[CR]Pic of the Day - Kilian, Vopel, and Gypsy Rose Lee

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From: "Aldo Ross" <aldoross4@siscom.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Sat, 26 Nov 2005 22:01:25 -0500
Subject: [CR]Pic of the Day - Kilian, Vopel, and Gypsy Rose Lee

Pic of the Day 27th November, 2005

Continuing this week's special - Ted Ernst has kindly given permission to post some of his vintage racing photos on Pic of the Day.

Today's pic - Kilian, Vopel, and Gypsy Rose Lee (Photo courtesy Ted Ernst. Thanks again, Ted!)

http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/aldoross/Gypsy_Rose_Lee

(Click on pic for much larger image.)

This is probably New York, but it might be Chicago, sometime in the late 1930s. The unbeatable team of Gustav Kilian and Heinz Vopel, seen here with burlesque star Gypsy Rose Lee. Judging by the bouquets, she's probably congratulating the German team for winning the race.

Kilian and Vopel were an amazing pairing. They won a few 6-Day races together, including:

1934 6-Days of Cleveland (USA) 1935 6-Days of Montréal (CAN) 1935 6-Days of Pittsburgh (USA) 1935 6-Days of Chicago (USA) 1935 6-Days of New York (USA) 1936 6-Days of Milwaukee (USA) 1936 6-Days of New York (USA) 1936 6-Days of Chicago (USA) 1936 6-Days of Montréal (CAN) 1936 6-Days of London (GBR) 1937 6-Days of Cleveland (USA) 1937 6-Days of Milwaukee (USA) 1937 6-Days of St.-Louis (USA) 1937 6-Days of Indianapolis (USA) 1937 6-Days of Montréal (CAN) 1937 6-Days of Chicago (USA) 1937 6-Days of New York (USA) 1937 6-Days of Buffalo (USA) 1938 6-Days of Chicago (USA) 1938 6-Days New York (USA) 1938 6-Days of Chicago (USA) 1939 6-Days of Milwaukee (USA) 1939 6-Days of San Francisco (USA) 1940 6-Days of Cleveland (USA) 1941 6-Days of Buffalo (USA) 1950 6-Days of Hannover (GER) 1951 6-Days of Berlin (GER)

As you can see, both riders survived the war and continued racing in Germany into the 1950s, Vopel retiring in 1951 (or 1954), and Kilian, a year later. Kilian died in 200 at age 92. As far as I know, Heinz Vopel is still living - he's 98-years-old this year.

Ted Ernst is the current proud caretaker of Vopel's chrome Dürkopp.

To see Gustav Kilian's other results, go to: http://www.dewielersite.net/db2/wielersite/coureuruitslagenfiche.php?cour eurid=9078

To see Heinz Vopel's other results, go to: http://www.dewielersite.net/db2/wielersite/coureuruitslagenfiche.php?cour eurid=23253

Gypsy Rose Lee went on to star in movies and television, and was also a writer. A life-long smoker, she died in 1970 at age 59. For more info on Gypsy Rose Lee, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsy_Rose_Lee

Tomorrow: Our own Ted Ernst at the 1959 National Board Track Championships

Aldo Ross
Middletown, Ohio