bob spears article no1

Dubbo Native Wins World-wide  Honors.

Though out of the big game for years, Bob Spears, the  Dubbo boy, still commands full page top lines in Australian sporting papers., 'The Sporting Globe,' Melbourne, is the latest to feature Mr. Spears, now in business in Dubbo in the sport in which he has been such an ornament. Last trip to the Southern capital, 'The Globe' got his life story, told in his own modest way. Being a boy and a man who has helped put cycling on the map, who remained an Australian, in spite of big financial offers, the story will be re-printed in instalments. 

Fate decreed that I should get mixed up in cycling at an early age. I was born at Coonamble (N.S.W.) on August 8, 1893, and when about 10 I had a desire to become a footrunner and a footballer. But although fleet of foot and a fairly good footballer, the attractions of cycling put other ideas out of my head by the time I had reached my teens. Well I remember my first bicycle. My mother gave it to me on my thirteenth birthday, 31 years ago. It was a second hand machine, and gave so much trouble that a few months later, when my mother found that I could handle one all right, she bought me a brand new bicycle for £18/10, a very big sum in those days. It gave her probably far more joy than it did me. But her joy was as nothing to mine when, at the age of 14, at Dubbo, I won the first race of my career. I was an only child, so you can imagine just how proud my parents were of my success. They even predicted all sorts of advance for me in cycling, and neither they nor I ever dreamed that their confidence would be realised. I had never ridden as an amateur because there was no amateur club in my home town. Thus I was in the "cash ranks" at an early stage. My first victory had given me such a thrill that when I was 15 Alf Garrett - one of the best riders in Dubbo obtained my mother's permission for me to go to Queensland. Judge the wild visions I had of travelling hundreds of miles to Rockhampton. Garrett's aim was for me to win the Wheel Race which carried £30, with the prospect of more through liberal betting.

Boy From Bush Beats Ring-In

I had an excellent mark but there was a ring-in named "Watts" from Tasmania who had many victories to his credit. My mentor became nervous about backing me-a raw, inexperienced lad from the bush against a tried performer who had been backed heavily, and it was decided that I would merely go for the prize. Acting under instructions, I sat in for the whole of the race. At the bell the ring-in was well in front. Just as he was being acclaimed the winner, I came with a rush over the last furlong and, heading him 50 yards from home, won with plenty in hand. The supporters of "Watts" were broke. We next made for Sydney to compete in the Eight-hour Day Wheel Race. The late Bede Carroll, a popular sporting journalist was handicapper for the League of N.S.W. Wheelmen. "I think this kid Spears is a bit of a boom. His place is on the limit mark until I am convinced he has the goods," said the genial handicapper. I won the double worth £50, and Carroll, in his usual breezy style, said, "Look here, son, who in Hades taught you to ride? You handle your machine like a general." Carroll put a stop to my winning way by pulling me from 220 yards to 80 yards in the two-miler at Lithgow. Although I failed, I felt that I was going through a trying-out period which was to stand me in good stead in the near future. After meeting with much success in New South Wales I went to Melbourne where a cycling "war" was on with the L.V.W. I temporarily joined up with the outlaw movement and won the self-styled five, 10, and 15 mile track championships of Victoria. Actually there were better riders than I in Australia at the time who were unable to compete, so that the championship titles were more or less "Kid Magee." Following a well-earned holiday at Dubbo, I went down to Sydney where I met J. D. Williams, the moving picture magnate. who was also interested in cycling.

Mr. Williams was about to run an international six-day cycle race on the Sydney Cricket Ground, and had engaged from America Paddy Hehir,  Alf Goullet, Iver Lawson, Worthington Mitton, and Gordon Walker. Sprint events also were included in the six-day programme by transferring the six-day men from the asphalt to the grass while the short-distance events were being decided. Percy Mutton, then amateur champion sprint cyclist of Australia, had decided to turn professional so that he could compete in the half-mile and one mile championships of New South Wales. At that time I was merely regarded as a handicap performer and to my own surprise and that of the public, I won both events. My mother was in ecstasy at my success and predicted even greater things for me. I was gradually climbing the ladder, but I had my reverses and never failed to have respect for my rivals. I was not foolish enough to think that I was unbeatable, and that I had conquered the world. I knew that my day would come when I would be defeated at a time when I thought I was a certainty.

Before Goullett left the United States for Australia, John M. Chapman (the then cycling magnate of America) gave the champion all-rounder two return boat and rail tickets to New York and left it to his discretion to engage two promising Australians for U.S.A. Grenda and I were the lucky ones, but there was a fly in the ointment. I was only 19, and my mother did not want me to travel so far away. Much against my will I gave way. There was a lump in my throat on the day I saw Grenda sail for America. My boyish ambitions were more or less dashed to the ground. Would I get an other chance? Had I done the right thing? (Next Saturday Spears will discuss the ways and means he devised of going to the United States the following year-1913.)

Follow this link for Bob Spears No 2 and see how he eventually made his opportunity to travel to the Mecca of the American Cycling circuit

http://cyclingscrapbook.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/the-bob-spears-articles.html

Got something to say? Hit the comments link below - thanks for reading.

The Bob Spears Articles

Bob Spears memories of the 1913 Sydney and Melbourne sixes

From a series of articles that Bob Spears wrote for the Adelaide News during the 1920s. 

How Bob Spears Won Big Six-Day Race With Don Kirkham

How Don Kirkham, one of the greatest long distance cyclists Australia has known, helped him to win his first big six-day bike race in Melbourne, is told by Bob Spears, former world's champion track rider ,in the second of his stories written exclusively for "The News."He says that this great win only made him more eager to go overseas in search of fame and fortune.

A visit to the United States was planned for 1913. I had bowed to the wishes of my mother the previous year not to accept the invitation of John M. Chapman, the American promoter, who had offered me a contract and two return tickets. And now I set out with the determination to earn enough to provide my passage and a few pounds to keep me going. 

In 1912 J. D. Williams, the American picture magnate, promoted six-day races in Sydney and Melbourne, which were won by All Goullet (now promoting in U.S.A.) and Paddy Hehir (who is associated with Fred Keefe another international, in the bicycle-building business at Footscray). 
The bike shop did move but was was actually in Commercial Rd, Prahran.
Goullet and Hehir won the first traditional 2 man team six day bike races in Australia - prior to their wins, sixes in Australia and overseas were run as one person "teams" and the rider that rode the longest distance was the winner.  Paddy seems to have become a forgotten Australian six day star with six wins to his credit, two in Australia and four in the USA. (author note)

More on Paddy Hehir - http://cyclingscrapbook.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/connections-through-communication.html

The success of these races had induced a promoter in Sydney and another in Melbourne to stage similar events. I had improved a lot as a sprinter, but as I was an unknown quantity in six-day races, most of the aspirants for the "sixer" shied off me when my name was mentioned as a likely partner. I was depressed because I had visions of being teamed up with some mediocre rider, but eventually was overjoyed when the late Don Kirkham came to the rescue."I have been impressed with your riding on the track," said Don. "I do not know whether you have sufficient staying power to last out a week's hard riding on account of your youth, but I know that you have courage and ability and so I am prepared to take the risk."

The Sydney Sports Ground - the scene of Bob Spears first Six Day with Don Kirkham in 1913.
They finished second to Reggie McNamara and Frank Corry.

I shall never forget that great and gruelling experience. In many respects it was a nightmare to a newcomer, but Don Kirkham was an inspiration from start to finish. His words of encouragement acted like magic, for my limbs were very tired. The going was terrific-wind, rain, and then heat-but I was determined not to quit. Suddenly Don would appear on the track to relieve me. saying, "Go on Bob, go and have a good rest. I will keep the field busy for a while."Believe me, the big crowds would be delighted when they saw me changing over from Kirkham, whom they cheered because they realised his great work in nursing me over a trying period and allowing me to conserve my energy. I won the 500th. 1,000th. 1,500th, and 2,000th mile sprints, so I had a great following for the final sprint. Don't think that I am boasting, but, though Reggie McNamara was a great pal of mine, and I was only a kid, as far as cycling was concerned, I believe that if I had had put more heart into the final spurt. I would have won it from "Mac." 

Reg McNamara did later partner Bob Spears in the USA where they won the 1916 Chicago 6 Day together 

Don Kirkham was a happy old warrior, and he was delighted at finishing second with the assistance of a youngster like me. After the race I promised Don that I would win the Melbourne six-day race for him and thus atone for what I considered was my failure at Sydney. "You did wonderfully well." he replied. "You must remember that it is not good for any young rider to strike success at the outset. It sometimes has a disturbing effect and perhaps sweeps a young chap off his feet." 

The scene of Bob Spears and Don Kirkham's 1913 Melbourne Six Day win - The Exhibition Oval

Don Kirkham with partner Bob Spears competed in Australia's first two (2 man teams) Six Day Bikes races in 1913.

Was Robbed of 100 Sovereigns

They were words of wisdom and I never forgot them throughout my career. I rewarded Kirkham by winning the Melbourne six-day race before an immense crowd which went crazy with excitement. I think that it was the greatest thrill Don ever got out of the bike game. But victory came our way only because of the courageous riding of Kirkham. I had taken ill one night and had to rest for hours, but Kirkham came to the rescue by staying on the track and keeping his rivals in check until I had recovered. When I dismounted after winning the final sprint I was dizzy with excitement. The cheers almost deafened me. I was sore and weary-ready to fall asleep . . . Then words of encouragement from Kirkham who predicted great things for me. My American trip was now certain, and I had visions of sailing from Sydney to win fame and fortune. The thrill I got when I was handed100 sovereigns for my win was somewhat diminished a few days later. I had put the 100 sovereigns in my suitcase, which I locked and placed under my bed at the boarding house. A few days later I went to get some of my hard-earned money but to my astonishment I found that the bag had been burst open and that the money was gone. I almost fainted as I reeled on to my bed in anguish.

Fancy riding a whole week for nothing. This incident nearly stopped my trip to U.S.A. But I had saved a few pounds, and with a lot of scratching and scraping and assistance of my mother I was able to make the trip. On my return to Dubbo (N.S.W.) after winning the Melbourne race I was hailed as a hero. But, believe me, I was not too happy at my big loss, though I cracked hardy. No one ever knew of the incident, which I am now relating for the first time in print.

More on Paddy Hehir - http://cyclingscrapbook.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/connections-through-communication.html