Bill Jacoby
Bill Jacoby a winner on and off the track
Bill Jacoby, a Chicago native, is a former six- day track racer and road racer who competed as an amatuer in the late ’30’s and as a pro in the 1940s and into the 1950s.
Like his father Otto, Bill raced for Chicago area teams and local sponsors (first T.J. Boler and then for Frank Barrett), and competed in every major bike race held in the U.S.
On the track, Bill frequently partnered with riders like Cecil Yates or Alf Letourner at the Six Day Races in Chicago and New York.
Bill was just a youngster when he got into bike racing in the thirties, and like many of his contemporaries, Bill took a few years off from cycling in order to focus on fighting a World War. During the war, Bill’s marine recon unit photographed the Japanese fleet at Truk Island in the Caroline Islands.
Bill was a bicycle designer for both the Schwinn and Roadmaster bicycle companies after his retirement from racing. While working for AMF, Bill supplied Indiana University with the bikes they used at the annual Little 500 race, including the bikes used in the movie Breaking Away.
Bill on the boards with teammate Ed Carafagnini
Chicago’s local stars Charle Yaccino and Bill Jacoby
On the right, with the Pesek brothers and John Fitzpatrick
With his motor pacer
Wait, whoa! Who’s that with the starter’s pistol?
Bill and “Pop” Brennan
It is our honor to be a cycling hall of fame of sorts, and as such, the museum collection includes many fantastic photos of Bill. We have some great action photos, fun glimpses of bike racing from this era, and lots of memorabilia. We have his beautiful Kennis racing bike, a “steher”, trophies, a sketch of the Six Point Arrow cycling club tattoo, and much more.