Print, Photographic

Photograph

Shanaman Sports Museum

Construction of Miss B & I

Name/Title

Print, Photographic

Entry/Object ID

1997.07.06

Description

A rare black and white photograph shows the Miss B & I hydroplane during her early construction phase. The photo shows the bottom of the boat with reinforcing ribs running from front to back, taken from the bow with an unidentified man in the back left corer. The Miss B & I was a popular unlimited hydro from Tacoma. Driven, designed and owned by Bob Gilliam in 1956, the boat was the winner of the Copper Cup race in Montana. Driving the Miss B & I in almost total darkness during an after-hours test run, Gilliam ran over the log boom in the boat. Gilliam, who came to Tacoma via the Army and was stationed at Fort Lewis, earned a win in the 1961 Seafair Queen’s Trophy race. Gilliam may not have been the best boat driver, but his boatbuilding skill was unmatched. Gilliam’s team, which raced under the moniker “Fascination” when there wasn’t a sponsor available, reached financial backing from Seattle radio station KOL and raced as KOLroy in 1959-60. Photo donated by Ed Longozo.

Lexicon

Search Terms

Hydro Racing, hydroplanes, Professional/Semi-Pro

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Miss B & I

Person or Organization

hydroplanes

Person or Organization

Unlimited Hydroplanes

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Tacoma

Person or Organization

Gilliam, Bob

Person or Organization

Copper Cup

Person or Organization

Montana

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Fort Lewis

Person or Organization

Seafair Queen's Trophy

Person or Organization

KOLroy

Person or Organization

Seattle