Bob was born in 1928 to English parents over in New York State, not everyone who knew him realised he started life as an American. He arrived here in
England during the war as a teenager and it was after the war that Bob began his interest in cycling.It started in 1947, Bob took his summer holidays youth hostelling on his bike, he enjoyed it so much that he
continued on riding throughout the winter weekends and then went on to join the Southport Club in 1948 where he was introduced time trial racing.
It was just one year after joining the club that Bob's natural ability
on the bike clearly began to show and from 1949 to 1953 he produced some fine time trial performances which saw him take the title of Southport Club champion for five consecutive years along with both Liverpool District
and North Lancashire District Championships in 1951.
One of Bob's most pleasing results also came in 1951 when he won the Merseyside 4000 metres Pursuit Championship. He beat two Austrailian riders, were over here for
the World Championships, in the semi and final rounds. It was the 4000 metres event that gave both Chris Boardman (Barcelona) and Bradley Wiggins (Athens) their Olympic gold medals.
It was at a national level however that Bob's talent was really displayed, a testimony of his strength and stamina, in the British Best All Rounder (BBAR) competition over distances of 50miles, 100miles and 12hours he
finished 11th and 9th overall in 1951 and 1952 respectively.
It was also in 1952 that Bob accompanied by B McAteer, a member of the boxing and football family from Birkenhead, set a national
tandem record from Liverpool to London, 8hrs 37mins.
Later on in life after work took Bob to Cyprus and Africa he returned to Southport and took up golf, not quite as demanding as bike racing, but
nevertheless a sport he was just as passionate about, and cycling became more of a social and fair-weather activity. He also took up playing the saxophone.
Bob never forgot his ties with cycling and helped out with
many of the club's promotions, he was helping out as recently as the end of April with the Southport Club's staging of the North West Region Youth Circuit Championships on Victoria Park.
It is difficult to compare
athletic performances from over fifty years ago with those of current times, training methods, diet, technology, have all changed beyond recognition, but the performances that Bob recorded in those five years between
1949 and 1953 are still the envy of many of today's club riders and are well worth aspiring to. He was a prolific winner in his day and the list of Bob's of performances still remains a hard act to follow.
Bob is pictured in 1952 competing the Liverpool Century Road Club 100mile Time Trial. His winning time was 4hrs 25mins 28secs.
