Harley-Davidson's Wrecking Crew

[ArchiveMoto]

Hoping to fire up a thread that may help us better understand the true heritage of the original Harley-Davidson factory racing program (1914 - 1922) and perhaps even clear up some misinformation about the iconic Wrecking Crew. To get us started, does anyone know the story behind the name Wrecking Crew, when was it first mentioned, when was it first printed, is there any one person responsible for coining the term, ect.? I hope that this thread will expand and help clarify and define the factory programs first years so feel free to add photos or facts that you think are appropriate.

[duffeycycles]

Harley mentions it here ,I have no Idea when it started.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...34052249,d.eWE

They were called The Worlds Greatest Team in these very rare postcards,Here is 3 different ones but each guy had them.They were sent to local clubs like lions club etc,,they would come ,show a film of their racing exploits,talk to the group & answer questions for a small fee per person to make a little extra money

[duffeycycles]

Leslie [Red]Parkhurst,Ray Weishaer,Ralph Hepburn,Otto Walker,Maldwyn Jones,Freddy Ludlow,Jim Davis

[T. Cotten]

Wow.

And all this time I thought the real Wrecking Crew were AMCA judges.

....Cotten

[HarleyCreation]

H-D Wrecking Crew Origin Date: 1919?

Hoping to fire up a thread that may help us better understand the true heritage of the original Harley-Davidson factory racing program (1914 - 1922) and perhaps even clear up some misinformation about the iconic Wrecking Crew. To get us started, does anyone know the story behind the name Wrecking Crew, when was it first mentioned, when was it first printed, is there any one person responsible for coining the term, ect.? I hope that this thread will expand and help clarify and define the factory programs first years so feel free to add photos or facts that you think are appropriate.

Actually, the original H-D factory speed racing team with Walter Davidson, Edward Hildebrand, Perry E. Mack, Ralph Sporleder, Oakley Fisher, the Becker brothers, and others took place in the 1904-1907 period. Often they won. After that the H-D factory dropped speed racing for endurance contests as a better representation of their brand and motorcycling in general. But I digress...

Not long ago I looked into the Wrecking Crew origin date question. I thought I had seen it around 1919-1920--never before WW 1--but couldn't find any original source in those years. I didn't look much. One modern book claim it "pops up in literature dating back to the teens" but doesn't document the claim (Art of the H-D Motorcycle, p.174). Others date the H-D team to 1914 and say it "soon" earned the Wrecking Crew name. But how soon is soon? Nothing is documented.

Wait!

Motorcycling and Bicycling (googlebooks) volume 18, July 16, 1919, p.8 clearly states and I quote: "The Harley-Davidson wrecking crew (emphasis added) was out in force, Hepburn, Parkhurst and Burns fresh from their coast triumphs, while Gene Walker and Jim Davis were wearing Indian warpaint."

The article is titled "Milwaukee Mounted Shock Troops Won." Clearly WW1 language there. Link below.

Is this the original source? Or is there something earlier? Not by much I'll bet.

https://books.google.com/books?id=4g...vidson&f=false

PS: duffycycle, very cool postcards!

[bobbyt]

Excelsior used the term Wrecking Crew in the advertising in 1920.

Bob Turek
# 769

[duffeycycles]

Herb,I think that Gene walker is correct,I said Otto Walker?They both went back & forth,Indian/Hd.Didn't HD have a "Harley Davidson Wrecking Crew" banner in front of the racing boys at the 1915 Dodge City Race?That would make sense,they were fairly new to the scene.The Parkhurst postcard is mine,I think the Ludlow was in the Early Riders mag/book by Easy Riders[maybe owned by spider?]Can't remember where I copied the Weishaer one.These are the only ones I have ever seen...any others out there?The owner of the unrestored Weishaer bike saw my print of the Parkhurst card & did not know about these cards.Here is link to the 1919 Marion race video..I wonder if that was what Parkhurst showed at these meetings?
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...34052249,d.eWE

[duffeycycles]

Mike Smith had a factory linen drawing of the 1913 racing single frame.The book by Willie G,100 years of HD had a 1912 pic of a factory racing style crate on the docks[with the hooked C Bar & Shield]These crates looked like a suitcase with riveted edges,unlike the regular wooden bike crates.This postcard was on ebay a while back,maybe the one in that crate!!

[exeric]

Wow.

And all this time I thought the real Wrecking Crew were AMCA judges.

....Cotten

Geeze! Give it a rest.

[duffeycycles]

One of you 2 guys is beating a dead horse....To go with Cotton,If it showed for judging ,the AMCA would throw this early racer out & say it never was built

[exeric]

And why would an AMCA judge say that Roger? The photograph gives it provenance, and if the overall bike looks ancient, who's to say. When unusual bikes show up, it opens a dialogue and that is how their history begins to be revealed. A perfect example of that is the Isam's '05-'06 Harley-Davidson that was found here in Florida. So much of our motorcycle history is lost, and unknown, and who knows what it will take to find obscure bits of info locked away in an attic somewhere. A bit of awareness is what could possibly make someone look in that attic.

[vride5]

i know they didn't have photo soft ware back in the day, but why didn't that bike fall over?

[T. Cotten]

One of you 2 guys is beating a dead horse....To go with Cotton,If it showed for judging ,the AMCA would throw this early racer out & say it never was built

Just for clarity, Folks,..

My contention has always been that it is the "restoration" rules that wantonly destroy History.

With conservable machines, the owners are much more likely to opt-out on any destructive judgements, and of course, any further judging.

No matter what, the judging system fails its mandate.

....Cotten

[duffeycycles]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Harley-David...-/291690349165

[HarleyCreation]

Excelsior used the term Wrecking Crew in the advertising in 1920.

Bob Turek
# 769

Can you document the source? That would suggest that originally it was something of a generic term among rival factories. Not H-D specific. That would be cool to know.