Americana - 20th Century] [Photography] [Sports History - Cycling/Skating] [Merchant Marine] Brother/Sister Cycling & Speed Skating Enthusiast Photographs & an Archive of Documents of Her Merchant Marine - U.S. Navy Partner . (Circa 1928 - 1958)

The collection follows the youth and adult careers of Clifford Hoffman and his sister Eleanor Hoffman in cycling and speed skating on Long Island and elsewhere; Eleanor was also a stage singer and entertainer and subsequently married a merchant marine, Glen Willis. His papers from the same time period and WWII reveal much about his career. Cycling Ephemera: All in very good condition, with light wear. The Tri-Boro Wheelmen of Astoria, L.I. Present The First Annual "Tour of Long Island" Sunday, May 29, 1938. (8) printed sides, including the covers; "…Starting at Van Dam Street, Long Island City, and finishing at Hillside Avenue & 244th Street, Creedmore, L.I.; official souvenir program; with an introductory letter from Arthur Burke, club secretary, officials for the race and entries lists; Cliff Hoffman, of G.B.S.C. (German Bicycle Sport Club) is listed in the Class A No. 1 position and as New York State Road Champ; listing prizes, advertisers, supporters. Ninth Annual "100 Mile Bike Classic" (Divisional Handicap) Sponsored by the German Bicycle Sport Club of New York Sunday June 12th, 1938; with race information, (12) printed sides; similar to above; Clifford Hoffman is listed as the 1936 winner on the front cover; and in the Class A No. 1 position and New York State Road Champ. The Tri-Boro Wheelmen of Astoria, L.I. Present The Second Annual "Tour of Long Island" Sunday, May 14, 1939; (4) sides, Hoffman listed in the No. 2 and 'unattached' - not with the G.B.S.C., (it was perhaps no longer politic for him to be so - given the date). Tenth Annual "100 Mile Bike Classic" (Divisional Handicap) Sponsored by the German Bicycle Sport Club of New York Sunday June 11th, 1939; Hoffman listed in the 12th A class position for this. Souvenir Program Second Annual Two Hour Team Race Auspices of Plainfield (NJ) Wheelmen June 18th, 1939 Borough Park Track (12) printed sides; Clifford Hoffman is teamed with Conrad Wilhelm also of Long Island; the name list at back has penciled entries of times for the laps for their twosome and a few of the other racing duos, noted by Clifford's sister Eleanor at the race. Photographs: 50 black & white speed skating photos, some candid, some race-oriented, men's and women's events, practice, groups; average 3" x 5" size. 2 are photo-postcards sent from American speed-skater Ray Blum, in St. Moritz for the 1948 Olympics skating competition, both signed by him and addressed to Eleanor Hoffman, evidently a good friend. 45 black and white cycle racing photos, some candid, some race-oriented, men's and women's events, practice, groups; Eleanor H. & Cliff H. are both pictured as racers; circa 1938 - 1945; a small group is identified as the brother-sister cyclers as participants in the 1946 National Bicycle Races at Franklin Park, Columbus Ohio; average 3" x 5" size, some larger, some smaller. 25 b /w photographs of candid downhill skiing action, individuals & groups, mostly having fun; average 3" x 5" size, some larger, some smaller. Photograph album: With about 20 black and white images that are cycling-related, with racing bikes aboard, the family traveled for events; a couple identified as taken after NY state championship races 1937; 100 mile club race; class A sprints; as preparing for races, candids at Broad Channel Long Island; after the German-American championship 1937; a few of other cycle races, identified; also with circa 115 family photos, mom & pop & kids, traveling around Long Island in the late 1920 - '30s, mostly from Sayville, with a couple of Kings Park, Roosevelt Field (with plane); Washington DC and others; average 3" x 5" size; loosely mounted; just about all are identified and some have additional information on the back. Approximately 300 black and white family photographs, portraits, military friends & relations, of varying sizes; including a shot of Clifford Hoffman and Camp Upton, N.Y. in Nov. 1942, corporal's uniform; with the sad note on back that he'd passed away June of 1978 at age 58; with a few color photos as well. With Eleanor Hoffman's class friendship 'autographs' album and the 1944 'Archway' Richmond Hill H.S. yearbook; with a couple of flyers laid-in of small performances by her as 'Eleanor Willis Irish Soprano, Radio and Television Celebrity' and some professionally-taken studio publicity photographs; she married Glen Willis, (engraved wedding announcement here); from Lynbrook, LI & Harrison, NY - Willis was a graduate of Harrison H.S. and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at King's Point, LI; at time of wedding he was in the U.S. Naval Reserve. Merchant marine material: Paperwork concerning Willis' maritime career: U.S. Merchant Marine Academy King's Point NY Cadet Coxswain's Ticket for 1943, signed off for Oars & Sail, tucked into his copy of the small pocket-size "A Prayer Book for Soldiers and Sailors" 1941, Episcopal denomination; with his U.S. Coast Guard Continuous Discharge Book # 276395 with photo I.D., thumb print - he served on ships from 1943 to 1945, as deck cadet and then as 3rd mate on the MV Lightning, the S.S. Alexander Ramsey, the S.S. Alden Besse, S.S. Benjamin Waterhouse and finally back serving on the M.V. Lightning; with stamps and voyage description in the book; various other certificates related to his maritime career, lifeboat man, third mate license, engine dept.; with a letter of reference from the chief officer of the Alexander Ramsey, John J. Kelly, commending Willis' performance, to Lt. Comdr. C.F. Felture of the War Shipping Admin; and other letters and notes concerning the Naval Reserve and payments for time served during the war and veteran's rights, job offers from shipping lines; a few photographs for identification and on trips; U.S. Navy Reserve information pamphlets; a Seaman Passport (no entries other than his identification items); A Moore-McCormack Lines, Inc. Ficha de Identidad for him ( all in Spanish) and various I.D. cards: Captain of Port I.D. for him as a cadet; War Shipping Administration card I.D.and cards for his Atlantic War Zone Bar & M.M. Combat Bar & Pacific Zone bar awards for service; punched 1945 AFL National Organization Masters, Mates & Pilots of America union card; Selective Service System cards. The merchant marine group of material has some wear and soiling, especially cards and I.D. materials as they were carried during a length of service; other papers & photos in good to very condition.

Item #201231.

Price: $800.00