Oldfield’s Speed Made Name for His Sport

Nothing fascinated early 20th century sports-oriented Americans quite like speed.

Speedy horses, speedy boats, speedy airplanes, speedy sprinters . . . and above all, men who drove speedy cars.

The mere thought of a human being driving an automobile--or “machine,” as many called them then--at 100 mph rested crazily on the mind, like too much champagne.

The first superstar of motor sports was Barney Oldfield, whose feats were so amazing his name became part of the vernacular. Back-seat drivers--and traffic cops--started saying, “Who do you think you are, Barney Oldfield?”

It was Oldfield who in 1903 became the first man to drive a car faster than a mile a minute.

And on this date 89 years ago, on the beach at Daytona, he traveled faster than anyone in history, 131.72 mph. That was his average speed over a straight-line measured mile, off a standing start. His time, 27.33 seconds, was also a record.

It was headlines around the world, especially in Germany. Oldfield’s car was a 200-horsepower Benz.

He received a telegram from Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany that read: “I congratulate a daring Yankee on his remarkable performance with a German car.”

Also on this date: In 1970, 32-year-old Peter O’Malley became president of the Dodgers. . . . In 1938, the IOC announced the 1940 Olympics were awarded to Tokyo.

In 1956, Bill Russell and San Francisco easily turned back UCLA, 72-61, for the Dons’ 52nd straight win, on their way to a second consecutive NCAA title. . . . In 1965, UCLA announced that one of the high school basketball recruits who had agreed to visit the campus was a 7-foot-2 New York City prospect named Lew Alcindor. . . . In 1964, Green Bay’s Paul Hornung and Detroit’s Alex Karras were sprung from the NFL doghouse by Commissioner Pete Rozelle. He had suspended them for one season for gambling.

In 1956, ex-heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis, 41 and owing millions in back taxes, made his pro wrestling debut. . . . In 1974, the NFL Players Assn. demanded a $25,000 minimum salary for veterans. . . . On the same day, lightweight boxing champion Roberto Duran knocked out Esteban DeJesus in the 11th round in Panama City.