Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives

Source: July 1985 Volume 23 Number 3, Pages 107–108

The Nation's First Power Mower Derby

Bob Goshorn

Page 107

Correspondents from a national magazine were on hand to cover the event. One of the leading news reel film companies was also present to record the activity. Held on Decoration Day in 1954, the Wayne Suburban noted that it was "believed to be the nation's first 'Power Mower Derby'."

The Derby was run over an especially 1aid-out course, 250 yards long, down Steeplechase road in Devon. Over a score of power mowers, owned by various residents along Steeplechase Road and Hunters Lane, were entered in the competition to determine the neighborhood's fastest - and slowest - mowers.

The entries were divided into three classes, based on the horsepower of the mower. One class was for the larger riding-type mowers; the second class was for mowers of an intermediate size; and the third was a class for the smaller power mowers. Gold and silver loving cups for the winners and runners-up in each class were donated by Alexander C. Shand.

Dorothy Boyd was the lone woman entrant in the Derby, pitting her driving skill and mower against a dozen other jockeys from along Steeplechase road and ten entrants from along Hunters lane. Among the other contestants from Steeplechase Road were, in alphabetical order, John Barclay, Dick Davis, Perry Epes, Bill George, Bob Johnston, Benedict Lenahan, Walter Pierce, Jack Reoch, Henry Shute and Bob Stephenson. The Hunters Lane residents were represented by John Bobrink, Lloyd Church, Willard Griffin, Fred Huff, Jack Picou, Dave Soliday, Bill Sudhaus, and Jeff Wood. The Kniers, who lived near the corner where the two roads intersect, had entries on both teams, Gil Knier competing with the Steeplechase Road group and Larry Knier with the Hunters Lane contingent.

Page 108

The entrants were paced down the 250 yard course by two officials, William Coverdale, in a Stutz Bearcat, and Les Edgecomb, in a new Corvette. Otto Sandburger was in charge of the group of twelve officials and judges, whose numbers included Ed Boyd, Russell Hurst, AL Johnson, Jim Knier, Wes Keicker, Bill Kimbrough, Leo Sudgaus, Clarence Supplee, and Lou Young,

"Shute's Scoot", an intermediate class mower owned by Henry Shute, proved clearly to be the most versatile of all the entries. It swept both the contests for mowers of its class, not only winning the speed competition but also negotiating the course in the slowest time of any mower in its class.

The fastest mower in the riding-type class was that of Bill Sudhaus, while Lloyd Church's "Chugger" took the honors in the slow competition. The "Chugger", incidentally, also placed second in the speed race, almost duplicating the sweep of "Shute1s Scoop",

In the small mower classification, Dave Soliday was the winner in the competition for the fastest run, while Dick Davis' mower was the slowest in this class.

With the individual first place honors evenly divided between the entries from Hunters Lane and those from Steeplechase Road, the results of the team relay, the final event of the Derby, took on special significance. It was a close race all the way. But when it was over, the Hunters Lane team had won the race - and the day's competition - by a narrow margin!

The Derby was followed in the evening by a street dance for all the residents of the area. It was the closing festivity of the nation's first (and perhaps the nation's only) Power Mower Derby, held in Devon on Decoration Day in 1954,