Re: [Paddlewise] Another Trivia Question >>>ANSWER???

The question was:
"Who was the founder of both the American Canoe Association AND League of American Bicyclists?"

=====================================
I thought the answer would be easy.  ...and I thought the answer was 'Kirk Munroe' (a.k.a Charles Kirk Munroe (Monroe)).  Munroe spent winters in Coconut Grove, FL, and is a well known figure in South Florida history.  I have seen him described as founder of both the American Canoe Association and League of American Bicyclists in a book and research articles (see ref. at bottom of this email).

For instance, see the web site: 
  http://www.abebooks.com/home/GROVBOOK/ga19.htm

However, Joe Pylka was able to go back to original sources.  He says,
"According to ACA archives, W.L. Alden was the first Commodore in 1880-81" "The American Canoe Association was organized at Crosbyside Park, Lake George, NY August 3rd, 1880."  Joe notes that Kirk Munroe was not one of the 23 persons present.

Now, that I know the right answer, I would still like to find out more about Munroe's participation in the early history of canoeing.  Was he Commodore of New York Canoe Club for five years?  

Now the cycling story:
In the second reference below, I read: "One evening early in 1880, while the members of the New York Canoe Club were sitting about the table of its annual dinner, Kirk Munroe proposed that they all adjourn to a newly opened bicycle hall on 23rd Street and try their luck on these mechanical novelties.  From this small beginning, the New York Bicycle Club quickly took shape with Kirk as its energetic captain."  At a Memorial Day parade in Newport, RI, in May 1880, "before riding in formation through the main thoroughfares of Newport ...well over a hundred uniformed cyclists, representing thirty-one clubs, assembled in the city skating rink.  There Kirk Munroe read a proposed constitution for a national body to be known as the League of American Wheelman".  "...he held the number one ticket, in the influential agency that he had founded in Newport and which he served as the First National Commander."

I have requested verification  of the cycling story from the League of American Bicyclists (via email).  

Again, any info that you can dig up about Kirk Munroe's New York days would be appreciated.

Marinell

Read one of Kirk Munroe's boys stories at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~fassitt/canoe_mirror/munroe/munroe_00.html
See also:Chesapeake Light Craft page:  http://wawrra.pair.com/btsftp/clcreading/magazine/modern_canoeing/munroe.html


REFERENCES: 
1  Tequesta  (a scholarly journal of regional history published annually by the Historical Association of Southern Florida.)

   Number XXVIII (1968), A Lost 'Psyche' : Kirk Munroe's Log of a 1,600 Mile Canoe Cruise in Florida. 

2  The Florida Adventures of Kirk Munroe, Irving A. Leonard, The Mickler House, Chulota, FL, 1975.






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