Hope this will gee someone up to write something on your wonderful trackmen. Cecil Yates. The Rabbit was his nickname. He was born on the 8th. May 1913 in Thuber, Texas. Didn't get his name because he looked like a rabbit. Cecil got his name due to his style of sprinting. On your small indoor American tracks, his sprints were a series of short rapide bursts, reminding the paying punter of the way a rabbit runs through a field. This rider was equally popular with spectators and track promoters. Kept the paying punters spellbound. There were a lot faster riders than Yates, but they didn't shine as much. He had crowd appeal in spades. The most important thing for a Six Day rider. Cecil Yates was a great entainer and he had no difficulty in getting stars , such as Torchy Peden, Gus Kilian and Heinz Voppel on his side. If the Second World War had not intervened his list of victories would have been a lot longer. 1934 With Eddy Testa Vancouver 1935 " " Gerard Vermeersch Detroit 1935 " " Jack Gabell Louisville 1936 " " Freddy Zach Des Moines 1936 " " Henry O'Brien San Francisco 1937 " " George Dempsey Oakland 1937 " " Jerry Rodman San Francisco 1939 " " New York Cesare Moretti Jnr. 1940 " " Montreal Angel Debacco 1940 " " Buffalo Heinz Voppel 1940 " " Chicago Torch Peden 1942 " " Jules Audy Milwaukee 1943 " " Chicago Doug Peden 1948 " " Charlie Bergna Winnipeg 1949 " " Cleeveland Charlie Bergna
Come on chaps wave the flag never mind about Saronni how about your wonderfull lads!
Best wishes and be lucky. Michael Butler Huntingdon UK.