HOG HISTORY The Hog Boys Ride Again
Like many manufacturers, Harley-Davidson earned a lot of recognition in motorsports. The original riders, called Hog Boys, spent the 1910s and 1920s racing at events all across the country. They were roughneck farmers, and they even used pigs as their mascots. The Selvadge Yard has a great story about these frontier riders as they made hog history.
Today, Harley-Davidson trades on the New York Stock Exchange as HOG. Yes, it was an acronym for the Harley Owners Group, but the early riders would celebrate their victory by doing laps of the track with a pig on their bike. They quickly became referred to as Hog Boys, and they were a fearless bunch.
Safety was merely an afterthought during those days, and some of the early riders sacrificed their lives in pursing their dreams of going fast. What is impressive, though, is in spite of the tragedy, the rest of the community came together to support the families. In the case of Ray “Kansas Cyclone” Weishaar, it meant raising money to pay off the mortgage of the family home so his wife and six month old could live there without worry.
Many of these guys went on to advance the world of motorsports and promote motorcycles in other venues. Jim Davis even helped the Ohio State Highway Patrol to form their motorcycle enforcement division. We wouldn’t be where we are today without their efforts.
Join the Harley-Davidson fans in the forum.>>
