The Minerva was used periodically to convey visiting dignitaries around Iola. He expended considerable money in refurbishing the body and engine. Speaking with Chet today, as he nears his 90th birthday, he recalled that the Minerva was a "little rough" by the time it reached his hands. In the auction of his estate in 1972, Chet Krause bought the Minerva. In 1953 it was purchased by collector Embert Grooters of Grand Rapids, Mich. McFarland died in 1936 when a staph infection attacked his heart. The body was crafted by LeBaron in New York and the car was powered by a 30 H.P. Its chassis was built by Minerva in Belgium. Like most luxury autos in that era, McFarland's limo was one of a kind. He could well afford this custom-built chauffeur-driven town car. In 1933 the governor appointed him to the Illinois Athletic Commission. Unlike so many boxers, he retired to a life of luxury. He had sizable investments and was a director of two banks. During his career he met and defeated most of the title holders in his weight classes, but none of the bouts were for the championship. Ring Record Book and Boxing Encyclopedia suggests McFarland was the best fighter to never become a world champion. Fighting in the lightweight and welterweight divisions he compiled a record of 105 wins (51 by knockout) against just one loss, six draws and a no-contest.Ĭonsidering that record, it is surprising that McFarland never won a world title. McFarland was born in 1888 in Chicago and turned pro as a boxer in 1904. It was built for former professional boxer Patrick "Packey" McFarland. The car on the postcard is a 1926 Minerva town car. By the mid-1970s, his publishing business was doing real well, and he had the resources to indulge himself with buying and/or restoring all manner of vintage cars, trucks, tractors and gas engines.įor a tumultuous year in 1978-79, I served as editor of the Old Cars division at Krause Publications before moving on to create the company's baseball card division. In 1971 Chet had founded Old Cars newspaper as an expansion of the numismatic periodicals and books line that he had begun in 1952. The reason I have this postcard is that it depicts an auto that was owned by my former boss (and current owner of the building where I have my retirement office) Chet Krause.Īt one time, the pictured auto was the crown jewel of his vintage motor vehicle collection. The Museum, and some of Austie's other cars, was pictured in one of my childhood favorite bubblegum card sets, the 1954-55 Topps World on Wheels. It's from a series of 1970s postcards of high-end vintage autos published by Henry Austin Clark, who owned and operated the Long Island Auto Museum in Southampton. The other day while I was sorting through a long-untouched box of sports cards and memorabilia from my 30+ years of accumulating, I found this postcard.
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