Everett S. Dowdle
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Clubs
Acme Athletic Club, AKA Acme Wheelmen
High-Wheeled Days
The Knave's recent article "Recalls Cycling Days," caused James M. Shanly of Auburn to dig into old possessions to uncover a picture of the times when the cycles had high wheels in front and the cyclists made imposing pictures in group formation and on cross-country runs. "On a typical run," says Shanly, one could see Lou Lamory on his big '56', bucking the Alvarado afternoon wind with Everett Dowdle, an athlete of marked ability, on his '42' riding on the lee side, both riding under the Acme Athletic Club's colors . . . a red-winged acorn on a black background . . . now used by the Athens Club, the dies for which were presented when that club came into being. On a recent Sunday those remaining of the Acme celebrated its 64th anniversary at which time the champions of their day reveled in stories of racing on ordinaries (high wheels), 'safeties', boxing, wrestling, fencing, rowing, swimming, gym work, track racing, field activities, handball and the 'parlor athletes' will have their inning. An 'ordinary' race, track or road, was always both fascinating to witness and a hard grind to the participants. The clubs participating usually being: The Bay Cities, Garden Cities, San Jose Road Club, Alameda Cyclers, Olympic Club Wheelmen, Sacramento Cycles, Reliance Club and the hard-riding Acmes. O. L. Pickard, Acme, was the first to ride the 100 miles from San Francisco to Oakland via San Jose. His record held for years. At about the height of 'ordinary' racing Bert Lund, unattached, entered the races held at the Oakland Trotting Park for benefit of building fund for the Fabiola Hospital. He had a cushioned-tired wheel and, in memory, some of those alive can hear the 'heluva protest' that went up. But it was a wheel to the judges and that was that.
The Knave - June 16, 1946 - Oakland Tribune
Everett Dowdle
Funeral services will be held Monday for Everett S. Dowdle, 84, Oakland resident for 67 years and retired printing shop owner, who died Thursday at the Masonic Home in Decoto.
Mr. Dowdle was a well-known early-day Oakland athlete famous for his boxing, sprinting and velocipede racing ability in the early '90s.
He was a member of the old Acme Athletic Club of Oakland; a charter member of Yerba Buena Masonic Lodge, and the Orpheum Club; and a member of the Old Time Athletes Association, which meets twice yearly in San Francisco.
Mr. Dowdle was a native of St. Louis, Mo., but came to Oakland in 1886. He started work as a printer and shortly afterward opened his own printing shop. He remained in that business until his retirement 10 years ago.
For the past five years he had lived at the Masonic Home.
He was the father of E. Robert Dowdle and Mrs. Jane Downing of Carmel, grandfather of Clinton De Witt Downing, and brother of Cla??? L. Dowdle.
Last rites will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at the Chapel of Memories, Howe and Mather Streets. Friends may call at the Grant Miller Mortuary, 2372 East 14th Street, until 9 a.m. Monday
