Charles Balke, the boy who would be known as fearless, onboard a Merkel single at Los Angeles’ Agriculture Park, November 21, 1908.
Part 1: Undeniably Fearless
It has been over a century since the last of America's infamous board track motordromes ran their final death-defying contests. Today, it is hard to grasp just how sensational it would have been to sit in the grandstands, watching men whip around the steep inclines of the country's timber bowls onboard raw, fire-breathing machines. In 1912, the height of the motordrome craze in the United States, the fastest the average citizen was ever accustomed to going would have been by train, topping out around 45 MPH. Yet, for the small cost of admission, most anyone could gather under the arc lights of their local board track saucer and watch men reach double that pace as they past in a blur. The age of the motordrome was nothing if not visceral. The tracks steeply banked walls of rough-sawn timber, laid on end, enclosed by guard rail posts and electric lights, often with wiring exposed that would potentially ignite any fuel source if clipped. The machines were geared for a single purpose, flat out speed, with no throttle, suspension, brakes, or transmissions—all power, all the time. And then there were the riders, men of true grit who mounted such beasts with little more protection than a wool sweater and leather cap. To compete was to be fearless, and one man, a pioneer of the sport, daring and competitive, personified the American motordrome racer to the degree that he became known simply as that; fearless.
Charles Victor (Van) Balke was born in Tyler, Texas, on March 16, 1891,. At age 15, his family chased new opportunities to sunny Los Angeles, California, in 1906. Once in L.A., the teenaged took a job for the Diamond Rubber Company, the predecessor of the Goodyear brand, and began saving his pennies. Young and adventurous, Charlie had grown obsessed with the motorbikes buzzing and popping their way around the city. With $175 saved, he purchased his first motorcycle, a single-cylinder Indian from C.W. Risden’s shop, wasting no time darting through town, hanging around the shop with fellows who had begun racing one another on local horse tracks. One day, his supervisor asked him to run a few telegrams down to the local post office, only to find him relaxing on the sofa in the lounge a short time later. His supervisor was peeved until he realized that Charlie already made the errand, making fast work it onboard his Indian. Charlie was immediately made the company's delivery agent, a position which helped him refine his skill in the saddle as he navigated the busy streets of Los Angeles.
Having heard enough of the thrill of the races from fellow enthusiasts, it was in February 1907 that the 16-year-old Balke first made his way down to the local horse racing track at Agriculture Park to have a go at the glory himself. Motorcycle racing was still in its formative years, yet Agriculture Park had become one of the most prominent venues in the country. The first big race at Agriculture wouldn’t occur until later that September, organized by the Los Angeles Motorcycle Club, so to say that the young Balke was a true pioneer of the sport would be an understatement. His rivals that day were two other aspirational young amateurs, Ray Seymour and "Millionaire" Morty Graves, rivals and friends who would become pioneer racing icons in their own right. Balke entered into the 5-Mile amateur race and bested them both, crossing the line with a half-lap distance between them and placing his first mark in the ledger of history. The young Texan was hooked; he was a natural rider and fierce competitor and, within weeks, had made a name for himself as the kid to beat at Agriculture Park.
Charlie soon began garnering the favor of the industry as manufacturers found publicity at the track an attractive opportunity to drive sales. The young amateur racer could be seen throwing up rooster tails of dust onboard various marques, including Thor, Indian, and Merkel in his first year on the track. It was on the later, a Merkel, that Charlie's fearless reputation began to emerge when, during a race on June 27, 1908, the young demon was seen racing one-handed. The fuel line onboard his Merkel had become separated from the carb, but to slow down would mean elimination, and that would not do. Charlie kept one hand on the throttle and the other holding his fuel line to his carburetor, losing his position at the front but running out the final mile to come in second place. Such antics, along with his rough and tumble, some might call aggressive style, as well as his charming smile and youthful good looks made Charlie Balke a crowd favorite in L.A.
Among his growing admirers, none took as keen an interest in the daring racer as the lovely Ms. Marie Edith Bradford. The two were introduced by a mutual friend and quickly took a liking to each other. Never one to miss a race, it is Bradford who is credited for giving Charlie his immortal nickname of "Fearless." In turn, Charlie gave her a loving nickname as well, calling her "Snooks" from then on. Snooks was Charlie's biggest fan, following him around the country as his career took off and documenting his success in a scrapbook. It is her tireless effort to document Balke's racing career through that we have such a detailed account of his life and career. In late 1908, it was Snooks who was by Charlie's side following a catastrophic day at Agriculture, what would be Charlie Balke's most harrowing moments.
On September 7, 1908, Charlie was running practice laps on the dirt at Agriculture onboard a Thor twin for the races the following day. One in a pack of six riders including Paul Derkum and Morty Graves, Charlie was in a cloud of dust when Ben Bresee, the rider in front of him, took a spill. A group of young boys snuck in to get a glimpse of the commotion. The boys climbed the fence, but still wanted a closer look, so they darted across the track following Bresee's fall when the pack came back around the corner. At 60 MPH, there was little Charlie could do to avoid them, and he collided with seven-year-old Lester Webb. The young boy was killed instantly, and Balke was thrown from his machine, shattering his ribs, snapping his collar bone, and taking a terrible blow to the head, which left him unconscious. He was rushed to the hospital, Snooks by his side, where he remained in a coma for three days. When he awoke, the 17-year-old Balke was devastated to hear what had happened. He was battered and full of sorrow for what had happened, it would be months before he worked up the nerve to compete again.
Charlie "Fearless" Balke had been competing for one short but triumphant year. He had won the crowd's favor, his fellow racers' respect, and the industry's eyes. Though his first year was punctuated with a devastating event and significant injury, at the end of the day, Charlie Balke was a racer with a promising career ahead. After nearly two months on the mend, he resolved to work through the tragedy. He returned to racing at a different venue, the old Ascot Park dirt track on November 30, placing second in both the open singles race and the 10-Mile California Championship. The tragedy at Agriculture in 1908 could have ended Charlie's budding career despite the acclaim he had garnered in his first year. Instead, it marked the beginning, and with his return to the track, the next chapter for Charlie Balke would be one of fame and glory as one of the first and most popular motorcycle racers in American history.
Stay tuned for Part II of the Archive Icon: Charlie "Fearless" Balke story as he signs new deals with Indian, becomes a star on the emerging motordrome circuit and runs elbow to elbow with the best to have ever played the dangerous game, coming next week, exclusively at ArchiveMoto.com.
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