Donald Aronow
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Donald Aronow | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | February 3, 1987 | (aged 59)
Cause of death | Murder |
Nationality | American |
Occupation(s) | Boat designer, builder, and racer |
Spouses | Shirley Goldin
(m. 1948; div. 1979)
|
Children | 5 |
Donald Joel Aronow (March 3, 1927 – February 3, 1987) was an American designer, builder, and racer of
Early life and education
Aronow was born in the
Career
After finishing school, Aronow was briefly a physical education teacher before working for his father-in-law's construction business.[1] In 1953, he established a construction company, the Aronow Corporation.[1][2] Following the success of his construction company, Aronow moved to Miami in 1959, where he began racing boats as a hobby.[2]
Aronow's hobby evolved into a business, and by the end of 1962, he had formed the
Due to a
Having sold Cigarette in 1982, Aronow formed USA Racing Team and built the Blue Thunders, 39-foot catamarans used by the
In addition to his championships, Aronow's boats won over 350 offshore races.
Murder
On February 3, 1987, Aronow was murdered in his car at the end of 188th Street in North Miami Beach, where his boat companies operated. Aronow had just come out of a meeting. Witnesses said a blue Lincoln pulled up next to Aronow's car. When Aronow rolled down his window, the Lincoln's driver shot him.
In 1995, Bobby Young admitted to the shooting and pleaded
The story was also the basis for the 2009 documentary film Thunder Man: The Don Aronow Story and the 2018 movie Speed Kills with John Travolta.
Personal life
In 1948, Aronow married Shirley Goldin, whom he had met while working as a lifeguard on Coney Island. They had three children: Michael, David, and Claudia.[1][6] Aronow and Goldin were divorced in 1979. Aronow's second wife was Lillian Crawford. He and Crawford had two sons, Gavin and Wylie.[2][7]
References
- ^ a b c d e f "How a Kid From Brooklyn Put Go-Fast Boats On The Map" By Capt Ken Kreisler Archived January 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Power & Motor July 2000
- ^ a b c d e "Don Aronow's Murder Leaves Miami Wondering: Were 'Cigarettes' Hazardous to His Health?", Joshua Hammer, People March 30, 1987
- ^ a b c David Ovalle (2010-12-08). "Kramer's Conviction Upheld in Aronow Murder". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
- ^ a b Barry Bearak (1989-04-18). "Helicopter Crash Foils Drug Smuggler's Prison Escape". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
- ^ "1986-1990 APBA Hall of Champions Inductees". American Power Boat Association. Archived from the original on 2014-05-29. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
- ^ "Master Of Those Mad Racers - Don Aronow hurts a little, but as the world's top ocean powerboat driver and builder he is never bored", Jerry Kirshenbaum, Sports Illustrated November 17, 1969
- ^ New York Times: "Paid Notice: Deaths KAYES, CECILY ELMES" February 4, 2004
Further reading
- Don Aronow: The King of Thunderboat Row, 1994, by Michael Aronow
- Historic Offshore Race Boat Association - Donald Aronow
- Blue Thunder: How the Mafia Owned and Finally Murdered Cigarette Boat King Donald Aronow, 1990, Thomas Burdick and Charlene Mitchell
- Samuels, David (December 18, 2006). "liquid smoke". Men's Vogue. Archived from the original on January 4, 2007.
- "The Murder of Speedboat Builder Don Aronow", Matt Meltzer, Miami Beach 411, September 18, 2007
- "Rock around the States: Don Aronow" by Antonio Soccol
- "30 for 30 Shorts: Collision Course" Documentary on Aronow's Murder