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The Improper Bostonian

Leslie Nesky donated important documents on the Waltham Watch Factory that she found at the Baker Library at Harvard University. In addition she gave us an advance copy of a new book being published on Fred Durmaine; The Improper Bostonian by Arthur Kennison. (Now available in our Online Gift Shop)

A Book On Albert Champion by Peter Nye

In 1900, Charles Metz hired Albert Champion of France to race bicycles and motorcycles for the Waltham Manufacturing Company. Metz and Champion were close friends until Champion left in 1904 to create the Champion spark plug.

That was all we knew about Albert Champion until we received a letter from Peter Nye of Arlington, Virginia. Peter, who has already written 4 books, is now writing one on the life of Albert Champion. It seems that Champion led a very exciting life. He was a daredevil racer of bicycles, motorcycles and cars, and was seriously injured in at least one auto race. When he came to America in 1900, he was 21 years old and married. However, the marriage didn't last, and in 1922 he remarried a girl who was in show business. By that time, he was a multimillionaire, as his spark plug company was a huge success. In 1927, at a formal affair, he collapsed and died of a heart attack while escorting his wife to the dance floor. When he died, he left his wife 15 million dollars, which was a great amount in 1927.

 A Football Book: I've Seen It All by Hal Kopp

Another book is written by a former Waltham personality. Hal Kopp, who coached the Waltham High School football team from 1964 to 1970, wrote a book entitled I've Seen It All, in which he has a chapter on his 1965 undefeated Waltham High football team. Kopp, who is 85 years old, still helps out in coaching at the college level.

The first coach of Waltham High was Nate Tufts, followed by Harry Dane, Norman Fradd, Jack Leary, Jack Fisher, Joe Zeno, John Kroll, Hal Kopp, Cliff Poirier, Bob Connors, Paul McGovern and now Don Keohane.