, Don |
(D)CRAIG, James |
| #4 SEMICH, Mark
(I) |
(D)HASHBARGER, Owen |
| #5 BERRY, William
(I) |
(D)BEMAN, Chuck |
| #6 HIGBIE, Richard |
(D)LANGJAHR, Steve |
| NOTE: Several pilots sustained severe
injuries (I). Officials: Clerk of the Course =C.BEAMAN; Starter
=S.LANGJAHR |
| 1967 (30 Jan.) |
St. Paul, Minnesota |
(NAA-Sanctioned) |
4-entries |
| Jean Piccard Trophy Race #6 (White Bear
Lake) |
| Winner: LYNCH, Tom |
? CRAIG, James |
| #2 STEFAN, Karl |
? MESHBESHER Irwin |
| #3 BARNES, Tracy |
? BERRY, William |
| #4 CRAIG, George |
? GRABB, William |
| Officials: D.PICCARD; D.KERSTEN. |
| 1967 (Apr. 23) |
Palm Springs, CA |
(Not-Sanctioned) |
7-entries |
| Mt. San Jacinto Aerial Tramway International
Race #1: |
| Winner: YOST, Ed Paul |
(D)HIGBIE, Richard |
| #2 SONNICHSEN, Deke |
(D)PICCARD, Don |
| #3 BRIDENTHAL, Tad |
(N)CRAIG, Jimmy |
| #4 SHELDRAKE, Stan |
(N)McKINLEY, Larry |
| Source: BM-Su.68p14, J.CRAIG,
D.SONNICHSEN. |
| 1967 (29 May) |
Indianapolis, IN |
(NAA-Sanctioned) |
12-entries |
| Indianapolis Speedway-500 Race #2: (Speedway
Racegrounds) |
| Winner: KRIEG, Peter |
#7 BERRY, William |
| #2 THIEL, Dave |
#8 SONNICHSEN, Deke |
| #3 GRABB, William |
#9 GRIMM, Norton |
| #4 CRAIG, Jim |
#10 LEWIS, Gil |
| #5 KERSTEN, Don |
#11 MEDDOCK, Dodds |
| #6 DINGLER, Fred |
? other unknown |
| 1967 (Sep. 19-22) |
Reno, Nevada |
(NAA-Sanctioned) |
?-entries |
| RENO/STEAD National Trophy Race #4: (Stead
Air Force Base) |
| ? CRAIG, George |
? KERSTEN, Donald |
| ? FINK, Mal J. |
? SEMICH, Mark |
| ? BERRY, William |
? CRAIG, Jim |
| ? PICCARD, Donald |
? HASHBARGER, Owen |
| ? LANGJAHR, Steve |
(N)BEMAN, Chuck |
| Official: BEAMAN, Chuck (clerk of the
course) |
| 1968 (28 Jan.) |
St. Paul, Minnesota |
(non-Sanctioned) |
10-entries |
| Jean Piccard Trophy Race
#7: (White
Bear Lake) |
| Winner: TRAUGER, Robert |
#2: BIGELOW, Burt |
| #3 FRIEDMAN, Richard |
#4 LYNCH, Tom |
| #5 KATH, Debbie |
#6 PICCARD, Don L. |
| #7 CRAIG, George |
#8 O'NEIL, Jack |
| #9 SONNICHSEN Deke |
(N)HAUTER, Jim |
| Official: STEFFAN, Carl =Chief Judge;
T.Green =Starter. r: BF-V15 #6 p5 |
| 1968 (26 May) |
Indianapolis, IN |
(NAA-Sanctioned) |
12-entries |
| Indianapolis Speedway-500 Race #3: (Speedway
Racegrounds) |
| Winner: KERSTEN, Don |
#8 STOKES, George |
| #2 SONNICHSEN, Deke |
#9 BERRY, William |
| #3 TRAUGER, Bob |
10 PICCARD, Don (I) |
| #4 CRAIG, George |
11 GRABB, William |
| #5 BRIDENTHAL, Tad |
(D)GRIMM, Norton |
| #6 SHELDRAKE, Stan |
(D)FRIEDMAN, Dick |
| #7 DINGLER, Fred |
(D)HERTER, Charles |
| Officials: P.Pellegrino; J.Quinn; V.Wagner
(source: BM-Su.68/6). |
| 1969 (2 Feb.) |
St. Paul, Minnesota |
(non-sanctioned) |
10-entries |
| Jean Piccard Memorial Trophy Race #8: (White
Bear Lake) |
| Winner: AFORS,
Margaretha (F) |
?? CRAIG, George |
| #2 JOHNSON, Tom |
?? KATH, Debbie
(F) |
| #3 WRIGHT, Terry |
?? LEWIS, Gil |
| ?? KERSTEN, Don |
??MEDDOCK, Dodds |
| ?? HARDING, Linden |
?? EMEOTT, Marvin |
| ?? BIGELOW, Burt |
|
| Official: D.PICCARD =Course Clerk;
P.PELLEGRINO=Ch.Judge. BF-Mar.69p6. |
| 1969 (27 May) |
Indianapolis, IN |
(NAA-Sanctioned) |
?-entries |
| Indianapolis Speedway-500 Race #4: (Speedway
Racegrounds) |
| Winner: SONNICHSEN, Deke |
? BERRY, William |
| #2 KERSTEN, Don |
? PICCARD, Don |
| #3 LANGJAHR, Steve |
? GRIMM, Norton |
| #4 BRIDENTHAL, Tad |
? GRABB, William |
| #5 CRAIG, George |
? FRIEDMAN, Dick |
| 1970 (1 Feb.) |
St. Paul, Minnesota |
(non-sanctioned) |
?-entries |
| Jean Piccard Memorial Trophy Race #9: (White
Bear Lake) |
| Winner: MEADOWS, Bill |
? CRAIG, George |
| #2 WALIGUNDA, Bob |
? FLODEN, Dennis |
| #3 EMEOTT, Marvin |
? GREEN, Thomas |
| #4 KATH, Debbie |
? KERSTEN, Don |
| #5 KRIEG, Peter |
? PICCARD, Don |
| #6 MEDDOCK, Dodds |
? SNYDER, Don |
| #7 BIGELOW, Burt |
? WEIDERKEHR, Matt |
| #8 AFORS,
Margaretha (F) |
|
| Officials: E.YOST =Chief Judge; Kraching
=Starter; Johnson =Timer. |
| 1970 (24 May) |
Indianapolis, IN |
(NAA-Sanctioned) |
?-entrants |
| Indianapolis Speedway-500 Race #5: (Speedway
Racegrounds) |
| Winner: KRIEG, Peter |
#7 BERRY, William |
| #2 THIEL, Dave |
#8 SONNICHSEN, Deke |
| #3 GRABB, William |
#9 GRIMM, Norton |
| #4 CRAIG, Jim |
10 LEWIS, Gil |
| #5 CRAIG, George |
11 MEDDOCK, Dodds |
| #6 DINGLER, Fred |
|
| Official: Saver =Chief Judge; R.RECHS &
R.CHAMBERS =Observers. |
NOTE: This historical era ends with the 1970 National
Hot-Air Championships in Iowa. See APPENDIX-BK for a continuation.
Other races (7-UP) were held at Columbus, Ohio, but participants
are unknown.
Tracy Barnes won most of the St.Paul Winter
races from 1962-72, but was ineligible for the trophy, as he was
considered a "professional". The Memorial Trophy was
withdrawn in 1971, and reinstated in 1985. Deke Sonnichsen
participated in all the races from 1966 thru 1970.
ALL data
were originally supplied by D.Sonnichsen & D.Piccard. Events
noted "ok" have been verified by a second source; other events
noted "+" are considered good only as shown; those entries with "?"
require further research.
NOTES: (K) =Killed; ( I )
=Injured; (D) =Disqualified; (N) =Non competitor; + =
Unverified.
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