The Scene
THE SCENE
IVAN J. WAGAR
LAST month, this column was devoted to a serious attempt on my part to convince the AMA of the importance of its involvement in professional motocross racing. Copies of my letter were distributed at the first meeting of the Competition Congress, along with a similar letter from Bob Hicks, publisher of Cycle Sport. A committee was formed to develop an AMA professional motocross category, and the first action performed by the committee was to select an advisory board. The men chosen as advisers were Dick Mann, who at that time had placed as best American rider in the first two Inter-Am races; Bob Hicks, promoter of the first race of the international series; and John Penton, promoter of the second Inter-Am race. These three men worked very diligently to create a workable set of rules, but carried out the task in the belief they were helping their club do something worthwhile. None of these men expected any sort of thanks for his effort.
On the other hand, the committee did not expect the trememdous putdown which followed the congress meeting in Columbus. Dick Mann was suspended for three months, for competing in a non-AMA-sanctioned event. Yes, there actually is a rule in the AMA book which states an AMA licensed rider cannot compete in events not sanctioned by the AMA. That rule probably was inserted some time before World War I, but this is 1968, and it is shocking that the congress approved the present rule book without eliminating such an insidious condition. In California, there is a law, the Cartwright Act, which makes that portion of the AMA rule book illegal. Dick Mann could compete in non-AMA races in California forever-and there is not one damn thing Columbus could do about it. Until, that is, he tried to race in any other state, and then the Anti-Motorcycle Association would have him.
The official answer to any question regarding a suspension is that the congress makes the rules and Columbus enforces them. But isn’t it also true that if the AMA provides good racing, riders will not be forced to turn to non-AMAsanctioned races to find something better? Motocross is here, despite the AMA. And, it is a fairly safe bet that we would still be waiting for motocross for the next 20 years, had it not been for the efforts of people like Bob Hicks, John Penton and a handful of others. There is some logic in an organization that tries to prevent growth of opposition clubs. On the other hand, if the AMA does not already have a class or category to cater for the needs of its members, it is stupidity to suggest the club is an opponent.
Dick Mann has been one of the best all-around competitors the AMA ever has been fortunate enough to call its own. Dick has raced for the glory, and the prize money that goes with it, but in so doing he has brought a lot of John Does through the turnstiles, thus putting a good deal of money in promoters’ pockets, and contributing no small amount to the Columbus coffers. Needless to say, money in Columbus coffers pays salaries for Columbus employees, so who is working for whom? Dick Mann is not surprised at the action taken by Columbus. He is a name, and must be set up as an example. Mann is not sorry for what he has done. He has, after all, raced with the best in the world, and if that brings on the wrath of the AMA, those are the breaks.
Dick Mann is not, however, the only one to feel the ax because of Inter-Am participation. The following is a letter to Joe Bolger, CYCLE WORLD’S Eastern Editor:
Dear Sir,
As officers of record of the Intersport Motorcycle Club, we are holding you personally responsible for the actions of the club in regard to violations of AMA rules, and resolutions by the AMA Competition Congress and AMA Executive Committee pertaining to co-sanctioned events and unsanctioned events.
You are hereby suspended from participating in AMA activities for a period of six months from this date, unless you can certify to this office that you are not a member of the Intersport Club.
Sincerely yours, W. T. Berry Jr.
Executive Director
Bolger does not intend to try to prove to anyone that he is not an official of Intersport, nor should he. Joe has supported AMA Sportsman scrambles for more years than most people in the AMA have been in office. As an officer of Intersport, he is responsible for assisting in promotion of a race in which the AMA is not interested, and a race that drew more than 8000 eager fans through the gate. Total prize and start money at Pepperell was better than for the majority of AMA National championship races, so it can’t be all bad.
Les Beach, the Intersport race starter, and very efficient, I might add, received a similar letter, and is to be benched for a like period. Howard Ferguson, another Intersport official, received his letter, also, but the head of Intersport, Bob Hicks, has not, at this writing, heard from the hallowed halls of Columbus.
It is safe to assume that CYCLE WORLD, sponsor of the final race of the Inter-Am series, will be thrown out of the AMA as well. CYCLE WORLD’S ambition is to someday promote a world championship motocross race in the United States. If Columbus continues to ignore the fact that there might be some worthwhile motorcycling going on outside of the U.S., then the AMA has a problem.
I am tired of hearing the boasts of the attendance for the AMA National championship short track in the Houston Astrodome, last February. The AMA should hang its head in shame rather than boast about the attendance. A chat with any rider who competed at Houston will give you the answer very quickly—somebody grossed $95,000 at the Astrodome, but the riders saw something like 5 percent of the gate. Three months before the Astrodome National, a California club, the Dirtdiggers, sponsored a motocross race out in the end of the San Fernando Valley and pulled in more people and paid more prize money than the promoter of the Astrodome fiasco.
So where does all this leave us? The rule book is a must if any organization is to succeed. But I expect to go to an AMA race one of these days and see a rider benched for two years because he did not lace his boots according to the rule book. Elsewhere in this issue, Yvon du Hamel gives accounts of a couple of his personal run-ins with the AMA rule book.
The rule Yvon broke was designed to prevent riders from swapping machines, and, while he broke the written rule, du Hamel did not, in any way, commit an offense against the intent or reason for the rule. There will be far less likelihood of similar suspensions in the future. Last year, AMA competition riders suggested that their mechanics be licensed, and that the $5 from each license go toward the salary for an AMA official to look after the riders’ interests. The duties of a rider’s representative would include attendance at all AMA National championship races to ensure that local officials do not mistreat the riders, and negotiation with race promoters for larger purses and better, safer race venues. The AMA has hired Tom Clark, former National No. 66, to fill the post. As a former Class C Expert, Tom is well qualified to look after the riders’ rights, and see that justice is done.
Any club, if it is to succeed, must have a strong rule book. It probably is safe to say that more organizations have failed from bending the rules than any other reason. On the other hand, the rule book must be designed to further the sport, if the club is to grow. At the present time, the AMA rule book appears to be a reason to shoot people down, and drive them off to join other clubs or to form their own organizations.
(Continued on page 92)
Continued from page 34
At the recent AMA Executive Committee meeting, in Anaheim, Calif., I was, with the help of the AMA president, allowed to attend and present my views on the situation as a whole. My opening question, directed to the AMA’s legal counsel, Bill Leigner, was in regard to the legality of Rule g, Section 2, Reasons for Suspension, in the AMA rule book. I was informed that, except for the state of California, the rule is quite valid and free from suit.
I then asked the Executive Committee to remove the rule from the AMA rule book, on grounds that it is detrimental to the future growth of the AMA. At this point, the committee was reminded by Berry that the AMA Competition Congress had approved the rule book less than one month previously, and for the committee to change the book at this time would cause the congress to feel they had been overruled.
The Executive Committee decided to accept this thought, and decided to do nothing about suspensions issued by Berry’s office to riders who compete in non-AMA sanctioned events. In answer to my question in regard to peaceful coexistence between the AMA and its members who take part in international motocross, I was told that the AMA does not co-sanction events. Further, Berry reminded the Executive Committee that it had voted and passed a resolution to that effect in February, 1968. At that time I was opposed to the committee’s decision. And, I have not changed my mind.
It takes no great ingenuity to realize that the longer Columbus ignores what is going on, the more difficult it will be for the AMA to eventually become involved. After all, half an apple is better than none, but only if there’s a basket to put it in.
If the Anti-Motorcycle Association is not prepared to meet the progress of modern day motorcycling, it should not interfere with the people who wish to do something for the sport. Motorcycling will be better off when the AMA is mature enough to decide whether it is an industry body, or a sporting organization.
