GRIT (Full Length) - The History of Motorcycle Board Track Racing

[Music] for a few short years at the turn of the 20th century America's Most Daring Sportsman jockeyed motorcycle Cycles at 90 mph on steep wooden tracks Spitting Fire and burning oil the machines had no suspension no brakes and only one gear the tracks were called Moto drones wooden saucers up to a mile around and banked it up to 65 degrees inside these perilous American coliseums they put their life on the line to the Delight of the masses those who dared compete would either find fame and fortune or they'd meet their gruesome end dozens were killed yet the legend of the motod Drome continues to inspire generation after generation the machines were Iron and Steel the tracks banked walls of rough saw and Timber and the men wore little more than wool and leather this is their legacy the tale of the great board track races a sport with the highest Stakes that was gone just as quickly as it appeared this is the legend of the American Motor drum [Music] the dawn of the 20th century was a time of the Great American metamorphosis as families were still picking up the pieces Shattered by the Civil War the country began to emerge from the Cocoon of reconstruction spreading its new steel wings of Industry the frontier was closed having given way to rampant urbanization and a new flirtation with Imperial ambition the Gilded Age was at its height and America charged headlong towards its Destiny on the world stage the country began to find strength in its industrial prowess and vast Resources with new technologies came new manufacturing transportation and Recreation revolutions molding the Modern Nation that we recognize today modernity was in fashion technology and convenience were reshaping life for the middle class while consumerism and Recreation were defining an emerging culture it was in this space between Cowboys and fighter pilots that a new breed of American man emerged these men risk life and limb to compete on steeply banked wooden tracks known as motor drones straddling loud fire breathing two- wheel Contraptions they were champions of a new type of Enthusiast the motorcyclist and became the first Professionals of a new and exhilarating sport moreover the boort track racer embodied a new modern ideal of American m masculinity rugged celebrities of Daring and charm Fearless gentlemen crisscrossing the country to the crowd's Delight to better understand how these unique American Gladiators came to be we need to first look back before the spectacle of the American motod Drome to the origins of the motorcycle itself it is a story inexorably linked to the dawn of the technological age and one of its most prolific and beloved Expressions the bicycle historians often point to specific events in the past as harbingers of significant change and in regard to America's coming of age the country's 100-year celebration the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia was bursting with everything that was to come the late 1800s produced a flurry of technological cultural and economic in inovation all of which were prominently on display at the massive Exposition from International buildings to the Women's Pavilion and Agriculture and Horticultural exhibits there was something for everyone including the torch wielding right arm of the Statue of Liberty the technological marveles were the showstoppers however with unveilings of electric dynamos Bell's telephone the typewriter even the debut of ketchup and root beer steam power was the energy source of the future as evident by the 1400 horsepower coreless steam engine powering the entire Affair but an odd new two- wheeled machine from England caught the eye of all to come by it these early bicycles had evolved from crude wooden velocipedes and Bone shakers to An Elegant industrial design featuring a massive front wheel metal frame pedals through the front hub and a seat perched to top the bicycle was a sensation the Expo ran for 159 days and Drew nearly 10 million people in that time one such visitor a former Union Colonel turned entrepreneur named Albert Pope was among the many to Marvel at the machines and promptly secured a license to produce the high wheeel bicycles in the US under his newly created Mark Columbia bicycle soon took New England by storm creating new businesses new Social Clubs and a new sport racing the cumbersome bikes commonly known as ordinaries or penny farings the first of these races took place at Boston's Beacon Park in 1878 and soon professionals from Europe were traveling to America to compete Pope founded the league of American Wheelman in 1880 advocating cycling around the country producing city maps and lobbying for the construction of a Federal Highway program through the good roads movement in 1885 British inventor John Kim Starley refined the bicycle design reducing the front wheel dramatically by developing rear wheel chain drive syst system what he created was the rover safety bicycle a design that remains the basic format of bicycles ever since the more stable and practical design made the bicycles instantly more accessible to a much broader audience and the bicycle became a symbol for modern society they provided Recreation for the masses utility for the industrious and autonomy across demographics as evident in women's fondness for bicycles throughout the emerging suffer just Movement by the 1890s the bicycle had become a transportation and Recreation revolution in America creating an industry a sport and a culture that became the foundation of the American Motorcycle at the same time the gasoline powered internal combustion engine was being developed in Europe though aspects of these engines can be dated back to the late 1700s it wasn't until the 1870s that the concept took hold in France and Germany the culmination was Carl Ben's three-wheel motor vehicle in 1886 largely considered the first automobile the Parisian company Deon baton already had success with steam powered vehicles but quickly developed a small but reliable gasoline engine for use in their popular triar platform a few years later that engine is often pointed to as the first capable lightweight internal combustion engine of its type and because the Dion licensed these engines to countless companies they have helped Propel the inevitable leap from bicycle to motorcycle the final ingredient for the motorcycle emerged out of the sport of bicycle racing itself in the UK the vome had become the venue of choice as bicycle racing gained popularity in the 1870s these tracks were often built indoors not only because it provided shelter from the elements but it also provided the opportunity to charge admission constructed of wooden strips laid side to side in an oval with raised Bank sections in the turns these velodromes allowed for exciting high-speed contests year round the velodrome concept came to America with the first ordinaries but with the introduction of the Rover safety design the sport exploded belad dromes popped up across the country and thousands of Americans flocked to the fashionable modern sporting events soon professionals from abroad looking to cash in on the booming American Market arrived in Hot Pursuit of opportunity among the first of those Champions to arrive from England was John Shillington Prince better known as Jack who held the title of world champion in 1880 Prince came to the states in 1883 as a representative of British bicycle manufacturers a race promoter and a builder of vres Prince was one of the first stars of the sport and became a prolific force in the industry promoting riding clubs building vres racing and it would be prince who would create the sport of motorcycle board track racing in the coming years he also began mentoring aspiring American Racers across the country one of which being a 16-year-old racer from Watertown Massachusetts named George mallerie hindy with Prince's help hindy quickly Rose to prominence winning the national amateur High wheel championship in 1886 and becoming America's first national champion like many other Racers at the time hindy turned his success on the track to success in business manufactur in and selling bicycles in Springfield Massachusetts under the moniker of silver King and Silver Queen the combination of the safety bicycle design in the velodrome introduced a new form of the sport where teams would compete in multi-day longdistance events the Star Rider would spend much of the race conserving his energy behind a pacing cyclist which led to the development of the tandem bicycle tandems allowed for more Riders to generate higher speeds more efficiently and for long longer periods of time cycling had become a team sport as cycling grew more and more popular so too did the number of its Stars including names like Bobby wauer Jake D roer Charles Mets Oscar headstrom and the first black world champion cyclist Marshall Walter Major Taylor to capitalize on the wild popularity Jack Prince was hired in 1894 to construct a vome inside New York's Madison Square Garden for the International Six-Day championships Prince wound up winning that year but the venue itself would soon see the dawn of a new era the age of the motorcycle the tandem pacing bicycle had grown to be quite a production by the late 1890s and recruiting enough men to make a successful team had strained the viability of the sport several adaptations of the tandem occurred to increase power including adding multiple riders or incorporating emerging Steam and Electric Power plants it was French racing star HRI forier who found the combination of the Dion Bhutan gas engines with a tandem bicycle a small team could efficiently create high-speed drafts for the cyclists in December of 1898 fornier unveiled his motorized pacing solution to the amazement of the crowd in Madison Square Garden and at once all of the ingredients for the American Motorcycle had come together the moment was raw and Loud smoke puffed from the exhaust and fumes filled the air inside the stadium as fornier paced racer Eddie McDuffy around the boards of the garden at a speed just over 30 mph despite the numerous and frequent breakdowns forer's week in New York with the motorized pacing machines produced Sensational headlines the new mechanical Marvel had commanded the attention of all who witnessed Spectators Racers and Keen businessmen alike one such racer was a sweet bsh immigrant named Carl Oscar headstrom who was as skilled an engineer as he was a racer when not competing headstrom operated a workshop in Middletown Connecticut where he built light but durable bicycles and after seeing the machines fornier brought from France he quickly acquired Aon engine of his own to begin tinkering as more motor Pacers were imported into the states headstrom kept busy given his ability and reputation for improving the machines while also developing his own motorized Pacer in the spring of 1900 headstrom unveiled his tandem Pacer configuration a streamlined and elegant design with a vastly improved carburetor and throttle control and a more effective chain drive hedstrom's typhoon Pacer as he named it set a new standard in design performance and reliability he and his teammate Charles Henshaw developed a fierce reputation on the track even taking the typhoon up against forier in Baltimore that August in in one of the first Pace or only races that were gaining popular interest naturally hedstrom's refined engineering drew the attention of everyone in the industry but one fateful conversation with George hindy would change the game forever the pair discussed a partnership a few times leading up to the Six-Day races in Madison Square Garden but after the event in January 1901 the pair wrote up an agreement on the back of an envelope to develop a single Rider motorized bicycle for the consumer Market with hedstrom's Brilliance and mechanical design and hendy's Manufacturing resources and business Acumen the Prototype was complete by May headstrom rode his graceful motorized bicycle 40 M over rough roads from Middletown to Springfield to show Hindi by 1901 there were several companies dealing in engine kits based on the Deon engines some even offering complete motorized bicycles like er Thomas and the Orient bicycle company but it was headr and Hindi who are able to design produce and quickly scale a successful motorized bicycle soon an explosion of new manufacturers emerged many springing out of existing bicycle companies but each driving Innovation refinement and consumer visibility Indian was joined by dozens of American motorcycle manufacturers Brands like Yale Merkel reading standard Thor and Harley-Davidson the bicycle industry had provided the business model the social infrastructure the manufacturing facilities distribution and advertising channels and many of the technological innovations it had been nearly 30 years since the first bicycles found their way to the United States but with them came new and beloved aspect of American life and a robust industry supporting it on its shoulders was being built a new era in American culture and as Dawn broke over a new century the motorcycle had arrived [Music] just as quickly as bicycle fever swept the nation in the 1880s so too did motorcycle Mania in the early 1900s motorcycles followed the blueprint for the Industrial Revolution utility and refinement drove production and profit manufacturers of motorcycles parts and accessories sprang up by the dozens trade magazines kept enthusiasts up to date with the latest Innovations and newest trends in the wheelan's world shops made space on their showroom floors for new motorcycle stock and growing manufacturers further expanded their distribution networks social groups formed promoting riding lobbying for accommodation in better roads and organizing socials long distance tours and exhibition races on local Hills and horse tracks the saying goes that the first motorcycle race occurred the day the second motorcycle was built which isn't all that far from the truth daring Enthusiast and Champion cyclists alike could be found gathering at local horse tracks to pit their machines against one another it was one such Track Los Angeles's agriculture Park on May 7th 1901 the former cyclist Ralph Hamlin bested three other entrance on his Orient motorcycle at roughly 32 mph in what is widely credited as America's first motorcycle race found in nearly every Community these horse tracks nurtured the talents of aspiring Racers and provided an enthusiastic public with the perfect venue in which to witness the birth of the American motorcycle race soon a variety of events materialized centering around endurance and reliability of both man and machine in September of 1903 the Federation of American motorcyclists was formed to promote motorcycling and regulate competition as the machines continued to evolve the marketplace expanded to include a diverse field of options new motorcycles featured belt or chain drives clutches with gear choices multiple cylinders and of course increased horsepower the speed of the motorcycle had surpassed anything a single person could experience regularly without aid from a train and many companies were finding that by marketing the reliability power and speed of their motorcycle they could sell even more on March 26th 1903 the first official speed trials in America were staged on the beach in front of Daytona's Orman Hotel between the dunes and the Atlantic Indian's Oscar headstrom was the only motorcycle entry setting an American speed record of 57 mph on board his prototype racer that he built out of one of his typhoon pacing machines in the Years following Orman Beach hosted the Motorsport Elite as crowds poured in in the first decade of the 20th century the annual Carnival of speed swelled in size and the little town on the North End of Daytona became the center of the racing Universe for decades to come earning its title as the birthplace of speed Indian was by far the most dominant brand by 1907 producing over 2,000 motorcycles a year year in contrast companies like Harley-Davidson were only turning out around 150 the automobile was gaining popularity as a personal mode of transportation but they were often preventatively expensive for the average citizen in the years before for's production Revolution took hold auto racing was still a rich man's game catering mostly to European Elites and American tycoons the motorcycle was an every man's machine and as such competition on two Wheels far more accessible speed contests endurance runs and hill climbs had proven a lucrative selling point for Brands like Indian but some in the industry began seeking new venues in which to drum up publicity bicycle racing was still quite in fashion though motorcycle exhibitions on the small bicycle Vel dromes often stole the show by 1908 machines had grown too powerful for these small wooden tracks but the crowd wanted more motorized action on on the boards ever the opportunist Jack Prince had his finger on the pulse and endeavored to give the people what they wanted resulting in the emergence of a new type of venue the American Motor drone just across the Hudson from Manhattan in a suburb of Newark New Jersey named Clifton the first of Prince's vomes to be constructed with consideration of motorcycle matches was opened on July 4th 1908 at 1 16th of a mile around with a 48° bank in the corners the stadium at Clifton was considerably wider and longer than the velodromes of the day still only two motorcycles could run on the boards at one time three made a crowded capacity on July 5th 1908 a crowd of 5,000 gathered to take in the Federation of American motorcyclists National Championship meet on the new track with young Pioneer Racers like Jacob der roer Fred hike Walter George and Charles Gustafson whizzing around the wood no at nearly 70 mph headstrom had produced a special oneoff racing machine specifically for the track which featured a new Loop frame design that cradled the engine and allowed it to sit lower to the ground this feature would Define motorcycles from that point on and helped free them from their DNA and bicycle design HRI forer's American pacing partner Jacob der roer was the day standout and was hired by hindian hedstrom exclusively to race for Indian the deal made D roer the first professional motorcycle racer in America and as such he quickly became a national star Clifton showed manufacturers like Indian Racers like the roer and businessmen like Jack Prince that interested motorcycle racing was bubbling there was money to be made Prince quickly set off for Los Angeles to build the first specific motorcycle racing track in America La had become a new hotbed for motorcycling both on the West CO Coast as well as the United States at large interest was in a fevered state and this board of racing had taken off thanks to organizations like the Los Angeles motorcycle club and well-built horse tracks like agriculture Park Riders like Paul Durham Morty Graves and Charlie balk were making a name for themselves as Premier writers in the area Prince soon found a parcel of land not far from agriculture Park in January of 1909 and immediately began construction of his new motorcycle board track built exclusively for motorcycles Prince's Coliseum was a wooden oval measuring 1/3 of a mile around with 45° banked turns completed in March of 1909 the Los Angeles Coliseum was an immediate success launching the motor Drome era in America and the careers of several Young Riders with nearly every event came new world speed records Morty Graves and Arthur Mitchell set records on German NSU motorcycles Jake der roer and young Freddy hike rote Indians and claimed nearly every prize while local favorites Paul Durham and Charlie balk mounted reading standard and Thor Prince learned from the writers that negotiating the incline shift from the bank turns onto the flat Straits was difficult and limiting so he began tinkering with his design he also painted advertisement lines along the top side of the track for motorcycle makers race cycle in Indian introducing a new and lucrative element to the motor drone business model in a brilliant business move George hindy saw to it that the next motor drone would be built close to Indian headquarters in Springfield Massachusetts in early 1909 he secured a 10-year lease on a plot of land and contracted Prince to begin construction as soon as he completed the LA Coliseum on July 31st 1909 Prince unveiled the most state-of-the-art racing facility the world had ever seen like the LA Coliseum the Springfield stadium was 1/3 of a mile in length however having listened to the complaints of the riders in Los Angeles Prince made the Springfield track circular with a consistent banking this new design made an instant impact on the speeds when Indian star Riders Freddy hike and Jake D roier fired their machines up for the first time they smashed all existing records some by as much as 19 seconds it had been 10 years since he stood by fornier and his motor Pacer and in Madison Square Garden but the world had changed quite a bit though no such title had been created in the sport of motorcycle racing since Jake D roer ended the season in 1909 with papers across the country proclaiming him to be the world champion with the Springfield Stadium motor Drome the die had been cast the board track era had begun in America and Jack Prince's vision for a national professional racing circuit was underway not one to rest when the iron was hot Prince returned to Los Angeles to begin construction on his most ambitious track to date oil tycoon Frank garvett and auto engineer Fred muskovitz contracted Prince to build a massive mile long motor Drome in the swamp land at pad Del re in hopes of racing both motorcycles and Automobiles to accommodate the automobiles Prince built the track substantially wider and with a modest banking of only 20° with over 2 million square ft of lumber and 30 tons of nails the Los Angeles motor Drome lovingly called the pipan opened in April 1910 to an electric crowd the 1 mile long scale atlia Del Rey was an expensive Affair and diminished the intimate thrill available at the smaller LA Coliseum in Springfield stadium so Prince set off again to construct another of his motorcycle exclusive board tracks in Salt Lake City Salt Lake had long been a cycling Town even hosting early motor Pacer races at the Salt Palace vome years before Prince built his newest track at wand Demir Park copying his earlier circular design in Springfield at 1/3 of a mile long and banked at 42° for the first time a power plant was included to run a series of electric Arc lights placed around the perimeter for night races the biggest riders in the country put on a wild show of speed for the 8,000 Spectators on that hot opening night in July 1910 Prince had created a new sensation in America the success at Salt Lake only fueled his Ambitions for 1911 beginning in Oakland California Jack Prince continued adding tracks to his National circuit the elhurst motor Drome opened in April 1911 followed quickly by two more tracks in Denver the mile high city became the only place ever to house competing local board tracks one at the White City amusement park and the other at tuler Denver had a strong club scene and at the time was home to several local racing stars with colorful names including Johnny Albright Glenn sliver Boyd Earl red Armstrong and Farmer Joe Walters up incoming amateurs like the Texas cyclone Eddie hasha and William Wells Bennett arrived in Denver while the country's biggest stars traveled between the various tracks to challenge all who dared Indians Jake the roer was now consistently being challenged by both the increasingly competitive team at Merkel as well as his own teammate Charlie bul de roer and buul traded titles from week to week resulting in an intense rivalry between the Indian Stars Hindi and headstrom meanwhile had set their sights on International distribution and in an effort to broaden their Global appeal Indians sent their very own world champion D roer to compete in England's prestigious Isle of Man TT Road Race sadly de roer's luck ran out across the pond and he claimed no victories while in America a Changing of the Guard was underway the number of capable professionals was steadily increasing challenging veterans like der roer for dominance new manufacturers too brought new competition to the a parent Indian Brands like Chicago's exceler Auto cycle the windy city also became home to Prince's last motor Drome of 1911 a track where the sport would undergo a seismic shift Chicago's Riverview Park became Prince's most modern motor Drome to date and on July July 8th 1911 the 74 acre complex opened to well over 10,000 in ticket sales with der roer competing in England a large field of professionals and amateurs alike rode elbow to Elbow vying for top marks as always Indian and their main rival Merkel were at the top of the Heats but a newcomer exceler was determined to throw their hat into the ring and recruited the most promising Rider to come out of the competitive scene in Denver Farmer Joe Walters was not only a skilled motor Drome Rider but an insightful mechanic as well with excel's blessing Walters began making modifications to his racing machine helping Engineers develop a powerful new 7 horsepower v twin Walters and his exceler 7 began making quick work of claiming nearly every record on the books consistently hitting speeds of 90 mph on the boards at Riverview putting sweat on the Brows of the boys at Indian and making 1911 the fastest summer in history D Ro to return to a packed field full of fast New Riders frustrated teammates and capable new machines perhaps upset by his lackluster performance in England or struggling with his Indians lack of power compared to Walter's new 7 der roer was in a mood in telegrams back to Springfield der roer told Hindi to build faster bikes for him and Charlie balk or quote wipe that word speed off of your advertisements D roer took it upon himself to sign B's name to the telegram as well and in an unprecedented move hindy responded by terminating both the star Riders contracts at the end of the fastest summer in history America's two biggest racing Stars Jake D roer and Charlie balk were without a ride Indian quickly added fresh young talent to their squad like Eddie hasha and Ray Seymour while headstrom developed yet another groundbreaking power plant for the 192 season D roer and bulk wasted little time finding a new home with the ambitious sucess celier company now headed up by bicycle magnate ignis Schwin the tracks in Salt Lake Denver and Chicago help to find the successful formula 1/3 to 1/4 Mile around banking at around 45° with grand stands and Ark lights perched along the top the expansive infields lend themselves to additional attractions like baseball and football games as well as new daring air shows in the earliest days of flight companies were eager to involve themselves in motor Drome racing sponsoring Riders tracks and buying advertising wherever they could print it motorcycle racing had become big business as such newspapers were filled with accounts from local races and National incidents and ads touting the latest records or equipment used by the pros filled the pages new writers were testing their grid on the boards while Harden veterans raked in the winnings and smiled for the cameras motor Drome fever in America was just beginning and in time larger steeper tracks would allow for more Riders to race in a single heat and break record after record as top speeds climbed motorcycle racing was entering its golden age but the gruesome truth of speed would soon catch [Music] up [Music] within a decade of their American introduction motorcycles had matured at a frenzied Pace quickly evolving from brittle finicky gadgets to brooding highly specialized machines a new American industry exploded public enthusiasm was brimming over and the world applauded at the rise of an invigorating new sport by 1912 the American Motor Drome stadiums offered attendees a new level of exhilaration anticipation and thrilling danger this was the Golden Age of motorcycle racing motorcycles filled the city streets and County Roads as fans packed into Prince's fabulous motor drumes by the thousands young and old alike filled the grand stands to witness the electrifying jolt of the night races as men sped around at 90 mph under the glow of Ark lights this was the era that racing itself was defined a time in which men established for future icons what it took to be fast and what it meant to be a racer 1912 marked motorcycling's crowded hour in America but just as fast as it had taken hold the sport began to prove the Grim reality of its foundations the technology had outpaced the precautions and bort TR racing quickly became a blood sport too gruesome for Urbane Civil Society Jack Prince was a blur of activity in 1912 building eight new tracks in Los Angeles Cleveland Philadelphia Brighton Beach Columbus valburg New Jersey St Louis and Dallas do you like videos like these let us know by liking and subscribing share with your friends and if you want to support the project more head over to the archive Moto patreon page and help keep this history alive [Music] while several Pioneer Racers like Paul Durham and canonball Baker had left the saddle for work in the industry veterans like Arthur Mitchell and my Graves were still traveling the country running with the best of them Jacob De roer and Charlie balk were getting acquainted with their new excelsor mounts while Fresh Faces Eddie hasher Ray Seymour and Wells Bennett were the country's fastest rising stars m M Drome racing had proven to be quite lucrative with Racers making in one week what an average American had to work an entire year for Prince's Vision now expanded to include Regional circuits with home and traveling racing teams and wherever he could put up a track a crowd of eager Young Writers waited to test their nerve on the wooden walls for spectators there simply was nothing like it anywhere else in the world in an article for science ific American riter Ray fiser had this to say a thousand speed mad Spectators clutched the edges of their seats gasped and peered beneath them there was a rattle like a battery of Gatlin guns a few streaks of flying Sparks a swishing sound a thunder That Shook the elevated grandstands and when the crowd breathed in again it was to inhale fumes of engine oil below them four men on motorcycles riding a breast along a wood wall one above the other flashed from the Shadows into the glare of an arc and on again such high speeds were made capable by a new breed of purpose-built racing motorcycle large bors ported cylinders and overhead valves were just a few of the mechanical refinements turning fuel into eye watering speed Indian's big base 8 valve racer regained the momentum it had lost to exceler debut 7 Series while flying Merkel managed to remain competitive despite fall altering on the consumer side of their business Thor had also been making their way up the ranks thanks to Engineers like Bill ottaway who later would spearhead The Wrecking Crew Harley-Davidson's iconic Factory racing team celier continued to make improvements both on the track as well as on the showroom floor propelling the company to one of the top manufacturers in the country excel's hiring of Jacob der roer after his split with Indian in 1911 was a Monumental event in the sport the roer was an original competitor with over 900 races under his belt but his career with the Chicago based company would only seem to add to his frustrations outbursts and ultimately marked the end of his career der roer Charlie balk and many of the other top level professionals set off for La at the start of the 1912 season to compete on Prince's latest track the Los Angeles Stadium Moto drone tensions between balk and D roer were higher than ever given the pair had just been fired from Indian so the duo battled fiercely once the track opened in February on Sunday March 12th while running wide open shoulder-to-shoulder Charlie balk suddenly lost control of his machine sending the pair into a violent crash at over 80 mph B was on his feet within a few minutes D roer on the other hand was in critical condition and rushed to the hospital he was the biggest star of any sport at the time and his accident made the front pages of the newspapers around the country D roer's recovery was slow and complicated remaining in the hospital for months and returning frequently for surgeries to mend the tremendous damage suffered in the Collision unfortunately D roer's accident would be but the first of the tragedies to find their way onto the boards in 1912 summer brought about the most active seasons in the sports history with nightly races happening across the country in July the Federation of American motorcyclists held their national championships at the Columbus motod Drome for the first time on a wooden track having taken place on dirt tracks and years before the visibility of the sport had attracted countless amateurs in search of glory and wealth on the boards and with little regulation most anyone could talk their way onto a motor drone for a hair raising ride one such amateur Haney Potter a local police officer in Salt Lake City was trying his hand on the boards of the wand near motor Drome when he struck another new local Rider Odin Johnson at the end of the Memorial Day races Johnson recovered but Potter did not survive one month later at Cleveland's Luna Park Robert hunter lost his life followed by Harry Davis again at walamir within weeks racing was a dangerous sport but that was the understood risk the Riders the industry and most important the American people showed little interest in water in Down The Thrill of the motor drone on September 8th 1912 that all changed the vilberg motor Drome in Newark New Jersey was built in conjunction with electric park and opened in July 192 the stadium was 1/4 Mile around and banked at 60° one of the steepest tracks to have ever been built it was there to a packed House of over 8,000 Spectators that fate finally caught up to the blistering speeds the racers maintained slightly after 5:00 p.m. the pistol fired for the 5em event and quickly young Eddie hasha took the lead on board his Indian big base his machine misfired allowing Ray Seymour to take the lead and as hasha reached to adjust his carburetor he suddenly lost control shooting up to the top of the track at a speed of around 92 mph hasha struck the guard rail instantly snapping his neck and sending his body and machine flying into the crowd his Indian then fell back down the track colliding with Johnny Albright who was running shortly behind the back when the chaos calmed and the dust settled hasha and Albright were dead as were six Spectators ranging in age from 14 to 26 headlines filled the front pages of the tragedy at Vailsburg all racing was suspended and investigation by the mayor and the sanctioning body were launched Oscar headstrom recalled his big base machines back to the factory and several writers including Ray Seymour Arthur trael and shorty Matthews hung up their helmets and took jobs in the industry in an instant the sport had changed [Music] forever the one bright spark in the darkness that engulfed the sport at the end of 1912 was the daring solo record run of a young amateur named Lee humiston on December 30th 1912 on the wide Boards of the pad Del Ray bort track in Los Angeles humiston mounted his new 61 cubic in excelsor Twin and set off for the day's speed trials like a lightning bolt of gray and red he and his exceler shot around the massive 1em long wooden Circle at pla the occasion was a spectacular moment in American Motorcycle history and all who were present knew it as it marked the first time that a man in a motorcycle had ever reached 100 mph humiston achiev achievement helped heal the still open wounds caused by the tragedy at Vailsburg the sport had changed in an instant but with 193 came New Opportunities though the losses at Wanderer Riverview and vebber were still Weighing on the country 1912 had been a successful year for the sport and Jack Prince continued expanding his bort Trak Empire another eight new tracks were built to support the American Motor drone league with new saucers popping up now and record time new stadiums could be found in Detroit Toronto Atlanta lllo Kentucky Pittsburgh Milwaukee Chattanooga and Houston tragically before the season could even crack its first starter pistol the darkness from 1912 fell upon the motor racing Community once again it was February 25th 1913 following his third leg surgery since his accident in Los Angeles the jet jaob der roer finally succumbed to his injuries a true champion by any measure der roer's accomplishments were stacked over the years into a tower of records and victories he stood alongside forer at the beginning of it all and had been racing ever since often times holding every early speed record from 1 to 100 miles he was one of the first to hit the m a minute mark on a motorcycle and blew well past that before anyone else could D roer was the first American to compete overseas as well as the first to line up for the inaugural race at America's hollowed Indianapolis Motor Speedway even his machine the infamous Indian number 21 was the single most successful racing machine in the world before World War I Jacob der roer was the first king of the motor Drome and helped develop the sport into the national craze that it became he was America's champion and a true Titan in motorcycle culture despite their recent differences George hindy and Oscar headstrom closed the doors at Indian and led the funeral parade to lay their old fast friend to rest at home in Springfield as the nation mourned the tragedy at Vailsburg and the loss of der roer began shifting public opinion on motor Drome racing with the exception of the vilberg track who had permanently shut their Gates every track in the country resumed racing ticket sales were steady Jack Prince continued erecting stadiums at a record rate but by 1913 the good Knights were becoming few and far between as one after another from Denver to Riverview Atlanta to Detroit more and more accidents on the boards were proving fatal by July seven Riders had died either during practices or races which when added to the 12 fatalities in the previous year began painting a grim picture the Press were quick to turn on the sport which had once helped sell so many papers and the moniker of murder Dro began making making the rounds one after another articles began circulating equating the sport with death itself with several illustrations depicting a demonic scene all driven by Greed for money and thrills one such article printed in early 1913 read as follows it serves no useful purpose either with reference to the development of the writer or the machine it is speed Madness pure and simple its purpose is to cater to the lust of risk on the part of the those safely seated in the grand stand the exploiters of motorcycle racing have everywhere shown that their sole aim is to provide Thrills at the cost of others lives and their sole object the collection of money from such Thrills curiously absent from the entire motor drum Affair was one of America's most iconic motorcycle Brands when asked about the company's absence on the motor Drome co-founder Arthur Davidson stated famously that we do not believe in it adding that they do not deal in freak machines Gladiator fights chariot races or the human sacrifices of the speed craze according to him Harley-Davidson's were for quote the safe San Rider who uses his machine both for business and pleasure and enjoys his motorcycle as it was designed to be used the outrage was far from unjustified however and in July 1913 another horrific accident landed a final blow to the sport on the evening of July 30th Odin Johnson running towards the top of the track at the Lagoon motor Drome in lllo Kentucky lost control of his machine and veered towards the crowd Johnson struck a light post snapping it in half and killing him instantly the wiring from the light post then ignited the fuel from Johnson's wrecked Indian burning no fewer than 35 people according to the local press a total of eight Souls including Johnson were lost that evening two women two men and three children the youngest of which being a 5-year-old boy the 24-year-old Johnson had just sent a telegraph home before the race telling his family of his successes his new road machine and his wife Elizabeth's excitement over payments they were making on their first [Music] home in all close to 30 people including Racers women and children had died inside a motor drum in 1912 and 1913 the country had finally had enough Jack Prince built 16 new tracks in those two years 26 in total since his first experiment at Clifton in 1908 but in 1914 only two board track motor drumes will go up one in St Paul and the other in Omaha Nebraska the last of the American motor drumes for the few left standing some suffered in disrepair for years others burned down in massive fires and still some struggled to find ways to put the tracks to good use in one last ditch effort to keep the track in Atlanta opened promoters began staging Racers for the Black Riders in the area today Atlanta's black streaks as they were known an Intrepid group of mechanics who dared race motorcycles Remain the only known African-Americans to have ever done so for the tracks promoters in Jim Crow era Southern politics their sanctioning and Lease was quickly pulled and the track fell into disrepair though the site now is fittingly home to the Martin Luther King Jr memorial for six action-packed years the American Motor Drome captivated the nation but in a Flash they were all but gone a multitude of factors led to the eventual decline of the venues maintenance issues and expenses weather interference mounting safety concerns decreasing Factory interest increased preference for dirt track and longdistance racing and the highly emphasized public distaste for what was often times a brutal and violent sport in 1915 Jack Prince would return to Chicago to build his newest vision and track design a massive concept nearly 10 times larger than his motor Drome and three times as wide built of steel concrete and as always Timber planks a massive oval Super Speedway Prince's immense track at Maywood would Mark a new era in the sport and drive the final nail into the coffin of America's Sensational motor drumes the few that still remained Prince would shift gears into auto racing and build more of his massive wooden super Speedways well into the late 1920s before retiring a true racing Pioneer many writers went on to successful careers in the industry served valant as mechanics dispatch riders or pilots in World War I or continued racing on dirt tracks hill climbs and the large bore track super Speedways of the 1920s many of the biggest brands of the 1910s were all but gone by 1920 but Indian celier and Harley-Davidson who had officially entered professional racing in 1914 though never on a motor drone all thrived well into the future and have become icons of American culture though the tumultuous age of the American Motor Drome had its share of heartache and tragedy the sport made fortunes for a few provided a good living for countless more and their families and entertained thousands moreover the motor Drome helped to find a new America an industrious and daring Nation a little rough around the edges sometimes but never lacking in [Music] Grit [Music]

Channel: Archive Moto

Views: 146,323

Keywords: harley davidson, indian motorcycle, motorcycle racing, archive moto, georgia motorcycle history, the van order collection, total loss, motorcycle, history, Elgin illinois, Chicago, 1913, racing, board track, board track racing, motordrome, excelsior, motorcycles, motorcycling, hillclimb, hill climb, hillclimbing, motorcycle hillclimb, AMA, America Motorcyclists Association, Flat Track, the wrecking crew, murderdrome

Id: r2c5aypYNl8

Length: 51min 9sec (3069 seconds)

Published: Fri Jan 05 2024