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The Oakland Marine Stadium was a boat racing course in San Leandro Bay near the Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline. It was used for power boat races in the early 1970s. The boats regularly exceeded 150 MPH, and went over 200 MPH in speed runs.

Sometimes water skiing exhibitions and competitions were held at the stadium.

The stadium was the scene of several fatal boat crashes. In 1973, Ray Caselli died after his boat crashed just as he crossed the finish line. He had won the race at an average speed of over 131 MPH. Caselli's boat "Panic Mouse" was destroyed. 1,2 In 1974, Mac Christensen died after a crash during a "tune-up" run. He was traveling about 180 MPH. 3 The Tribune article says it was the fourth fatality in 10 years. 3 Kenny McIntosh crashed a previously untested boat, "Porky Pig" in 1975. 5 Despite the "Call Him Lucky" headline, McIntosh wasn't so lucky. According to another source, he was put into a coma and died several years later. 6

There was also a marine stadium in Fremont for boat races, a shallow lake constructed in 1960. 4

Links and References

1972 event poster

  1. Racer Killed Ellensburg Daily Record March 20, 1973
  2. Panic Mouse Restoration on performanceboats.com (note: includes photos of crash)
  3. Hydro Racer Dies After Boat Flips Oakland Tribune July 1, 1974
  4. Fremont's Water Stadium Oakland Tribune November 27, 1960
  5. Call Him Lucky Long Beach Press Telegram August 20, 1975
  6. "Porky Pig" on hotboatdatabase.com
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