In a message dated 1/25/2003 8:06:53 PM Eastern Standard Time,
prutledge1@comcast.net writes:
>
> Dale, I didn't know about Chris' death. Larry Black told me today that
> Chris died at a race in 1985 at the age of 35. I knew him as a nice kid
> from Virginia when he was 14 or 15 years old. I was a kid from NJ and we
> only saw one another at races. When I stopped racing in '66, I no longer
> saw Chris. How did his racing career go over the next almost 20 years?
> Did he do well?
>
>
Chris did very well, and went to many a Somerville, NC Open, Raritan, Flemington, Harford, Fitchburg, Walpole, T-Town.... I did all I could to hand on to his wheel training on the flats at Hains Point, DC, even when we brought a motorbike down to boost the draft.
Their shop was a CR-type legend in itself. McLean Cycle and Mower imported the R.I.H. from their native Holland, and Chris' dad, simon,was Nicknamed ' Dutch'
Many of the DC oldtimers were nicknamed after their own ride. 'Joco' was the nickname for Gerald Teeuwen, the long-time Va. ABLA/USCF rep, later ti include DC, Md, De. He rode a 'Joco Ronde Van Europa' bike, a model I happened to have acquired later as well. While we are at it, and the East has come up area has come up and we were mentioning some of the passed riders, Miji Reoch was another who passed before her time. Artie Greenburg built most of everyones wheels, died young in the 80's.Peter Teeuwen, son of 'Joco' and a well-known racer and promoter, also 'dropped from the pack' at a tender age not long ago.
I had the pleasure of being a guest of the Meerman family at their compound in Sebring, Florida and got in some quality miles on that steady wheel of the McLean motor.
Pete, I look forward to meeting you soon, maybe we can meet up with Oliver Newton 'Boots' Ward and fan some ofthe flames of the past. Now 83, 'Boots' is a legend and made the circuits in those glory days. He had us kids over in the basement after work every Saturday for roller races and mentored us on the road until we were strong enough to hold his wheel and later overtake him.
Larry Black
hometown Washington, DC