Frank Willis Sharpe
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Clubs
A number of the athletes of the Acme Athletic Club held a meeting at the clubrooms last night and formed the Acme Bicycle Club. The following signed the roll: Charles Bowman, E. S. Dowdle, S. S. Fogarty, J. J. Hanifin, L. A. Lamory, B. C. Leslie, H. A. Maxwell, G. F. Mier, O. L. Pickard, Steven Rice, T. F. Scanlon, F. W. Sharpe, H. N. Sloper, D. C. Van Court, M. A. Whidden, B. Ferris.
1891/07/22 ACME WHEELMEN. - Oakland Tribune
THE ACME ATHLETES.
Captain Sharpe Prepares for the Run to Redwood Canyon.
Captain Willis Sharpe of the Acme Athletic Club has sent out notices that the postponed run to Redwood canyon will occur next Sunday morning, the start being made from the rooms of the club. The Alpine boys of San Francisco have accepted the invitation to join in the run.
"I was just thinking of the old days of the Acme Athletic Club," said Willis Sharpe a jeweler and pioneer of the Acme Club. "Do you know that the club has spent a great deal of money in this city? Yes, Indeed, I want to see the old Acme Club prosper."
THE ROUNDER.
"A club run on 'ordinaries' was a grind. Along dirt roads, not so bad, up grade it was a case of dismount and 'shove,' down a steep grade a small tree was dragged to retard progress - if one could get the tree. Various types of hard-tired 'safeties' soon displaced the high wheels and these were followed by cushioned-tired, spring fork bicycles and then came the 'pneumatic tired' racing machine - a Phoenix, 36 pounds. Of the 10 men who rode the first 100-mile relay race around the Bay six are expected to be at the reunion: George Neece, Andy Bedburry, Theodore Schleuter, Jack Sampson, Manuel Rose and George Faulkner. Willis Sharpe was captain. Boxing conversation among the old-timers begins in 1882, when Rufus Hepburn named the club, and run through a list of such men as Eddie Wixcox, [sic, should be 'Eddie Wilcox' -MF] Jack Kitchen, Frank Leavitt, J. Mack Polk, Bert Brown, Eddie Smith, Joe Fields, Billie Gallagher, George Simpson, Billie Hughes, Jim Drew, Jed Hanifin, Dr. Walter Smythe, Jimmie Fox and Charlie Slamberg. One fight, never to be forgotten tops for excitement, was that between Walter Tye and George Kelley. The boys were disturbed by Chief of Police Thomas and the entire detective force (Shorey and Holland) in their first go on Eighth Street bridge. So decided to hold the next event under the auspices of the Acme Club, without the chief's sanction. A fellow named J. M. J. Kane, allegedly tipped it off and a raid was staged. As Kane went through the door Fred Schleuter landed a haymaker on him, at the next landing Mack Polk took a flying kick and as he went through the door one of the boys gave him 'the foot.' Which brings to mind another bout the chief interrupted and, it was told, the same fellow tipped it off. The affair took place in the early morning hours at the Coliseum Theater, 12th near Webster, between 'Buffalo' Castello and Tom Cleary. The place was surrounded by the police. All strangers were apprehended as were citizens not too well known, but men of 'standing' were permitted to pass with nod. Each thinking how lucky he was to have a 'pull.' One such person was Hugo Fuegal who, on the strength of his standin went bail for many but that afternoon four officers were busy serving warrants on those with the 'pull.' The names of Tim Scanlon, Harvey Sloper, Tom Mulvaney (Nolan's Big Boot at 11th and Broadway), George DeGolia, Clay Hawbaker, Judge Johnnie Allen, the Van Court boys, Billie Hynes, Myron Whidden, Dr. O. D. Hamlin all conjure memories of those who not only made amateur athletics what they were but the club what it was.
1946 Acme Club reunion, great history, Oakland Tribune, 16 Jun 1946
