[ISF]

October 27th, 1971 Robert George Tattersall passed away at the young age of 47 following a lengthy battle with cancer. Tat was the USAC National Midget Champion back in 1969. A noteworthy detail of that championship is that the season contained the most races in the history of the USAC midget division. Due to him competing in Australia until after the USAC season started here in the States during the years prior, 1969 was the first time Tat ran all the USAC races.

Tat ranks 4th with 63 victories on the all time USAC National Midget win list behind only Mel Kenyon, Rich Vogler and Bob Wente. Tat is considered to be one of the half dozen greatest midget drivers of all time.

Tat is, to this day, recognized and is thought of as a racing god in Australia where he still owns many records.

I am honored to be able to say that my wife and I are good friends with Tat's widow Delores who is now in her mid 80's and sharp as a tack, drives every day and still lives in the home she and Tat shared before his passing. Even today she's more than willing to set down and have a few beers and talk racing as long as you want to talk it.

Rest in peace Bob Tattersall.

[jdull99]

I read at least one book on him when I was a kid. Thanks for the reminder/cliff note version! Glad you got to know him (it sounds like?) & his wife; personally.

[Cage Faraday]

Great post. Thanks for sharing.

[copper14]

there is a group of very talented painters called the wall dogs.i think they are from Pontiac il.they go to towns and paint on buildings the pictures of local famous things.my hometown,kewanee,il had the wall dogs come several years ago.the wall dogs painted pictures of the uss Kewanee,a ww 2 ship,roger reiman,our famous ama motorcycle racer and hd dealer,and Neville brand,a famous Hollywood actor from Kewanee.the walldogs went to Streator il lately and painted a huge picture of tat on a wall and several other pictures.tat is still well known in racing circles and was one of the best ever.cg

[ISF]

Originally Posted by copper14 there is a group of very talented painters called the wall dogs.i think they are from Pontiac il.they go to towns and paint on buildings the pictures of local famous things.my hometown,kewanee,il had the wall dogs come several years ago.the wall dogs painted pictures of the uss Kewanee,a ww 2 ship,roger reiman,our famous ama motorcycle racer and hd dealer,and Neville brand,a famous Hollywood actor from Kewanee.the walldogs went to Streator il lately and painted a huge picture of tat on a wall and several other pictures.tat is still well known in racing circles and was one of the best ever.cg

Copper, the Wall Dogs are actually from all over the world. We spoke with several of them this summer when they converged on Streator, IL which is Bob Tattersall's home town. During the time they were painting the murals Delores was on site every day at the building where Tat's picture is painted. She was determined to make sure they got it right. LOL!!

Australian tour groups come to Streator every summer and stop and visit Delores and visit Bob's grave site. We've talked with several Aussies out at the Belleville Midget Nationals who weren't yet born at the time Bob passed away and they know exactly who Tat was and what he accomplished while racing in Australia.

[TQ29m]

Never realised Bob was from "out of state", sure was a midget magician!

[Rapid Rick]

I have memories of watching Bob Tattersall drive several times when I was just a kid. He was at the top of an incredibly talented group of midget drivers in the late 60's. Tat, Kenyon, Bettenhausen, Vuk Jr. Wente, Strickland Englehart, Pens, Caruthers and many others. Those guys are why midgets are still my favorite form of racing.

[Roy Bleckert]

Tat was Bad Ass !!!

[bart]

Thanks for sharing these stories.

Besides being a great driver he just seemed cool. Wish I could have met him.

Bart

[Andrew S. Quinn]

Years ago I stopped in to visit with Dee on one of my many racing trips. Dee and I have many mutual racing friends in Australia,including the guy that first invited Bob to race there,Kym Bonython.(RIP) Dee was flown to Australia to be on "This is your life Kym Bonython" and was on the show with Kym. A friend of mine got me a copy of that on video,and I sent her a copy as well.

Bob is in this video from the Sydney Showgrounds at about the 18 minute mark. Kym Bonython not only was the racing promoter at Rowley Park Speedway in Adelaide,but he occasionally drove midgets as well. His Mac Diamond Offy Roadster midget (Kurtis Roadster) can be see as Bob lapped him.

This video is about Bryan and Peter Cunneen,Sid Middlemass (Who I met by chance at Kellys Pub II years ago) and also 10 time Australian sprint car champion Garry Rush. Its about racing midgets in the 60s in Australia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3yi7igFoe0