Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-09-09
KRAMER BEYOND FORTY,
BUT STILL WINS RACES
For Nearly Twenty Years Has Com
pctcd With and Beaten Best
Cyclists in Game.
WAS wEAKLING IN HIS YOUTH
Took Up Riding at Advice, OF His
PHYSICIAN, and Broke Into Profess
sional Ranks After Defeating Best
Amateurs.
by JAMES j. Copn,.,~r

tnEW iOfh' Sept S.-Youth will
100. But there is Always the excen0
ton. and in this particular insianrc
the e, exception is Frank Kramer.
years. years past an athletes prime.
Yet he stands foremost among the hiks
riders OF the world. and for nearly
beaten all OF the crack cyclists that
have come to the front.
In his early days AS a peda.er. kra-
mer met and defeated the best men in
America. Like Alexander, he began
to look around for more worlds to con
Iuer. and he journeyed to Europe.
There he clashcd with every cycling
he emerged triumphant. While he was
away new stars began 10 shine IN
America. and he came back home and
dimmcd them.
And Il is this same Kramer who
was a physical weakling In youth. and
took up bicycling not with any idea
or eyer becoming a champion. but
merely for the sake OF his health
Kramer was born in Evansville, Ind.
but located in East Orange, " j. cary
In his youth. He never was husky
manhood he skidded still farther from
the heights OF health. Doctors looked
nm over carefully and wagged their
prospect of long lie for Frank kfa-
mer.
Physicians Advire Riding.
And then one physician said:
Try bicycle riding. II viii give
you splendid exercise and keep you
Kramer took up bicycling and quick
Is developed not only his health. but
skin as racer. He showed ability
amateur ranks and staying powers
that we're superb. So he broke into
the professional game generation
ago, and ever since then he has been
err men are judged.
kramers nrst championship In the
professions class was annexed in io0l
when he entered IN the spirits .or
distances ranging from quarter o.
mile 10 five miles. Since th,t dav.
with few exceptions. he has been al
time through 1901 making records and
then entered competition. and succeed
ed In anneHins the title from Major
Taylor. The race took place on the
old Vailsburg course. and ranks in
bicycle ANIMAL. as one Of the greatest
ever ridden.
Met Severe Test in 1912
M. Kramer was i put to perhaps the Sc
was then tina, he met Rutt. Of Ger
many; Grenda. OF Australia and Perch
lcoti; OF France 1t was fourcor
acknowledge as the undisputcd cham
pion az the world.
The three men who fought It out
tnat daE sized up among the most
brilliant bike riders OF all time. But
Kramer found no trouble IN taking
their measure and emerging, from the
Kramer is remarkable for many
things. but nothing more SO than the
fact tina; at an age beyond Forty he s
practically as fast awheel today az he
was in his youth. He has suffered
many spills" during his time, but
has been fortunate in the fact that
none has crippled him or handicapped
the fric,ionless and powerful move
ment OF his legs.
Frank Kramer has lived clearly
through all the years and lived sanely.
He has guarded the health that came
to him as bicycle rider. and the
white lights" have been no lure. He
has saved his money. and today *
worth close TO s25OoOo Some OF this
was made through racing and the rest
of IL by Investments in real estate.
Kramer still clinEs TO the game. not
because OF the money there is In 1t for
i'm. hut because he has come to love
IL and to find in spirited clashes with
rvals one Of the keenest joys OF lv-
-I~nnvriOht 1qlQ