| Other Fatalities - May 28, 1937 |
| George Warford, 42 Otto Rohde, 49 |
| The Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
| INDY 500 MEMORIAL - 1937 |
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During Friday qualifying for the Indy 500, mayhem ensued in two different wrecks which
resulted in deaths and injuries.
Driver Overton Phillips had made a few test runs in his Duesenberg with his riding
mechanic Jimmy Lowden, of Indianapolis. Around 1:40 pm, Lowden stepped out of the
car so that Phillips could give his friend Walter King a ride. King was a Cornell University
medical student and not a registered mechanic, so this was against the rules.
After a few laps, as Phillips was coming down the main straight at over 100 mph, his
crankshaft broke. Parts of the motor dug into the bricks, the car skidded slightly, and burst
into flames. The car then swerved into the pits and smashed into the parked No. 68
Studebaker.
Philips and King were thrown out of the car.
Otto Rohde, who had been standing beside the No. 68 with two other men, was hurled
over the low pit wall and knocked out.
The other two men, Anthony Caccia and George Warford, were sprayed with flaming
gasoline and crushed by the impact.
Reports say the flames of the wreck rose higher than the grandstand. FIremen sprayed the
cars with chemicals and then all the men were taken to the hospital.
resulted in deaths and injuries.
Driver Overton Phillips had made a few test runs in his Duesenberg with his riding
mechanic Jimmy Lowden, of Indianapolis. Around 1:40 pm, Lowden stepped out of the
car so that Phillips could give his friend Walter King a ride. King was a Cornell University
medical student and not a registered mechanic, so this was against the rules.
After a few laps, as Phillips was coming down the main straight at over 100 mph, his
crankshaft broke. Parts of the motor dug into the bricks, the car skidded slightly, and burst
into flames. The car then swerved into the pits and smashed into the parked No. 68
Studebaker.
Philips and King were thrown out of the car.
Otto Rohde, who had been standing beside the No. 68 with two other men, was hurled
over the low pit wall and knocked out.
The other two men, Anthony Caccia and George Warford, were sprayed with flaming
gasoline and crushed by the impact.
Reports say the flames of the wreck rose higher than the grandstand. FIremen sprayed the
cars with chemicals and then all the men were taken to the hospital.
After 6pm that day, driver Frank McGurk crashed. He suffered serious injury,
but his driving mechanic, Albert Opalko, was killed.
Read about that accident at 1937 Memorial.
but his driving mechanic, Albert Opalko, was killed.
Read about that accident at 1937 Memorial.
Race driver Overton (Bunny) Phillips, 30, of Middletown NY, was injured seriously.
Walter King, 27, of Binghamton, NY, was burned seriously but not critically.
George Warford, 42, was a former city fireman who had a temporary track pass
with hopes of driving in the 500. He died in the hospital admitting room of burns
and injuries.
Otto C. Rohde, 49, Toledo OH, was vice-president and chief engineer of the
Champion Spark Plug Co. He was in critical condition from head injuries and burns.
He had a fractured skull and an operation was performed on Sunday to relieve
pressure on the brain and he rallied temporarily. But on Tuesday, he died.
Anthony Caccia, 30, Bryn Mawr, PA, was in serious condition wtih burns and a
broken leg.
Walter King, 27, of Binghamton, NY, was burned seriously but not critically.
George Warford, 42, was a former city fireman who had a temporary track pass
with hopes of driving in the 500. He died in the hospital admitting room of burns
and injuries.
Otto C. Rohde, 49, Toledo OH, was vice-president and chief engineer of the
Champion Spark Plug Co. He was in critical condition from head injuries and burns.
He had a fractured skull and an operation was performed on Sunday to relieve
pressure on the brain and he rallied temporarily. But on Tuesday, he died.
Anthony Caccia, 30, Bryn Mawr, PA, was in serious condition wtih burns and a
broken leg.
| Otto Rohde |
| George Warford |
The burnt wreckage from
the Phillips crash
the Phillips crash
| Overton Phillips |
| Anthony Caccia |