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BOLAND G51.1-077

On July 4th, 1919, the Tacoma Speedway was packed with 35,000 racing fanatics for the annual races. The Speedway was one of two "Class A" racing locations in the United States, the other being Indianapolis. It was also a favorite of the drivers because of the abundant recreation opportunities of the area. Three races would be held on this day, 40 miles, 60 miles and 80 miles. By 1919, the track was 2 miles round and 50 feet wide, an adjustment done in 1914, and covered with 2 x 4 Washington fir planks laid end to end with gravel and sand filling the gaps and barrels of Richmond road oil applied hot to the surface. Indianapolis had shut down due to World War I and all the greats came to Tacoma. The five drivers surviving after the trials were Louis Chevrolet, Dario Resta (both in Tacoma for the first time,) Cliff Durant, Eddie Hearne and Ralph Mulford (in his first Tacoma appearance since 1913.) Eddie Rickenbacker, WW I flying ace and former race car driver, would referee the race. (TDL 7/2/1919, pg. 8-9) (Information on track construction: Standard Oil Bulletin, Vol. 3, circa 1915) Boland B2066, Speedway-025


Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Spectators; Grandstands;

BOLAND G51.1-083

The stands look a little empty for the start of the July 3, 1914, InterCity 100-mile race at the Tacoma Speedway. Drivers and their accompanying "mechanicians" are lined up in their race cars two abreast. These included at front: Tacoma driver Jack Croston in car #1, a Chevrolet; #2 -believed to be Barnes in his Romano; #5 -Joe Thomas in his Mercer; #26 - N. Latta of Seattle in his Lozier. This particular race was restricted to cars from Pacific Northwest cities. Total prize money was $1500 with first place winner Jim Parsons getting the lion's share of $750. Mr. Parsons, of Seattle, had won the event for the second straight year. TPL-5697;


Croston, Jack A.; Thomas, Joe; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Chevrolet automobile; Mercer automobile; Lozier automobile; Romano automobile;

BOLAND G51.1-085

ca. 1914. Jim Parsons' #7 Frantz race car is parked in the pit area of the Tacoma Speedway circa 1914 while a vehicle carrying a load of tires slowly backs in front of it. Other tires have already been unloaded and are piled upright nearby. The grandstands are nearly empty indicating this may have been practice time at the Speedway instead of the actual July races. Jim Parsons, from Seattle, would go on to win the InterCity 100 race three consecutive years, 1913-1915, allowing him to keep the perpetual challenge trophy. TPL-4424


Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Frantz automobile; Tires; Grandstands--Lakewood;

BOLAND G51.1-092

ca. 1915. Although photographer Marvin Boland has labeled the driver as "Earl Cooper" in his "Stutz," and the condition of the Tacoma Speedway board track identifies it as being post-1913 (the last year of the dirt track), it is not certain that this was a race during the 1915 Montamara Festo. In 1915 Mr. Cooper came in a close second during the Montamarathon on July 4th, as he attempted to win the big 250-mile race for the third consecutive year. He did run a Stutz in that year but it was the #8, not the #4 shown above. He earned $1500 for second place, sandwiched between the winner, Grover Ruckstell and Mr. Ruckstell's Mercer racing partner, Eddie Pullen, who came in third. TPL-4423


Cooper, Earl; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Stutz automobile;

BOLAND G51.1-097

Encouraged by 16,000 screaming racecar fans, three cars rush to the finish line in the "Golden Potlatch," one of two races run on July 5th, 1913 at the Tacoma Speedway. The race was 200 miles, 58 laps of 3.516 miles each, run on a dirt track and open to Class "E" non-stock cars with a winner's purse of $3,500. Earl Cooper and his white Stutz won the race in 1913 after "Terrible Teddie" Tetzlaff dropped from the lead with a broken cam shaft. Cooper's time was 2:49:32. 1913 was a victorious year for Cooper; he won 7 of 8 major road races and claimed his first national championship. The Tacoma Speedway racetrack had opened in July of 1912, financed by a group of Tacoma businessmen led by Arthur Pritchard, President of the Tacoma Automobile Association. During its years of operation, 1912-1922, most of racing's greats sped around the track, which was rated one of the three best in the United States. TPL-5481, Speedway Glass- 020 (TDL 7/6/1913, pg. 1, www.historylink.org, www.hickoksports.com)


Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920;

BOLAND-B1943

Tacoma to Seattle in 30 minutes and 55 seconds! Harry Barsamian, shop foreman of the Pacific Car Company, with mechanic Victor Williams, completed the feat in a stock Overland 90 Touring Car, driving from Tacoma city limits to the Seattle city limits. On June 19, 1919, Barsamian started from Sitcum Avenue on the Tacoma tideflats. The two men clipped down the rugged dirt Highline Road through Northeast Tacoma and onto Des Moines where they hit pavement and finished with a smooth ride to Seattle in record-breaking time. (TDL 6/22/1919, p. 8C). G11.1-073


Barsamian, Harry; Automobiles--Tacoma--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Tacoma--1910-1920;

BOLAND G51.1-065

ca. 1920. Map of the Tacoma Speedway from about 1920 showing, in detail, the layout of the track and stands. Note that the prices for tickets to sit in the stands are listed. Seats in the open stands were $2.50 or $3.00 plus tax. Seats in the covered stands were $3.50 to $6.00 plus tax. In March of 1920, an arson occurred at the track, forcing massive reconstruction of the grandstands. All improvements would be in place in time for the 1920 225 mile classic, the biggest race in Tacoma's racing history. The Indy had placed a requirement that all top finishers compete in Tacoma and crowds turned out to see them. The new grandstands could seat 16,000, with 960 feet of the stands covered. There was room for 10,000 cars to park in the center of the 2 mile track and a tunnel for spectators to cross under the track to the stands. The new entries allowed cars to enter two abreast and they could cross a bridge from the main entrance into the center parking, even with the race in progress. Other improvements included fences, the pits, a water tower and a renewed track. The race would be 225 miles with a purse of $22,500, to be divided into seven prizes. Over 40,000 fans turned out to watch the race. Speedway-053 (TDL 6/20/20, pg. 1-C; 6/27/1920, pg. 1)


Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920;

BOLAND G51.1-068

ca. 1920. Race car driver Joe Boyer and his riding mechanic posed in Boyer's Frontenac on an unidentified brick track in 1920. Boyer had led the pack in the 1920 Indianapolis 500 for the first 250 miles and then hit a brick wall, taking him out of the race. His Frontenac was the topic of much conversation, since the vehicle designed by the Chevrolet brothers had made its first appearance in the Indy. Boyer, a young millionaire from Chicago, would later compete in the July 5th 1920 Tacoma Classic. He was out of the race in the 97th lap. In 1924, Boyer was co-winner of the Indianapolis 500 replacing LL Corum during the race. Boyer was killed later that year in a crash at the Altoona Speedway. (TDL 6/27/1920, pg. B-2) Speedway 013


Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile racing drivers; Boyer, Joe;

BOLAND-B10169

A large crowd fills Lincoln Bowl to watch a City League baseball game on May 29, 1924. Lincoln High School looms in the background. The match on early Thursday evening pitted Fern Hill against the Longshoremen. Fern Hill vaulted into the City League lead over the 23rd Streeters with a 5-3 victory. Longshoremen pitcher Claxton only allowed 5 hits but was charged with three wild pitches and a hit batter. (TNT 5-30-24, p. 18-article) This photograph ran in the News Tribune's June 3, 1924, edition (p. 15) but the one of the teams was misidentified. TPL-3200


Baseball--Tacoma--1920-1930; Baseball players--Tacoma--1920-1930; Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Lincoln Bowl (Tacoma); Sports spectators--Tacoma--1920-1930;

BOLAND-B11349

On November 19, 1924, three stalwart football players on the Lincoln High School team, (l-r) David Rice, James Mosolf and Richard Johnson, posed for a photograph on what may be school grounds. Rice was a right tackle and field captain for the first game against Stadium. He was also Senior Class president. Mosolf, field captain for the third and final match against Stadium, played left end and then quarterbacked the team the final two games. Johnson was the team punter as well as playing fullback and left end; his drop kick from the 30-yard line proved to be the winning score during the last game of the season. They are in practice gear as the big intercity clash with Stadium High School loomed in the near future. G46.1-040 (1925 Lincolnian, various pages)


Football players--Tacoma--1920-1930; Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Students--Tacoma--1920-1930; Rice, David; Mosolf, James; Johnson, Richard;

BOLAND-B11354

Stadium High School Intermediate football team. Coached by William M. Jolliffe (third from left, back row), the Stadium team lost to Lincoln twice and tied the final scoreless game of the 1924 season. The team, with no players over 150 pounds, still exerted fine effort and perseverance despite playing a better team. G46.1-032 (1925 Tahoma yearbook, p. 91)


Football players--Tacoma--1920-1930; Stadium High School (Tacoma); Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Jolliffe, William M.;

BOLAND-B4370

Twenty thousand race fans crowded into the covered grandstands of the Tacoma Speedway to watch the July 4, 1921 Speedway Classic. The drivers, mechanics and race officials stand on the board track prior to the start of the 250 mile race. The race cars are lined up on the track three abreast, with the Marmon Speedster pace car in the lead. In the front row are, left to right, #6 Roscoe Sarles' Duesenberg, #1 Eddie Hearne's Revere Special and #3 Frank Elliott's Leach Special. Middle row: #5 Joe Thomas's Duesenberg, #7 Eddie Miller's car, #2 Tommy Milton's Durant Special. Last row: #27 Tom Alley's Frontenac, #12 Anton Soules' Frontenac, #21 Eddie Pullen's Duesenberg. The crowd was treated to an exciting race where Tommy Milton repeated his win of the previous year, breaking all distance speed records with an average speed of 98 mph. He completed the race in 2:34:00, followed closely by Sarles at 2:34:52. (TDL 7/2/1921 - 7/5/21, all pg. 1) G51.1-081


Racetracks--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1920-1930; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racing automobiles--1920-1930; Grandstands--Lakewood;

BOLAND G51.1-112

ca. 1920. Ralph DePalma and his "mechanician," believed to be nephew Peter DePaolo, in the French Ballot No. 2, circa 1920. The Ballot was the only foreign entry in the 1920 Tacoma Classic racing event held at the Tacoma Speedway on July 5, 1920. International star DePalma had raced for twelve successive years and was known for driving hard and giving spectators their money's worth. The Ballot broke down prior to the actual July 5th race but Mr. DePalma still managed to compete in a borrowed Duesenberg. TPL-131 (TNT 7-1-20, p. 1, 11-article)


DePalma, Ralph; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1920-1930; Racing automobiles--1920-1930; Ballot automobile;

BOLAND G52.1-008

ca. 1920. Roscoe Sarles peeked around to be seen behind the grillwork of his Monroe racing car, circa 1920. Sarles was in Tacoma to compete in the Tacoma Classic on the board track of the Tacoma Speedway on July 5th, 1920. He drove car #5 and finished 5th in the race. He was a fearless driver and a ruthless opponent. He began racing by joining Louis Chevrolet's team in 1916. He had proved himself a successful competitor, but in September of 1922 his luck ran out. His Durant special snapped its steering wheel, swerved into another car, and was flipped over the edge of the track's rim, killing him. (TDL 7/4/1920,pg. 1C) TPL-113; Speedway 062


Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile racing drivers; Sarles, Roscoe; Monroe automobile;

BOLAND G52.1-062

ca. 1920. This is Art Klein, race car driver, in an informal outdoor portrait circa 1920. Mr. Klein had prior experience at the Tacoma Speedway when in 1914 he brought his King car directly from the Indy 500 to race alongside such contemporaries as Earl Cooper, Hughie Hughes and Wilbur D'Alene. He came in second in the 200-mile Golden Potlatch and third in the 250-mile Montamarathan. In 1920 he was part of the Frontenac team along with Joe Boyer, Jr. Mr. Klein, running on Oldfield tires, came in fourth with a $1700 payday. (TDL 7-6-20, p. 1-results)


Klein, Art; Automobile racing drivers; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Automobile racing--Lakewood--1920-1930;

BOLAND G52.1-063

ca. 1920. Race car driver Art Klein, circa 1920. Art Klein was competing in the 1920 Tacoma Classic at the Tacoma Speedway. He had just finished 5th at the Indy 500, which would turn out to be his best finish in that race. In Tacoma, he finished 4th in his Frontenac race car, numbered "8." He raced professionally from 1914-1917 and again from 1919-1923 and built his own Kleinart Indy car. Born in 1889, he managed to survive professional racing; he died in 1955. (TDL 7/4/1920, pg. 1C)


Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing drivers; Klein, Art;

BOLAND G52.1-093

ca. 1920. This is speed king Jimmy Murphy (at left) with his mechanic, Ernie Olson, on the board track of the Tacoma Speedway circa the summer of 1920. He had entered the 9th annual race as a newcomer to the Pacific Northwest but had already started to establish himself as a rising star in the world of auto racing. He and his mechanic are standing in front of his Duesenberg, one of four entered in the July 5th race. The 1920 Tacoma race was filled with veteran well-known drivers including 1920 Indy 500 winner Gaston Chevrolet, NW favorite Eddie Hearne, Roscoe Sarles, Eddie O'Donnell, Ralph DePalma, Cliff Durant, Ralph Mulford and the eventual winner, Tommy Milton. Mr. Murphy drove well and finished sixth, claiming a payday of $1,100. In 1922 he returned to the Tacoma Speedway and won the last big race held there. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger 6-20-20, 3B-article; TDL 7-6-20, p. 1+-results)


Murphy, Jimmy; Automobile racing drivers; Olson, Ernie; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1920-1930; Racing automobiles--1920-1930; Duesenberg automobile;

BOLAND G52.1-101

The grand old man of racing Barney Oldfield posed with thirteen drivers on the board track of the Tacoma Speedway prior to the race on July 4th 1922. The 1922 Speedway Classic would turn out to be the last auto race held on the track. It was closed at the end of 1922. Only ten of the drivers would actually compete in the race. Oldfield led the pack as Pacemaker. Pictured, left to right, are Jimmy Murphy, Tommy Milton, unidentified, Frank Elliott, Roscoe Sarles, Jerry Wanderlich, Harry Hartz, Joe Thomas, unidentified, Barney Oldfield, unidentified, Eddie Hearne, Cliff Durant and Ralph Mulford. TPL-3177


Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Automobile racing--Lakewood--1920-1930; Racetracks--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile racing drivers;

BOLAND-B6830

These are the first and second string football teams representing Stadium High School during the fall of 1922. Despite only having three returning lettermen, with two of the three being seniors, Stadium High School fought valiantly during their inter-city clashes with Lincoln High School. The school would lose the city championship for the first time in six years. First team members, as noted by the school yearbook, "Tahoma," were: (in no particular order) fullback Max Mika, center Herman Brix (later Olympian and "Tarzan" actor Bruce Bennett), guard Max Hoff, tackle Stanley Long, fullback Sam Hanson, center Robert McCullough, end Ed Cooper, halfback Ted Graham, tackle Harold Anderson, quarterback Bayard Mosher, end/halfback Stanley McDowell, end Harold Walker, guard Einar Larsen, guard/center Loren Baldwin and halfback Lon Crosshwaite. (1923 Tahoma p.139-141; TNT 10-26-22, p. 23-last names only listed) TPL-8199; G46.1-038; G54.1-004


Football players--Tacoma--1920-1930; Stadium High School (Tacoma); Students--Tacoma--1920-1930;

BOLAND-B6869

These four Stadium High School "Tigers", all seniors, were on the starting squad for the 1922 football season. Left to right: fullback Max Mika, end/halfback Stanley McDowell, tackle Stanley Long and end Harold Walker. Max was captain of the team and also was on the basketball's first team. Stanley McDowell was a four-year letterman and was captain of the school's soccer team. Stanley Long had already developed a football reputation from his playing days in Chehalis and continued his fine play at Stadium. He was also the treasurer for the senior class. A fine tackler, Harold Walker was a three-year letterman and also was on the first team in wrestling. G46.1-036 (1923 "Tahoma" -various pages; TNT 10-26-22, p. 23-alternate photograph) TPL-8198


Football players--Tacoma--1920-1930; Stadium High School (Tacoma); Mika, Max; McDowell, Stanley; Long, Stanley; Walker, Harold;

BOLAND-B8805

Olene brothers. The brothers Olene both played football at the College of Puget Sound with Melvin (left) in the Class of '24 and Leonard in the Class of '27. Similar in weight and height, they were high-powered fullbacks. The 1924 C.P.S. yearbook, the Tamanawas, listed their nicknames as "Vas" (Melvin) and "Gas" (Leonard). Melvin, a transfer from Albany College, was senior class president and graduated with a degree in chemistry that year. The Olenes were from Albany, Oregon. G54.1-005 (1924 Tamanawas; TNT 11-2-23, p. 23)


Football players--Tacoma--1920-1930; Olene, Melvin; Olene, Leonard;

BOLAND-B8845

Stadium High School's football players. This is Stadium High's first team in the 1923 season. Unlike the previous year which began with only three veterans on the team, Stadium was able to send eleven experienced men to battle cross-town rival Lincoln. Stadium would go on to defeat Lincoln High School three times in tightly contested games. Stadium was led by Captain Bayard Mosher (seated, third from left holding ball) and coached by Myron Carr (standing in dark jersey with cap) and Vern Clark (standing extreme right in second row). (1924 Tahoma yearbook; T.Times 11-19-1923, p. 10) G46.1-034


Football players--Tacoma--1920-1930; Students--Tacoma--1920-1930; Stadium High School (Tacoma); Mosher, Bayard; Carr, Myron; Clark, Vern;

BOLAND-A7137

Club house for the Fircrest Golf Club. The Golf Club was incorporated in May of 1923 and opened its clubhouse about a year later. It sits on 160 acres in Fircrest and is a private club. TPL-7077


Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest); Golf--Fircrest--1920-1930;

BOLAND-B13197

These men and their caddies enjoyed a round of golf at the Fircrest Golf Club in August of 1925. The private golf course had opened in July of 1924 with nine of the 18 holes available. The second nine holes were seeded in the fall of 1924 and would be ready for use by the summer of 1925. The course's rolling grounds would provide challenges for later tournaments. G54.1-023 (TDL 4-8-25, p. 9-brief article on golf course; TNT 9-9-25, p. 6)


Golfers--Fircrest--1920-1930; Golf--Fircrest--1920-1930; Fircrest Golf Club (Fircrest);

BOLAND-B18309

This young basketball team posed before a painted backdrop on April 6, 1928. Seated before them is presumably their coach. On their jerseys can be seen a faint outline of a dog. The team members were not identified. G53.1-077


Basketball players--Tacoma--1920-1930;

BOLAND G51.1-075

The grandstands being rebuilt at the Tacoma Speedway in May of 1920. In March, before the beginning of racing season, a firebug started a blaze that wiped out 3/4 of the grandstands at the Speedway. The fire was ruled an arson and the Speedway had no insurance. The future of the racetrack was in doubt. $100,000 was raised by selling bonds to Tacoma businesses and individuals. The new stands would have a seating capacity of 15,000 and be 1/3 mile long. For the first time, 960 feet of the stands would be covered. Another improvement was a tunnel entrance leading from the parking, in the field inside the track, to the stands. There would be room for 10,000 cars in the field. The main entrance now featured an overhead bridge to drive cars two abreast into the parking area in the center of the field. There were 190 reserved parking places right in front of the pits. Everything would be ready in time for the July 5, 1920 races, when the largest crowd in Tacoma racing history was expected. (TDL 5/23/1920, pg. 9-C-picture; TDL 6/6/1920; www.historylink.org)


Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Grandstands; Construction--Lakewood--1910-1920;

BOLAND G51.1-089

This is George Hill and his "mechanician" in car #2, a Stutz, on the Tacoma Speedway wood-based track in 1915. Mr. Hill was one of a trio racing Stutzs including Earl Cooper and Dave Lewis. He had entered both the big 250-mile Montamarathon and 200-mile Golden Potlach races held on July 4-5, 1915. If the #2 car looked familiar, it should have been. It was the old #8 "ghost" Stutz of Earl Cooper's with which he (Mr. Cooper) had won the 1913 Golden Potlatch and the 1913 & 1914 Montamarathon events. Unfortunately, it did not win either race for Mr. Hill. He failed to finish the Montamarathon when his car caught fire and subsequently was too damaged to compete in the Potlatch. (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 7-4-15, p. 1-article; TDN 7-5-15, p. 1,2-results)


Hill, George; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Stutz automobile;

BOLAND G51.1-122

Roscoe Sarles aboard his #5 Monroe race car with his "mechanician, " believed to be Henry Franck, seated at his side. This photograph was believed to have been taken for the 1920 Tacoma Classic, a 225-mile race with 13 top drivers (12 started) entered. The top seven drivers would share in a $22,500 purse. Roscoe Sarles finished fifth in the race, behind winner Tommy Milton, Ralph Mulford, Eddie Hearne and Art Klein. Behind Mr. Sarles is the empty new grandstand, capable of holding 16,000, that was finished shortly before the July 5th race. TPL-082 (TDL 7-6-20, p. 1+-results)


Sarles, Roscoe; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1920-1930; Racing automobiles--1920-1930; Monroe automobile; Grandstands--Lakewood;

BOLAND G51.1-145

Eddie Miller and his riding mechanic, believed to be Gus Duray, pose in Miller's Duesenberg, #31, on the board track of the Tacoma Speedway. The pair were in town to compete in the 9th annual Tacoma Classic on July 5th. Miller had started out on the Duesenberg team as mechanic, but was now a new driver. When favored driver Ralph DePalma was forced to withdraw from the race when his French Ballot had mechanical failure, Miller offered him the use of his car. Eddie O'Donnell, the top driver of the Duesenberg team, then offered DePalma his faster car and he drove Miller's with Miller riding as mechanic. Miller returned to race in the 1921 Classic. (The Sunday Ledger listed Mr. Miller's car as #11 in their July 4th edition) (TDL 7/5/1920, pg. 3) TPL-096, Speedway 001


Miller, Edward; Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1920-1930; Automobile racing drivers;

BOLAND G52.1-013

Early racing superstar Earl Cooper poses at the July 1913 Montamara Festo races at the Tacoma Speedway behind the wheel of his Stutz "8," "the most winingest" race car in the country. On July 5th, Cooper won the 200 mile "Golden Potlatch" race in Tacoma with a time of 2:49:32 and an average speed on 71 mph. He later also won the 250 mile Montamarathon. 1913 was one of his best years in racing. He won 7 of 8 major road races, winning his first National Championship (to be followed by Championships in 1915 and 1917.) Born in 1886, Earl Cooper started out as a mechanic and throughout his career took a methodical and scientific approach to racing, as opposed to the daredevils that populated racing at this time. He worked closely with his mechanics and helped develop hydraulic brakes and pressure lubrication. He raced off and on until 1928 and managed racing teams after his driving retirement. He died in 1965 at the age of 79. Cooper joined the Stutz team in 1912. The Stutz had originated in 1910 when Harry C. Stutz established Stutz Auto Parts Co. to manufacture his engineering design, the transaxle. He built a car fitted with one and entered it in the first Indy 500 in 1911. It came in 11th. He then set up the Ideal Motor Co. (renamed Stutz Motor Car Co. in 1913) to manufacture the car. Its most famous model, the Stutz Bearcat sportscar, was introduced in 1912 to compete with the Mercer Raceabout. The company was finished by the Great Depression and ceased production in 1934, dissolving in 1939. SPEEDWAY-019, TPL-5479 (T. Tribune 7/6/1913, pg. 1; www.canadiandriver.com; www.hickoksports.com)


Tacoma Speedway (Lakewood); Racetracks--Lakewood--1910-1920; Automobile racing--Lakewood--1910-1920; Cooper, Earl; Stutz automobile; Racing automobiles--1910-1920; Automobile racing drivers;

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