Hageman, Herman W.

 

Herman W. Hageman – (1997)

 

When Herman W. Hageman graduated from Lorain High School, Class of 1959-A, little did his family and friends realize what triumphs and final tragedy the next 10 years had in store for him. No doubt not even Hageman had any idea.

Following graduation, he went on to earn his college degree from Ohio Wesleyan University, whereupon he returned to the Steel City as an employee of The Lorain Telephone Co. where his father, James C. Hageman, was company president. Obviously well-schooled in his own right, Herman Hageman soon was promoted to company assistant secretary and commercial manager.

In addition to his telephone company responsibilities, Hageman also served as secretary of Lorain Electronics , a local ship-to-shore communications firm.

It was soon after his graduation from LHS, however, that Herman offered something of a hint about where his personal interests lay. Racing was in his blood. In the early 1960’s Hageman began to display his intrigue with power boat racing. Between 1962 and 1970, when Hageman tragically died while competing in a power boat racing event, he compiled a staggering list of racing honors recognized nationwide. And when he wasn’t piloting power boats, he raced sports cars, thriving on the competition.

During that eight-year span, Hageman became nationally recognized as one of the finest power boat racers of his time. He held numerous national point championships in various classes of power boat racing sponsored by the National Outboard Racing Association (NORA) and the American Power Boat Association (APBA). Some of his more notable achievements were:

—1965 and 1966 National High Point Winner in Class D (APBA).

—1967 National #2 High Point Winner in Unlimited 1 Class (APBA).

—1968 National #2 High Point Winner in Family F Class (APBA).

—1969 National #2 High Point Winner in Family I Class (APBA).

—1970 APBA National Championship in Family I Class in Miami, Fla.

At the time of his untimely death, Hageman was the national high point leader in Class Family I and he had already captured another #2 High Point Championship. He set three world records during his racing career, including:

—1966, with co-driver Mike Quayle, set 2-, 3-, 4-, 5- and 6-hour world records in the Winnebagoland 6-Hour Marathon, with records recognized by UIM, the governing body that sanctions world records in motorsports competition.

—1966, set UIM world single engine record in OPC (Outboard Pleasure Craft) Sport Division with speed of 48.056 miles per hour.

Hageman also set the UIM world speed record for a closed course in his class of boat. The National Outboard Racing Association (NORA) lists the record at 56 mph.

On the local boating scene, Hageman was highly instrumental in promoting the sport of power boat racing as a sponsor, in association with the Lorain Chamber of Commerce. Through their cooperative efforts, five APBA races were staged in Lake Erie off Lorain. Hageman also helped organize the Lorain Outboard Racing Club and served as APBA’s OPC Region 6 Director Alternate and publicity chairman.

His heroics went beyond power boat racing. On June 10, 1970, about three months before his untimely death at age 28, Hageman helped rescue then-7-year-old Randy Legg who had toppled off Lorain’s Municipal Pier into the water. Hageman was putting his boat in the water when another man yelled that he needed help. Fully clothed, Hageman leaped into the water and pulled the Lorain youth back onto the pier where he helped administer artificial respiration until the boy regained consciousness.

Hageman’s own tragic death occurred on Sept. 7, 1970, while competing with 10 other power boaters in the 80 to 90 cubic inch class racing in the River Festival NOA Internationals in Portsmouth, Ohio, along the Ohio River.

While at the throttle of his 15-foot boat traveling about 65 mph in the 11-boat field that made up the 100 Horsepower Class event, Hageman’s boat was struck in the right rear by another boat. The impact tore his engine loose from the transom, striking Hageman in the head. He was taken unconscious to a local hospital where he died about an hour after the accident.

Hageman was survived by his wife, Joyce, a daughter, Wendy, and son, Kent, as well as his parents.