Another racing honor for Stillings
The Hall of Fame career of Richard (Dickie) Stillings received another boost Thursday when it was announced that Stillings is the 2022 Little Brown Jug Wall of Fame honoree.
Stillings, a driver-trainer who grew up in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, won consecutive Little Brown Jugs in 1986 and 1987 with Barberry Spur (trainer) and Jaguar Spur (trainer-driver). Both horses were owned by the late Roy Davis.
When he was informed by his longtime friend and former Meadows track announcer Roger Huston – the voice of the Little Brown Jug – he was overwhelmed.
“Roger had us all crying,” Stillings said. “It brought tears to my eyes. I was very fortunate to have the horses I had. It all worked out.”
The Little Brown Jug Wall of Fame honors those who have contributed to the success of the Little Brown Jug harness race held each September in Delaware, Ohio, fairgrounds. Stillings will be presented with a Wall of Fame jacket and a wall plaque at the time of the race.
The race is contested on the third Thursday after Labor Day.
Stillings becomes the fourth horseman from The Meadows to be so honored. The others are Delvin Miller (1987), Huston (2000) and Mickey Burke (2021).
“He was very emotional when he found out,” said Huston, who called both of Stillings’ Jug-winning races. “We are both in the national (Harness Racing) Hall of Fame. I know this means more to him. Dickie would go to the Jug when he was younger, a caretaker. It means a lot to him.”
In addition to his two Little Brown Jug victories, Stillings was the first local driver to win The Adios – doing so in 1986 with Barberry Spur.
He also won the Breeders Crown with Esquire Spur in 1989 and Kentucky Spur in 1988.
Stillings said he “never thought” about being named as a Little Brown Jug Wall of Fame honoree.
He reflected on his friend Roy Davis and his father Vince Stillings.
“I wish Mr. Davis was here to enjoy this,” Stillings said. “He saw all those races. I also wish my father could be here. I went to the Jug with him many times and I miss him every time I go there.”
Stillings had 5,920 career wins and earnings of $43,959,385. He had a remarkable 16 years of at least $1 million in earnings. His best year was 2009, with $3,031,402.
In 2008, he was inducted into the Washington-Greene Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2013 and is an Ohio Harness Racing Hall of Fame inductee.