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On This Day in Automotive History: May 12

On This Day in Automotive History
May 12

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May 11 « Go to » May 13

National Odometer Day

Birthdays: Henry Turgeon (1895), Mervin Headley (1896), Walt May (1904), Milton Mabe (1918), Roy Salvadori (1922), Don Padia (1924), Cotton Hodges (1926), Jabe Thomas (1930), Gene White (1931), Hoss Ellington (1935), Gary Johnson (1940), Jacky Haran (1943), Willy Braillard (1946), Robin Hamilton (1947), Bill Scott (1948), John Mirro (1949), Gustl Spreng (1956), Henri Richard (1958), Mark Eddy (1960), Ian Khan (1960), Bill Whorff Jr. (1962), Stefano Modena (1963), Wesley Swartout (1964), Pierre Bes (1965), Todd Ellison (1967), Lin O'Neill (1967), Tony Hawk (1968), Larry Jackson (1974), Brad Means (1976), J.C. Beattie (1978), J.R. Bertuccio (1981), Luigi Ferrara (1982), Klark Quinn (1982), Brandon Duchscherer (1984), Robbie Pecorari (1987), Brian Henderson (1997), Marino Sato (1999)

1893: In a letter to General Roy Stone--not yet head of the not-yet formed ORI--U.S. Senator Charles Manderson recommends against further efforts to secure Federal funds for a good roads exhibit at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, IL. "The Exposition grounds themselves are an object lesson in good roads. When it rains mud is shoe deep where the road builder has not put in his best work."

1967: A Life magazine article, "Bitterest Fight: New Mass Transit vs. More Highways," charges that, "huge chunks of revenue producing downtown land are being eaten up." The article prompts a rebuttal in the June issue of Highway User magazine, which states that Life's serious charges are "patently untrue."

1978: Saab introduces the 900.

1992: First Lady Barbara Bush and Ohio First Lady Janet Voinovich join local school children and State, Department of the Interior, and FHWA officials in a tree planting ceremony along State Route 72 and I-70 outside Dayton. The ceremony recognizes Ohio's participation in America's TreeWays, a national highway tree planting initiative jointly sponsored by FHWA, Take Pride in America, the National Tree Trust, and the U.S. Forest Service. Associate Administrator for Program Development Anthony R, Kane, Division Administrator Fred Hempel, and Historic Preservation Officer Bruce Eberle represent FHWA.

1998: Gran Turismo released in North America.

2003: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was released on Windows PC.

2005: William Clay Ford Sr. retires from the board of the Ford Motor Company after 57 years.

2020: Morris Hood III died of COVID-19.