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Rare 1913 Detroit Motordrome Keeton Trophy Awarded to Motorcycle Racing Champion Otto Frykman
Exceptional and historically significant early American motorcycle racing trophy awarded to noted board-track racer Otto Frykman at the famed Detroit Motordrome.
Beautifully engraved:
"Keeton Trophy
Won By Otto Frykman
Detroit Motordrome
Keeton Sweepstakes 3 Miles
July 9, 1913
Presented By Keeton Motor Co.
Time 2:17 4/5"
The trophy commemorates Frykman's victory in the Keeton Sweepstakes 3-Mile Race held at the Detroit Motordrome during the golden age of board-track motorcycle racing. Constructed of silverplate and featuring elegant twin handles and a pedestal base, the trophy exhibits honest age, wear, and patina consistent with its use and age.
Otto Frykman was an American motorcycle racer active during the golden age of board-track racing. Competing during one of the fastest and most dangerous periods in motorsports history, Frykman raced on the wooden "motordrome" tracks that captivated American audiences in the years before World War I. This trophy commemorates his victory in the Keeton Sweepstakes at Detroit Motordrome on July 9, 1913.
Board-track racing, often referred to as "Motordrome Racing," was among the fastest and most dangerous forms of motorsports in the early twentieth century. Riders routinely exceeded speeds approaching 80 mph on steeply banked wooden tracks with little protection, earning these venues the notorious nickname "Murderdromes." Surviving trophies from this era are exceptionally scarce, particularly examples bearing a specific racer's name, event, venue, date, and winning time.
Adding further significance, the trophy was sponsored by the Keeton Motor Company, a short-lived Detroit automobile manufacturer active during the same period, providing a unique connection between Michigan's early automobile and motorcycle racing heritage.
An outstanding and museum-worthy artifact of pre-World War I American motorsports, certain to appeal to advanced collectors of motorcycle racing memorabilia, automobilia, Detroit history, and board-track racing.
Measures: 8 1/4 inches in height.
