Romanticized as both sexy and dangerous, female stunt riders through the ages have been admired. Typically in the past the beautiful babe had been relegated to the sidelines, either waving a flag or donning an umbrella while scantily dressed. Here she is protected and strutting her sexuality. However, a few women have successfully crossed the boundaries to become not only admired as gorgeous but as shattering the stereotype.
Margaret Gast, born in Germany in 1877, began by bicycle racing and soon moved to motorbike racing. From motorbike racing she moved to the Motordrome, or what we now call the the Wall of Death. The majority of what we know of Margaret can be found here.
Lillian LaFrance rode in the motordrome in the early 1920s. “It was the thrill of risking my life that made me to take to drome riding. I was the girl who flirts with death. From childhood I was inspired by wanderlust. I was always alone, dreaming of adventures–-how to ride a pony out West, to follow my calling to fame. This was my secret. I shared it with no one.”
History on Lillian is limited but we know she hailed from a family of nine girls and, around 1916, she set off to create the life she had always dreamed of. In this shot, she is sporting a skull and crossbones, a sign of her rebellion.
Note the skull and crossbones on her shirt.
Lillian was one of the most popular “wall of Death” riders of the 20s and 30s. Look how she exudes an air of confidence!
In 1949, at the age of 17, Cookie Ayers Crumb responded to a newspaper ad that read: “Opportunity to travel with show and learn thrilling, well-paying profession. Will teach personable girl with nerve and courage to become motorcycle exhibition rider in Motordrome. Pay while learning. This is a highly regarded profession and a rare opportunity.” Margery Coffman who later christened herself as Cookie Crumb jumped at the opportunity, her veins flowing with daredevil blood. She had already been working for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus and had grown to love the limelight that came with performing for an audience. She added a year to her age so that she would qualify, got the job, and for the next eight years became the pre-eminent female rider of the motordrome.
Cookie refused to dress in black like “circus biker trash” but instead always wore white leather. She said she fought stereotypes all her life and “never owned a black leather jacket or pants, because that was the bad guys, and she didn’t want to be the bad guy. She wanted people to look at motorcycling and see that there are nice people there.”
You can read more about Cookie, “Queen of the Hell Drivers” at oregonlive.com. She is living in Oregon and still likes to make appearances at motorcycle events to talk about her amazing life history.
Photo taken by Fredrick D. Joe for the Oregonian 2009
At 21, Kerry Kleid became the first woman to hold an AMA Professional Racing License. Kerry had to fight for her awards, including filing a lawsuit when she showed up to a New York race track to receive her competition license, and was denied when they realized that she was a woman.
This issue of the AMA Magazine from October, 1971 featured Kerry on the cover and the contents featured: Women in the pits and on the track; Easy Motorcycle Riding; Back Seat Rider; The Odyssey of a touring grandmother; Hazel Crest Woman finds cycling rewarding; 31st National Motor Maid Convention; Cycling seen as family sport; and more.
Tomorrow I’ll be featuring stunt riders from the 60s to now! Stay tuned!!