Hammond, Indiana - Harley Davidson Motorcycle Racing Club Photograph Album -Pre - World War Ii

MEMBERS OF HAMMOND HARLEY DAVIDSON RACING CLUB

Publication: Prepared by Hammond, Indiana Harley Davidson Racing Club members, 1940, Hammond, Indiana

First edition. Oblong octavo three quarter burgundy colored calf and tan corduroy cloth covers, with rounded corners, nickel plated spine hardware, 52 pp. (un-paginated), ruled ledger paper, red and gilt leather alphabet thumb tabs at fore-edges, with 73 original black and white photographs that have been inserted into carefully cut slots, with some photographs signed on the images, and nearly all with extensive ink manuscript notations. This very unique photograph album records the flat track races, travels, and antics of a Lake County, Indiana Harley Davidson Motorcycle Club on the eve of World War II, including races in Illinois, Texas, and Daytona, Florida. These photographs document the club members motorcycle racing and riding Harley-Davidson EL "Knucklehead" bikes, 45 Twin Harley Davidson, along with such historic Harley-Davidson figures as Harry Molenaar who created the Illiana Motor Speedway track, and Barcus J. Knowles, owner of Knowles Cycle Co. Harley-Davidson in Waco, TX, along with local Texas Eagle Motorcycle Club members and Clubhouse. Hammond, Lake County, IN: Stewer, Ewer, Ragon, Martinek, Nichols, Butler, Perry, Harrington, Howard, et al. (Motorcycle Club Members), 1938-1940]. This outstanding photograph album was assembled by a Hammond, Indiana motorcycle club on the eve of World War II, in memory of their fellow club member and motorcycle enthusiast Robert W. Wilson (1917-1940), who was killed in a motorcycle accident on his 23rd birthday, March 13, 1940. The album opens with a signed 5" x 7" silver gelatin photograph of John Ewer (1917-1992), wearing his Harley-Davidson sweater, racing boots, sitting on his 45 Twin Harley, No. 30, in which he placed 3rd in the Monee, IL State Championship Relay Races in 1938. In one of the subsequent photographs, there is an excellent shot of Harry Molenaar (1912-1999), legendary Harley-Davidson motorcycle racer, and dealer who opened his dealership at the age of 19 in 1931, and is well remembered as the founder of the half-mile oval dirt track, the Illiana Motor Speedway southeast of Chicago. The dealership would stay open for over 60 years, and he mentored many different mid-western motorcycle clubs. These are followed by more images of Ewer, as well as Milford "Millie" Stewyer (1917-1993), racer and truck driver, racing knee down around the dirt tracks. The balance of the album is devoted to a motorcycle racing trip by the club down to Waco, TX where they raced with the Waco Eagles Motorcycle Club of Waco, TX, stayed at the King Ranch, visited the Alamo, rode to Reynosa, Mexico, and took potshots at Chuck's Shell gas station sign. They also traveled to Silver Spring, FL, entered motorcycle races on Daytona Beach, FL, with stops recorded in Arkansas and Texas. These photographs show Club members Howard Ragon (1918-1973), Charles Martinek (1913-1993), John W. Butler (1917-1992), and others riding their modified Harley-Davidson EL "Knuckleheads," fitted with metal trunk/saddle bag combos, and stickers of all the states visited attached to the side; Joe Jaskovitch riding his Knucklehead fitted with leather saddle bags, wearing leather jacket, cap with Club badges, and blue jeans; one of the Hammond Motorcycle club member's Harley fitted with a scarce "Package Trunk" sidecar; a Waco, TX Eagle Club member's Harley fitted with sidecar; as well as two excellent images of the famed Waco, TX Harley dealership, Knowles Cycle Co., owned by Barcus J. Knowles (1891-1969), with signage, Harley motorcycles, and the owner himself in the door. See: Harley-Davidson Enthusiast, October, 1937; Stan Kalwasinski, Illiana History Part I -- the Early Years; American Motorcyclist Association, Motorcycle Hall of Fame; Where Heroes Live On (2017); Panhead Jim, The First Harley-Davidson Servi-Cars, Riding Vintage (2015). Covers lightly with one tiny chip to the leather, else a sturdy, attractive album with interior contents attractively presented. Overall a very good copy.

Inventory Number: 44150Sold -- Contact us