Fishing Photos

LeRoy Long, Louise Wicker Long, Jaclyn Long and Linda Jane Long 1950's Big River

My family has lived by water for centuries---the Mississippi, Meramec, Missouri and Big Rivers have been very important to our travel, survival and more recently, recreation. I wrote several posts about meeting my family at Uncle Lawrence's Clubhouse on the Big River. [click here]
This photo is also the number of people who would typically be there on a weekend. Though blurry, I can tell who some are. The tall man on the left is Roy Long with his wife Vivian Maupin Long in front. Next to Vivian is Norma Long and the boy in front is Ron Long. This was taken in the early 1940's.
I have no idea who these men are, but it does look like Big River.
[l-r Ray ????, LeRoy Long, Hank Pelsory]
But, the rest of the photos are Lake of the Ozarks so this could be a cove there, too. Mother told me these were Dad with his cycling buddies.
This was much too nice of a cabin for the Big River Clubhouse, so I'm guessing this is Lake of the Ozarks. Dad [LeRoy Long] is on the right.
The only thing that puzzled me was. . .if this was Dad and his cycling buddies, then they usually road their bikes even hundreds of miles---did they really go in a car?
A few photos later gave me the answer---they road their bikes and the earlier photos were Lake of the Ozarks---see Dad's posture and shirt?
And, here was proof. So, the car was probably a "sag wagon" or carried all of their food and gear.
And, to prove these photos were Lake of the Ozarks, here is Bagnall Dam.
And, this is also Bagnall Dam which is the dam which forms Lake of the Ozarks. These photos were probably late 1930's or early 1940's---just by the amount of hair my dad has! For more on my dad's cycling, click here.

LeRoy Long--Cyclist in the News Part Two

This is a photo of LeRoy Long(2nd from the left in 1st row)and his cousin Andy Baum (Mamie Reed's son) who was 2nd from the left in the 2nd row. Andy was actually Vivian Maupin Long's first cousin so was a little older than Dad. He and Dad became interested in cycling independently. Dad became involved after being a bicycle delivery boy and Andy began cycling because it was great cross-training for his real love which was speed skating. (One of the Cycling Programs even includes several ads for ice skates.) Andy's wife was of Olympic caliber in speed skating---I'm not sure if she went to the Olympics or if she was supposed to go during the war when the Olympics were canceled. I'm not even sure of her name although a Virginia Baum was an outstanding cyclist in St. Louis in 1940's.


Although I don't think LeRoy Long was a cyclist in this event, Andy Baum was mentioned in the article below. I do know that my dad participated in this race at some time, but here I think he was back-up and possibly a person to help change tires, repair bikes.
This next article is how to repair a bike track with Dad and his friend (they even cycled in Senior Olympics together) Gene Gotsch demonstrating.Although the article identifies the man beside the striped shirt man as "John Long", it's pretty clear it's my dad LeRoy Long.

This was an article about another race. This one is interesting because the men appear to be wearing helmets.LeRoy Long is the one in the center with the "Long nose"--3rd from left. He, too, appears to be wearing a helmet---I remember this helmet well---it was just padded leather strips. When the Senior Olympics required the cyclists to wear helmets, this is the one Dad tried to wear. He did ultimately get a modern bicycle helmet---I'm not sure if Mom or the Senior Olympics Officials made him get it, though.
It's a shame that cycling in the United States isn't as popular as it once was although Missouri has taken several steps to increase interest. First, there's the Katy Trail which my husband and I cycled (we certainly weren't racing!) in 2000 and Tour of Missouri which is an annual race.

LeRoy Long--Cyclist in the News Part One

I have never heard of a Cyclist's funeral like this: LeRoy Long is at the top of the steps on the left with the dark coat holding his cycle up in honor of Edward W. Grosse who was also a member of the Century Road Club. This was at the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Grand Blvd. and Pestalozzi street.
The photo above was the funeral procession---LeRoy Long (Dad) is in the suit in the right corner.
Although I know this was in Forest Park and it was before September 17, I'm not sure of the year. I believe it might have been in the St. Louis Star newspaper. Here are the phots a little closer---LeRoy Long is in all 3 photos---see if you can find him. Hint: he's the third one in the top photo.
If you can read the article, LeRoy Long is in the lead in this photo.
LeRoy is in 2nd place here, but it was won by Arvell Grosse, a 17-year old high school student. I'm thinking Dad was 17-20 years old.

Cycling---a Family Event

I found this booklet in my Dad's cycling scrapbook. I was pretty impressed that he was in the National Bicycle Championships on September 17, 1937. Then I read the list of participants.
OK, my dad was #6, my aunt Mary was #14, and whoa---my dad's cousin Norman McKay (his mother was Mattie Maupin) was #20. I kept looking at the list.
And, there was Jerry McKay and Andy Baum (his mother Mamie Reed was Annie Reed's sister).
So, I called my Aunt Mary. She just laughed when I said, "So, why were there so many Maupin-Reeds in this National event?" "Well, your dad talked us all into it. Andy Baum was a cyclist because he was really an ice skater and this was how he stayed in shape in the warmer weather."
Another page had several familiar names but Mary wasn't sure if the Ruth Reed was the cousin nor was she sure that C.E. Maupin was cousin Charles Maupin.
Later I found the various races they had---I had to laugh because it's like Mary kept saying, "We weren't really serious cyclists like your dad was." Jerry McCay (McKay) came in 3rd in the Sidewalk Bike 75 yards!
I'm not sure who is any these photos, but it's probably one or two of the McKays and maybe even Aunt Mary. They do NOT look like future Olympians! But, I'm sure they had fun with all of their cousins in the competition. For my aunt's memory of one of the races, click here.

Background on LeRoy Long's Early Cycling Career

LeRoy Long is on the left

My Dad, LeRoy Long, was a cyclist for most of his life. Most don't know how he began cycling. His local Lake Sherwood newspaper interviewed him with most of the story.

My Aunt Mary Long Wassmund continued the story. While he was delivering by bicycle for a drug store, he became acquainted with Ray George who had a cycle shop. Dad worked there also repairing bicycles, and it was at Ray's that he began racing.More on his cycling in the late 1930's and early 1940's later.