Per your request, I am writing to give you a little history of my involvement in outboard boat racing. From 1969 to 1977 I involved myself in Outboard Racing. I raced in the National Outboard Association, the American Outboard Federation and the American Power Boat Association. I was a member of the Kansas City Speedboat Association, the St. Louis Outboard Association, the Union of Professional Outboard Drivers, Outboard Central and the Okalahoma Boat Racing Association during my years of racing. During my racing career I raced in C & D Am Pro and Super Stock Hydro and Runabout, C Service Runabout, and C, D, & F Pro Hydroplane and Runabout. In 1976 I won the World Championship in the new class of E Hydro at Alexandria LA. At that race I also ran second in F Runabout with my brother, Jan, riding.

During the late 1940’s and early 1950’s my father, also Tom Berry, raced outboards with people like Dick Neal, Stan Leavendusky, Homer Branson, Hank Fuller and many other early outboard drivers and builders. One of my earliest recollections in the world of outboards is of Dick Neal’s shop in the basement of his boat dealership on Troost Ave. in Kansas City. I remember Dick holding me on his lap and explaining what he was doing while turning pistons on his lathe. Stan Leavendusky would eventually become the foreman of the machine shop in my father’s business, Ace Pattern & Foundry.

In 1969 I returned to the Kansas City area from a stretch in the U. S. Navy as a Torpedoman and Diver aboard the fast attack submarine USS Permit SSN 594. (That is a whole different story as it involved cold war espionage and patrols in the waters off of Vietnam). I hooked up with Butch (Stan the younger) Leavendusky. We had been friends prior to my service in the Navy, but not close. At least not near as close as we were soon to become and still are. He introduced me to Bob Lowrey who, like Butch, was heavily involved in outboard racing. Bob, his father Andy, and their family had recently started building boats. I bought a new Lowrey Hydro from Bob and a D Am Pro motor from Walter Curtouis. We first tested that boat and motor at Creve Coeur Park in St. Louis. That was my first Hydro ride. Before I left Creve Coeur that day I was also the proud owner of an old DeSilva Runabout. That is where it all started. (In the 2 man F picture - I am on the deck until the boat planes. Tim Chance is driving in the picture but then moves back when I turn around. Tim rode with me a lot. We won like that at Springfield I'll in '76.)

My thought at the time was that it would bring my father and me closer and give us something of a common interest. I did, however, find new friends and develop new relationships that will always mean a great deal to me.

In about 1973 I bought my first C Konig motor from Stan Sr. That put me into alcohol burners. If you raced with old Stan you just had to run C Service. That was just the way it was. That is when Butch and I started racing together. It was the natural thing to do. We lived close to each other, worked and ran together and were the best of friends. Butch found a large trailer and we had it painted with “Stan’s Custom Pistons”. I remember showing it to the old man (Stan) for the first time. He was really proud of it. It made no difference in what we paid for pistons and machine work, but he was proud of it. I sometimes worked in his peach orchard to help with what I owed for motor work. Eventually I painted my trailer the same way and we used both to get all of our stuff to the races. By that time Butch and I both had DeSilva Runabouts, I had a Butts Aerowing Hydro and Butch had a similar hydro built by Krier.

Before I retired from outboard racing in 1977 I was able to accumulate several local club championships, class championships, the Illinois State Championship in 1976 and the win at Alexandria in E Hydro in 1976. (Runabouts at Lakeland - When I went up it slowed me down and Todd Brinkman, V-99 passed me. Tom.)

I still miss that life. I recently found that Rex Hall lives in the same area that I do in Platte County, Missouri. I also hooked up with Bill Van who lives close to St. Louis, Missouri. They urged me to come to the Depue race and to the Worlds at Lake Alfred, Florida this year. (2008). I was able to do that and found many old friends and acquaintances from the years I raced. Both trips were definitely worth it... (In the Ft Worth picture starting the Y-51 runabout - Y-51 was Rex Hall. Not sure who his rider was but I think Butch. Holding the left (port) side of the boat is Pauli Bogosian and Dick Davies son (don't remember his name but Butch will know). On the right (starboard) is Dick Davies and Pauli's son. I am on the starting rope. Tom.) Tom, Y-32

First boat, a Lowrey Hydro, at Creve Cour Park, St. Louis, MO.

7/04/71 - Super Stock East-West Championships.

Tom Berry & Jan with Tom's Y-32 boat.

A Champion motor.

Every boat & driver had to be weighed before racing.

Tom's brother, Jan.

Tom & Jan.

Mercury 20-H engine.

Bob Lowrey and crew.

Pat Franke & friend.

Tom with his boat, after nose diving in the 1st turn in rough water.

This photo is from a race in July of 1975 at Ft. Worth, Texas. According to Tom, the people in the photo are Bill Van, Tom and Butch (Stan Leavendusky Jr).

Also from July, 1975 at Ft. Worth, Texas. The people in the photo are Paul Bogosian, Rex Hall and Tom Berry.

June, 1975, at Huntsville, Alabama - Tom and Butch preparing for a race.

August, 1975, at Wynona, MN. Tom said 38 drivers qualified for C hydro at that event in fierce competition. (Winona picture - That is Nick Buel from St. Joseph, MO congratulating me on my finish in my qualifying heat of C Hydro. I think I finished second. Lots of C Hydro's there that year. Tom.)

(The picture with the three Runabouts - H-3 is Kurts. Y-32 is me. V-23 is Pauli Bogosian. I am really proud of that picture as I was running in tall company. Tom.)