Armando Magri Autobiography - "Then and Now"

[RichO]

Badger do a deep dive on his racing history. Not nearly as depressing.

[EricOlson]

Here's a few more speedway photos from when Frank Murray was sponsoring the Friday night races in Sacramento.

Frank Murray and Australian speedway stars, 1937.jpg Frank Murray and Australian speedway stars, 1937

Press photo for the Friday night speedway races at Sacramento Stadium, promoted by Frank and Gladys Murray. Dick Ince on the left.jpg Press photo for the Friday night speedway races at Sacramento Stadium, promoted by Frank and Gladys Murray. Dick Ince on the left

Speedway racers lined up at Sacramento Stadium for the Friday night races, 1930s..jpg Speedway racers lined up at Sacramento Stadium for the Friday night races

Speedway racers Jack Milne and Wilber Lamoreaux, mid 1930s.jpg Speedway racers Jack Milne and Wilber Lamoreaux

Wildman Bill Rogers racing speedway in his street clothes.jpg
Wildman Bill Rogers racing speedway in his street clothes

[EricOlson]

Speedway racer Ed Hinkle, 1930s.jpg
Speedway racer Ed Hinkle

Speedway racer Ed Hinckle crashing in a speedway race at Sacramento (now Hughes) Stadium, 1930s..jpg
Ed Hinckle crashing in a speedway race at Sacramento Stadium

[RichO]

Jack and his brother Cordy Milne, "Lammy" Lamoreaux plus Sam Arena went to England several times in the thirties. Jack won the International title in 1938. The first time for a Yank. It didn't happen again till in the early 80's. Lammy and the Milne's owned a motorcycle shop on Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena in the forties and fifties. John Shaefer our first Fort Sutter Chapter president worked for them. Right around the corner was Max Bubeck and his brother's saw sharpening business. John went to school with Max and John at the time was in the LA 45 club with Paul Bigsby Al Crocker's pattern maker and Whammy bar inventor.

[JoJo357]

Thank God those California guys dived into the speedway scene way back then. As always, some damn fine worldwide competitors making the USA a major force within the framework of a huge outside involvement. I hope California realizes how fortunate they are for having promoters like the Oxley Family. Harry has been keeping it together before 1969. And since Harry retired, his son, 'Rad' Brad has had the reins.
Scroll down to a great article on the Milne brothers & some of the colorful speedway character of the day. Very good 'Smokin' Joe Petrali article at the end also.
Enjoy, and Thank You Eric for those fine sPeEdWaY pictures, it made my day! I appreciate your effort Badger,T.Y..

https://magazine.cycleworld.com/arti...he-worlds-best

*M.A.D.*

[RichO]

JoJo we here at the Fort Sutter Chapter and the Dixon meet put on a great displayt this past June about speedway here in Northern California. I made up a large display board sealed in plastic with many programs and news articls and such from the 30's to the early 60's featuring Frank Murray, the Milnes, Lammy, Sam Arena, and our own Lenny Miller and his last raced Jawa with a Weslake in it which belongs to the Chapter. We are trying to educate our fellow citizens about speedway racing history in this area, We still have races just up the road during summer called "Fast Friday's" in Auburn. South vs North, some vintage nites, etc.

[JoJo357]

Bless You boys for accomplishing this achievement Rich. I realize there are many who have faithfully kept the torch lit, whether it be Northern or Southern California. Keeping the wealthy history alive in the USA is important, so it doesn't begin to slip out of sight. Over the times i visited California, one of my first priorities was to hit those speedway tracks, and man was it a GAS! Is Lenny Miller hopefully still kickin'? I don't remember if you informed otherwise, Rich. I wish i would have taken you guys up on Lenny's collection, but it was about 3 weeks after Howie bought it that i found a willing partner to purchase that goldmine. Oh well. When i visited Fast Friday's, Dave Joiner was the promoter, is he still doing it?
A Huge Thank You for your efforts at the Fort Sutter Chapter. Keep it up Rich~ a shame i couldn't be a part of it.
Take care RichO.

*M.A.D.*

[RichO]

Unfortunately Arvil Leonard Miller passed just over a year ago. Missed everyday! If you want to meet him go to youtube and Todd's Hunting Harleys videos and the one labeled 1926 JD, It's Uncle Lenny getting ready for his last national road run in 2013 at White Pass Very cool. Also has ton's of cool photos of his original paint JD as a side

[EricOlson]

Unfortunately Arvil Leonard Miller passed just over a year ago. Missed everyday! If you want to meet him go to youtube and Todd's Hunting Harleys videos and the one labeled 1926 JD, It's Uncle Lenny getting ready for his last national road run in 2013 at White Pass Very cool. Also has ton's of cool photos of his original paint JD as a side

Thanks for the tip Rich, don't think I've seen that one before. I'll have to check it out. Glad I got to meet Uncle Lenny before he passed.

[EricOlson]

Here's a few pictures of Gladys Murray, Frank Murray's wife. She was clearly a motorcycle enthusiast as well, not just a wife who puts up with her husbands hobby. Definitely a keeper!

Gladys Chance married.jpg
Gladys Chance (Maiden name) before she married Frank

Gladys Murray, 1910s. Here on a Cleveland, in 1919 she and her husband Frank would become Sacramento's first Harley-Davidson dealers..jpg
Gladys Murray on a Cleveland, 1910's

GLADYS~3.JPG
Another of Gladys on the Cleveland

The Fabulous Chance sisters.jpg
Gladys and her sister Irene before they were married. They both helped form the Sacramento Cyclettes, a sister club to the Capital City Motorcycle Club.

Gladys Murray and her sister Irene Kaminsky, Near Sacramento. Photo by Frank Murray..jpg
Gladys Murray and her sister Irene Kaminsky, Near Sacramento. Photo by Frank Murray.

[EricOlson]

Gladys Murray, in the car, and her sister Irene Kaminsky at a Sacramento hillclimb, 1920s..jpg
Gladys Murray, in the sidecar, and her sister Irene Kaminsky at a Sacramento hillclimb, 1920s.

Unknown man with a Smith Motor Wheel and Gladys Murray with a Pope, photo by Frank Murray, near Sacramento, 1910s 1.jpg Gladys Murray on a Pope next to an unknown man with a Smith Motor Wheel. photo by Frank Murray, near Sacramento

Unknown man with a Smith Motor Wheel and Gladys Murray with a Pope, photo by Frank Murray, near Sacramento, 1910s 2.jpg

Gladys Murray on a Harley flathead, 1930s.jpg
Gladys Murray on a Harley flathead, 1930s

Standing is Gladys Murray, Sacramento Harley-Davidson dealer with her husband Frank (taking the photo), at a motorcycle picnic in the 1920s.jpg
Standing is Gladys Murray at a motorcycle picnic in the 1920s. Photo by Frank Murray

[JoJo357]

[QUOTE=RichO;n321540]Unfortunately Arvil Leonard Miller passed just over a year ago. Missed everyday! If you want to meet him go to youtube and Todd's Hunting Harleys videos and the one labeled 1926 JD, It's Uncle Lenny getting ready for his last national road run in 2013 at White Pass Very cool. Also has ton's of cool photos of his original paint JD as a side[/QUO


Thanks RichO, it's a good video~worth watching for everyone. I see his obituary here on the Forum.

https://youtu.be/Euie6My2Gck?si=ASUpgnidZyJpkKQy **Hunting Harley's 1926 JD Original Paint. --YouTube.

*M.A.D.*

[EricOlson]

I'll get up a few more of the originator of this thread, Armando Magri. Hopefully I'm not duplicating anything I posted before. Happy Friday y'all!

Armando likely at a hillclimb, possibly Ospital Canyon in 1948.jpg Armando likely at a hillclimb, possibly Ospital Canyon

117752421_935999900218258_50668299206340631_o.jpg

Armando Magri at a motorcycle polo match, Sacramento, 1930s.jpg
Armando Magri at a motorcycle polo match around Sacramento

Armando Magri at the Lakeport TT, 1937.jpg
Armando Magri at the Lakeport TT, 1937

Armando Magri at the Lodi Grape bowl, 1941.jpg Armando Magri at the Lodi Grape bowl, 1941

[EricOlson]

I wanted to reiterate, as I said in the first post, thanks for this content goes to Armando's son Ken Magri who originally posted it on Facebook. All material is his and I claim no ownership of any of it.