Phil Hill passed away today

[rickh]

www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080828/FREE/808289993/1065

At Monterey, CA, age 81, of respiratory difficulties.

I hear the final note of "A Day in the Life". I never expected the passing of the great drivers I read about when I was young.

A book is closed.

[Deleted]

I was very saddened by the news. You are right, it seems that we never expect our heroes to grow old even when we do..........

Bill <><

[herk56]

Very sad, another hero gone! I think of this song every time someone I looked up to in racing (or life) dies, very appropriate,I think. Hope you all like it.



Brian

[Deleted]

AMEN HERK!!!!!!!!!!!


Class is hard to come by! I heard a very funny story about Phil Hill at Riverside from my good friend Dave in Pasadena, so when I got lucky enough to meet him at the Petersen Museum for Dick Wallen's kick of for his book "Roar of the 60's" I had to ask him if it were true.

Phil had taken a beating from a moronic auto sports writer.... I believe it was E.H....Over "lowering" himself to delivering a line in Frankenhimer's Classic Film, "Grand Prix"...Phil Hill's line was..."LOOK OUT!!!!!! HE"S ON FIRE!!!!!" For which Hill was paid a nice sum. This writer thought that it was way beneath America's first and at that time...only World Diving Champion to deliver such a line so poorly. "Phil is much better driver than he is as an actor."

This "writer" was walking through the pits at Riverside...Phil saw him and walked up behind him and shouts his line. ..."LOOK OUT!!!!!! HE"S ON FIRE!!!!!" Causing the writer to spill his drink all over himself. Hill turned, walked away and over his shoulder remarked..."Who's a bad actor?" When I asked him if that really happened…He smiled and said,”You should have seen that guy jump!!” and laughed.

He was a nice man of ethics and I watched him bristle when anyone would call him “Former F-1 Champion”...He was very proud to be called, “World Driving Champion for 1961.” I had a 1/20th scale 156 Revival Ferrari belly pan with me and had him autograph it….He said he wouldn’t if I had bought it from an outfit in Duarte, California which owed him a great deal of money. I bought it a Bob Keller’s Kit Collectors show in Buena Park…and he signed it….I’ll always be glad he did.

Best to you

Russ

[racerbrown]

great story russ! thanks for sharing and making me laugh.
duane