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Mr. Hollingsworth mad*' the first bicycle he ever saw. In about 1881 or ’82, he saw the picture of a high bicycle in connection with an advertisement in the Youth’s Companion and at once he set about to make one, assisted by his brother, Benjamin Hollingsworth, who today lives near Russiaville. That first bicycle was made in his father’s saw and planing mill. It was; made of wood with the exception of the shafts through the wheels, the Crane and a few bolts. The rims of the wheels were also of wood and when one wore out it was replaced with another. Lat.-er on iron tires were added and' a rubber belt stretched over these mad£ the vehicle more comfortable for riding. Days of real, labor were spent on a track on his father’s farm, learning bal-ance and speed on the wooden, two-wheeled vehicle.Wins First Contest.Bicycle riding was becoming popular and Mr. Hollingsworth decided to enter as a contestant. His first appearance was in a race at the Clinton county fair at Middlefork, where he carried off the honors on his wooden bicycle, winning against a Chicago contestant on a metal wheel. He attracted public notice and from that time on was kept busy in races throughout the country.He won his second race at Tipton, in a rink. He had never ridden on a small track and although he fell off at every corner he won the race against five other contestants. He rode a rubber-tire bicycle in this race.At Indianapolis at the state fair grounds he won the state championship and inter-state championship gold medals. Later in Philadelphia, he rode 198 miles in 12 hours without stopping. Then followed a series of races at such places as Macon, Ga., Atlanta, Memphis, St. Louis, Omaha, Chicago, Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit, Saginaw and Grand Rapids, Mich., Buffalo, Springfield, Mass., Hartford, Conn., Madison Square Garden, N, Y., and many towms throughout Ohio and Indiana. At Elmira, N. Y., and at New Castle, Pa., he won five races in one day. He was in the races at kte World’s Cotton exposition at New Orleans .
Newspaper Details
Flora Hoosier Democrat
Flora, Indiana, US
Sat, Nov 10, 1923
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Kokomo-Howard C.
IN, USA 15 Aug 2023
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