Harry Kelly, Jr.
1994, Leadership
Born in 1926 - June - my earliest memories are going to dirt track races with Mon & Dad with a racing motorcycle tied to each running board - had to climb through the window to get in and out. My father raced for the Indian Motorcycle Factory in the 20s.
Early 1930s: Dad bought the Indian Motorcycle agency in Hammond, Indiana, and that's where I grew up. Dad promoted motorcycle races in the 30s. He invented "riders going through flaming walls" act to attract crowds to the races. We always had an Indian race team and as I remember, won a majority of the races. Among our racers were George Storm, Kenny Engle and Don Aldridge (Don during WWII at one time was the leading war ace having shot down 20 Jap planes.)
The 1940s: WWII put us out of the motorcycle business and my Dad being from the west, we went to western Kansas to raise cattle. I stayed with my parents till I turned 17 and then enlisted in the Marine Corps. My outfit was F Co., 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines. We hit the beach on D-Day and 5 days later was the company that reached the top of Mt. Suribaci. I lasted from February 19th (D-Day) until March 10th, when I was shot. The battle was tough as we hit the beach with 430 men and when I went out we were down to less than 30. I was discharged from the Marines in April, 1946.
Dad opened and Indian agency in Dayton, Ohio, and we took on Triumph in 1949 and then Zundapp. We were so successful in selling Zundapps that we became distributors for 4 states: Ohio, Indians, Illinois, and Kentucky. In 1959 I started my own company (KK Motorcycle Supply) on very limited funds, worked mornings and early afternoon for Dad and the rest of the day for my KK Company. KK was very successful and in 1970 my folks retired and moved to Miami, Florida.
I now had some money from the KK Distributing business and started some of the following: The Motorcycle Dealer's News Show in Cincinnati was a great attraction but the motorcycle dealers were left on their won for entertainment. I went to the Neithland Plaza (at that time Cincinnati's largest hotel) renting out their ballroom, a band, drinks and food and put on a grand party for the motorcycle dealers. The show went to Pittsburgh, Columbus and back to Cincinnati and I continued to put on the big bash. About 5 years after I started, the Japanese started entertaining their dealers more lavishly than I could, so I stopped the annual expense of 12 - 18 grand. Dealer News than got contributions from distributors and continued the party.
Also during this time I started the Oldtime Newsies Motorcycle Races in Dayton at the fairgrounds. The races were 100% Charity events for a local Big Brother-Big Sisters Club. Also about that time I started a local TV Show called Motorcycling with KK (we covered everything in a 150 mile radius of Dayton). It ran 1/2 hour each week for 7 years. The station at that time was an ABC outlet. The president of that station got so involved that at one time owned 7 motorcycles. He also gave me 3 hours of free air time on Friday night, not only to promote the race, but to put on an auction for the local Charity. My co-host on the Motorcycle Show was also the host for the yearly Jerry Lewis telethon so I started putting on a Sunday road ride after the race with all proceeds going to the Muscular Dystrophy Charity. All three have been very successful and the present KK leaders have continued and improved all three events - in total over 1 million dollars have been given to local charities from them.
The 1970s and 80s: I co-promoted the opening dirt track races in Springfield, Ohio. Also started the Harry Kelley, Sr., award given to the first racer to win 3 dirt track events promoted by the Dayton Motorcycle Club. I donated $1,000 a year and I believe it got up to $10,000. In those years I helped sponsor racers: Gary Nixon, Gary Scott, and at present Steve Morehead. I also had a special award for the first 3 time winners at our Oldtime Charity Newsies event in Dayton. It didn't get too high as Gary Scott won these 5 times.
Oh yes, I forgot, in 1946 I started racing the dirts in Ohio for 7 years, then raced the scramble events locally till I was 49. Promoted a national road race in Indianapolis, also a mile dirt track national in Chicago. I lost a bundle on both.
In 1971, 1972 and 1973 I was president of the AMA. Very tough years but things turned out very well. 1974, 1975 and 1976 I was a board member of the MIC.
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