on road near home, 311–12
at Waltham Memorial Day race in 1900, 120–23, 121
while testing Aster powered tricycles, 127–28
and auto racing, 157–58, 198, 208, 332 arrests for speeding, 125–26, 127
at Brighton Beach, 187, 191–96, 192
Grand Prix de France, 328–33
avoiding the French draft, 96–98
and bicycle racing, 35, 39, 42–44, 59, 68, 143, 146, 155
after death of Johnny Nelson, 146–47
Champion-Lisette match, 72
in French national championships, 228–34
and Gately, 113, 118–20, 121–22
and Huret, 81–84, 88
known as “Human Catapult,” 59
last season racing in France, 209, 211–35, 222
Les Gosses Blanc, 72–75
and Marks, 88, 90, 97, 103, 108– 109, 112–13, 118–20, 121–22
and Metz, 97, 103, 105, 110, 112–13
motorpacing, 120, 144–45, 154, 158, 181, 204, 209, 211–12, 227
Paris-Roubaix race, 89–96, 95
racing in US, 97, 108–23, 144–46, 151, 153–55, 176–77, 204, 207
and Robl, 227–28, 234–35
training for endurance, 66–68, 71
and Walthour, 175–76, 184–87
and Warburton, 61–64, 63, 65–68, 70–75, 80–81, 85–86
working for Clément Cycles, 45–75
as a businessman, 315–16, 317, 323, 339–40, 350–52 (see also AC Spark Plug Company; Albert Champion Company; Champion Ignition Company)
applying for patents, 280, 299, 307, 318, 319, 324, 339, 344, 351
business style of, 288, 316
director of First National Bank of Flint, 325
and Durant, 272–73, 274, 276–79, 281–82, 289–92, 312–13
and GM, 282, 287, 292, 309, 314, 329, 340, 359
guiding SAE leaders on trip to Europe, 292–95
investments, 281–82, 299–300, 313, 343
learning business from Clément, 51–52
Nieuport as first business partner, 73
purchasing companies, 343
standing the test of time, 360–61
studying Flint’s factories, 314–15
use of ads by AC, 50, 261, 262, 349
dealing with his thirtieth birthday, 267–68
death of, 355–56
burial in Paris, 356–57, 357
early years, 11, 17–19, 20
birth, 13–14
schooling, 21
and the unicycle, 15–17, 21
exercising as way to stay fit, 267–68, 311
family relationships
divorce from Elise Delpuech, 254, 336, 339
marriage to Edna Crawford, 339, 340
marriage to Elise Delpuech in 1903, 156
plan to rewrite will to include nephews, 353
relationship problems with Edna, 351, 354–55
relationship problems with Elise, 254–55, 257, 301, 335–36
immigrating to US, 11, 97–98
interest in aviation, 314, 348, 350
and motorcycles, 144
developing Orient motorcycles, 124–25, 128–30
at the New York Automobile Show, 137–40
racing 14-hp Gladiator model in 1903, 158–61, 159, 164–65, 172–78, 173
racing Orient motor-tricycle, 132–36, 133, 135
physical description, 15, 58, 62, 64
promiscuity of, 114, 153, 250, 253, 256, 300–301
showmanship of, 16, 56–58, 58, 68, 87, 153
sportsmanship, 82–83, 84, 187
temperament, 17, 43, 82–83, 84, 87, 176, 262, 288
Champion, Albert Prosper (nephew), 344, 352–53
Champion, Alexandre (father), 14, 17–18, 19–20
Champion, Edna. See Crawford, Edna Josephine
Champion, Flora (Prosper’s wife), 338
Champion, Henri (brother), 18, 21, 73, 85, 97, 141, 203, 257, 323, 343
Champion, Julie “Elise.” See Delpuech, Julie Elisa “Elise”
Champion, Louis (brother), 18, 21, 73, 85, 97, 141, 203, 257, 323, 343–44, 356
Champion, Marie Blanche (Carpentier) (mother), 14, 17–18, 20, 48, 62, 68, 72–73, 75, 85–86, 87, 96, 97, 203, 224, 323
body returned to Paris near AC’s body, 357, 357
death of, 343
Champion, Prosper (brother), 18, 21, 73, 85, 97, 141, 203, 257, 258, 259, 271, 338, 343–44, 353, 356
Champion B.G.S. Battery, 258–59
Champion Company. See Albert Champion Company
Champion Ignition Company, 258–59, 279, 281–82, 299, 305
AC changing name to AC Spark Plug Company, 340
AC efforts to improve spark plugs (see spark plugs)
battles with Champion Spark Plug Company, 309–310, 318, 319
and GM, 282, 290–91, 312, 314, 322
growth of, 287–88, 309, 317
using globe logo, 260, 261, 308
Championniere, Lucas, 224–25
Champion Spark Plug Co. v. Champion Ignition Co. et al., 310, 318
Champion Spark Plug Company, 303, 306, 317–18
battles with AC’s Champion Ignition Company, 309–310, 318, 319, 340
sales of, 309, 310
Stranahan’s efforts to improve spark plugs, 306–307
using globe logo of Champion Ignition Company, 308, 309
Champion X (spark plug made by Stranahan), 307, 309
Chany, Pierre, 207, 218, 238
Charles River Park Track, 103, 113, 114, 128–30, 145, 146, 147, 154, 158, 164, 172, 176, 177, 205, 208, 212
records set at, 98, 135, 163, 198, 242
Charles V (king), 26
Charron, Fernand, 32–33
Chenry, E. C., 332
Chéret, Jules, 27, 33, 43, 49
Chevrolet, Arthur, 286
Chevrolet, Gaston, 284, 286
Chevrolet, Joseph Félicien, 284
Chevrolet, Louis, 251–53, 252, 283–87, 291, 296–99, 309, 340
falling out with AC, 300–301
Chevrolet, Suzanne, 285, 288, 297–98, 300
and AC, 300–301
Chevrolet cars, 296–98, 344
Chevrolet Motor Company, 297, 312, 313, 321
Chicago Automobile Club, 131, 132
Chicago Automobile Show, 327
Chicago Daily News (newspaper), 134, 327
Chicago Tribune (newspaper), 131–32, 134, 167
Chickering, Elmer, 142, 143, 153, 174, 184, 196, 198, 233
“Chief, The.” See Champion, Albert
Chris Sinsabaugh Martini, 327
Chrysler, Walter, 311, 313, 322, 323–24, 336, 337, 354
Citroën, André, 323
Citroën (company), 322
Civry, Frédérick de, 229–30
Clément, Albert, Angél, Jeanne, and Marius, 52
Clément, Celeste, 52
Clément, Gustave-Adolphe (later known as Clément-Bayard), 23–33, 36, 37, 41, 50, 86, 108, 152, 200, 210, 215, 217, 238, 277, 278, 319, 322
Clément Cycles Company, 24, 28–31, 32–33, 35, 38, 40, 42, 43–44, 49, 56, 57, 59–61, 100 (see also Clément Gladiators [bicycles]; Clément Gladiators [motorized bicycles])
AC working for Clément Cycles, 45–75
and Dunlop tires, 25, 30–33, 35–36, 42–46, 52, 54, 60–61, 70
seeing value of Panhard-Levassor automobile, 54, 60
Clément, Julie Alexandrina Roussette, 26
Clément, Léopold-Adolphe, 25–26
Clément-Bayard Automobiles, 217, 238
Clément Gladiators (bicycles), 60, 60, 64, 68, 70, 72, 80, 87, 90, 108, 152, 217
Clément Gladiators (motorized bicycles), 9–10, 78–79, 158–61, 159, 164–65, 172–78, 173, 198, 218, 219
Clément-Talbot motorcar, 46
Clément-Talbot Motor Works, 217
Cleveland Plain Dealer (newspaper), 169
Clough, M. P., 100, 101, 123–24,
148, 151
Cobb, Ty, 183
Cody, Buffalo Bill, 29, 140, 219
Coffin, Charles A., 100, 101, 123–24, 148, 151
Colberry Estate, 342, 347, 351
Coli, François, 348
Coliseum (race track in Washington, DC), 151–52, 175–76
Collomb, Joseph, 72, 74
Colt, Samuel, 69
Columbia Bicycles, 69, 100, 104, 305
Columbia cars, 305
Columbia-Electric Vehicle Company, 138
Common Council of Flint, 281
compagnon du tour de France (journeymanship), 26–27
conscription. See draft
Consuelo (Duchess of Marlborough), 251
Contenet, Henri, 211, 213, 216, 220–23, 222, 229, 231–33
Cooledge, Blanche, 183
Coolidge, Calvin, 347, 350
Cooper, Tom, 105, 165, 166, 167–68, 169, 170–72
Cooper-Ford Racing Team, 168
Corbett, James J. “Jim,” 109, 110, 142
Count Mechanic. See De Dion, Jules-Félix-Philippe-Albert (Count Mechanic)
Cow Creek Coal Mine, 167
Crack-Up, The (Fitzgerald), 335
Crawford, Edna Josephine, 335–36, 338–42, 340, 341, 344–45, 347, 353, 356, 360
and Charles Brazelle, 345, 354–56, 359
relationship problems with AC, 351, 354
Crawford, Elizabeth, 338, 344
Crawford, Emily, 338, 351
Crawford, Wiley, 338
cross-training, 85, 85
Cunningham, Harry, 179, 190–91, 192–93, 195
Curtiss Aeroplane Company, 324
Cycle Age and Trade Review (publication), 101, 109, 123
successor to Bearings, 96
Cycles Médinger, 230
Cycling and Automobile Trade Journal, 151
Cycling Weekly (publication), 233
Cyclorama, 245–46, 250, 257–58, 267, 270, 272, 361
Daimler, Gottlieb, 53, 54
Darracq, Alexandre, 38, 60
Darracq Motor Company, 187, 194–95, 232, 238, 241, 253, 285, 329, 331
Darragon, Louis, 229, 231
Davenport, Marion, 303
Davis, Noel, 348
Dayton Engineering Laboratories (Delco), 321–22
De Dion, Jules-Félix-Philippe-Albert (Count Mechanic), 77–78, 100, 215
De Dion-Bouton Motorette Company and the De Dion-Bouton motor, 78–79, 97, 100, 103, 107, 112, 124, 133, 152, 187, 238, 285, 322, 343
De Guichard, Basil, 152–53, 154, 172, 212, 235, 258, 260, 271, 288, 300, 339, 340, 359
Delco. See Dayton Engineering Laboratories (Delco)
Delpuech, Bernard, Jr., 203
Delpuech, Bernard and Marie, 55, 203
Delpuech, Gabrielle, 203, 257, 258, 322, 335, 336
Delpuech, Julie Elisa “Elise,” 156, 256
after divorce, 336, 344
in France before marriage to AC, 55, 57, 59, 73, 86–87, 97, 141–42
marital problems, 254–55, 257, 301, 335–36
divorce from AC, 336
marriage to AC, 156
in US after marriage to AC, 158, 164, 172, 197–98, 200, 202, 205, 245, 257, 268, 278
in Flint, MI, 279, 288, 299, 311–12, 322, 344
in US before marriage to AC, 147–48, 151–52
visits to Europe after marriage, 212, 224, 234, 294–95
Demke, Bruno, 227
Deniéport, Edmund, 239
Densmore, W. R., 191
DePaolo, Peter, 347
De Perrodil, Edouard, 225
Desgrange, Henri, 54–55, 56, 88, 91, 96, 214, 215–16, 219–20, 230, 234, 235, 354
Detroit Daily News (newspaper), 316
Detroit News (newspaper), 21, 351
Detroit Telephone Company, 167
Dewar Trophy, 294
“Dixie Flyer.” See Walthour, Bobby
Dodge, Horace and John, 204
Donahue’s Magazine, 126
Donovan, John J. See Boston Globe (newspaper)
Dort, Josiah Dallas, 273, 289–90
Dort Cup Tournament, 311
draft
AC avoiding in France, 96–98
France offering amnesty, 203, 211–12, 218
AC registering in US, 321
drafting technique, 43, 47, 72
change to using motor-tricycles, 77, 79 (see also motorpacing)
Dresden race, Champion against Robl, 234–35
Dreyfuss, Alfred, 215
Dubonnet, André, 330
du Cros, Arthur, 24–25, 30
du Cros, William Harvey, Sr., 24, 30–31
Duesenberg, Augie, 295, 316, 328, 330
Duesenberg, Dennis, 330
Duesenberg, Frederick, 294, 295, 316, 328, 330
Duesenberg cars, 309, 324–25, 328, 329–32, 333, 347, 352
Dufy, Raoul, 27
Duncan, H. O., 84–85
Dunlop, John Boyd, 30–31, 36, 80
Dunlop, Johnny, 80
Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company, Ltd. and
Dunlop tires, 24–25, 30–34, 35, 36–37, 39, 60, 70, 80, 151, 218
and Clément, 25, 30–33, 35–36, 42–46, 52, 54, 60–61, 70
du Pont, Pierre S., and DuPont Corporation, 312–13, 321, 325
Durant, Cliff, 297
Durant, William C., 273–74, 286, 310–11, 321
and AC, 272–73, 274, 276–79, 281–82, 289–92, 312–13
and Buick Motor Company, 272, 275–76, 280, 287, 289, 292–93, 323
and Chevrolet, 286, 291–92, 296–99, 312, 313
and GM, 274, 276, 282, 289, 292, 298, 313–14, 321–25
dismissed by General Motors, 291
incorporation of GM, 281, 290
return to General Motors, 312, 324
second time leaving General Motors, 325
and racing, 283–84, 289
Durant-Dort Carriage Company, 273
Duryea, Charles, 102, 208
Duryea, Frank, 208
Eagle Rock Hill Climb, 246
Eastman, George, 207
Echo de Paris (gossip sheet), 49
Edison, Thomas, 22, 138, 148
Edwards, Gus, 237
Eiffel, Gustave, and the Eiffel Tower, 19, 25, 29, 46, 54, 66
Eldridge, W. E., 246
Elkes, Harry “Lanky,” 107–108, 109–12, 113, 142, 144, 147, 151, 152–53, 154, 163–64, 176–77, 183, 235
Elmore cars, 268
Elmore Manufacturing Company, 291, 292
Empire City Race Track (Yonkers, NY), 9–12, 128, 159–62, 170, 176, 190
endurance racing, 66–68, 71
US law against more than 12 hrs/day races, 110
See also Huret, Constant; Paris-Brest-etretour [endurance bicycle race]; Paris-Roubaix race; sixes [Madison Square Garden six-day bicycle challenge]
Exposition Universelle (1889), 19, 29–30, 47
F. S. Bennett Ltd., 283
Faroux, Charles, 354
Federation of American Motorcyclists, 157
Fiat cars, 251–53, 285, 323, 329
Field, Francis F., 104
Figaro (newspaper), 356
Firestone (company), 328
First National Bank of Flint, 325
Fischer, Josef, 90, 91, 92, 93
Fisher, Carl Graham, 140, 170–71, 172
Fisher, Laurence, 354
Fitzgerald, F. Scott, 265, 335
Fleur de Lis (Champion’s pacing motorcycle), 184, 186
Flint Country Club, 310–11, 337
Flint Journal (newspaper), 316, 322, 343
Flint Wagon Works, 275, 296
Fol, Henry, 42–43
Ford, Clara, 168
Ford, Henry, 11, 12, 105, 139, 167, 168, 169, 201, 202–203, 280, 292, 297, 305, 344 and 999 (racecar), 11–12, 166, 168–69, 170, 188–89, 201
Ford cars, 280, 289, 297, 305, 310, 344, 351
Ford Motor Company, 12, 169, 204, 272, 289, 306, 310, 351
“Four Horsemen of
the Apocalypse” (nickname for Notre Dame football field), 184
Fournier, Henri, 144, 157, 200
Francis I (king), 26
Franco-Prussian War, 19, 22, 27, 53, 116
French Board of Trade and Automobile Makers, 108
French national championships, 229–34
French Textile Manufacturers, 217
Friedenau Sportpark, 227–28, 237
Friol, Emile, 231, 318
Frontenac, Louis de Baude de, 285, 299
Frontenac bicycle, 285
Frontenac Motor Car, 299–300
Gall, Amélie le. See “Lisette” (Amélie le Gall racing as)
Garden of the Rue Cortot in Montmartre, The (painting by Renoir), 27
Garin, Ambrose, 92, 93
Garin, Marius, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 216
Gately, Frank “King,” 108, 109–13, 118–23, 147, 163–64
Gauliard, Henri, 16, 21
General Electric Company, 100, 102, 117, 123, 148, 151
General Motors Company (GM), 328, 344, 351
and AC, 282, 287, 292, 309, 314, 329, 340, 359
creating ACDelco after AC’s death, 359
and du Pont, 313, 321
and Durant, 274, 274, 276, 282, 289, 292, 298, 313–14, 321–25
dismissed by General Motors, 291
incorporation of GM, 281, 290
return to General Motors, 312, 324
second time leaving General Motors, 325
financial problems, 289, 291–92, 305, 336
and Mott, 104, 292, 314
and move to Detroit, MI, 325, 339–40
and Sloan, 290, 321–22
General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money, The (Keynes), 131
Genet, Henri, 14
Geneva Steamer (racecar), 169
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Loos), 354
Germany’s indoor vélodrome circuit, 81, 88
Giffard, Pierre, 35–36, 37, 38–39, 41, 42, 89, 96, 214–15
Gladiator (bicycles), 38. See also Clément Gladiators (bicycles)
GM. See General Motors Company (GM)
Golden Age of the American Racing Car, The (Borgeson), 181, 300–301, 321
Grand Prix de France, 328–33, 335, 352
Grange, Harold “Red,” 184
Gray Wolf (racecar), 179, 188–96, 192, 202–203
Great Gatsby, The (Fitzgerald), 265
Great St. Louis Fair race, 136
Greene, Warwick, 125–26
Greyhound, Peerless (racecar), 12, 160, 161, 162
Grosse Pointe race track, 168, 190–91
Guignard, Paul, 225, 231, 232, 233
Gurney, Dan, 333
Guyot, Albert, 329, 331, 332, 332
Guyot, Albert, Jr., 352
Haddone, Emlee, 338, 351
Hale, Teddy, 88
Hall, Charles Martin, 77
Hall, Tommy, 151, 153, 227, 235
Hallier, Jean, 250, 253, 254–55, 319
The Fast Times of Albert Champion Page 49