Adolph loved racing at Somerville, NJ and did so for 31 consective races there. (Although races were suspended during WWII.)

I have seen it reported elsewhere that a 19 year-old Adolph won the Tour of Somerville, but that is incorrect. My father's best finish was a second place in 1951. As I remember the story, a lanky Frenchman displaced by the war named Francois Mertens won that race by half a wheel. My father knew all his fellow racers, had raced with them for years, except for this newcomer. He had his strategy mapped out, believed he knew when the others would make their moves, and they were all carefully watching each other during the last lap. They ignored the young Mertens and let him pull away from the peloton, believing they would swallow him up in the sprint for the line. It didn't happen that way. They couldn't quite catch him.

The start of the 1947 Somerville, NJ men's race (above), and the women's race at right.

Adolph stands proud with his third place trophy at Somerville in 1947 (photo above).

 

 

 

I believe the photo above is of the 1951 Somerville race.

Photo at left: Adolph with Dick Power and his second place trophy from the 1951 Somerville race.

Adolph and Roberta pretend to warm their hands at the fireplace that was just one of the pictured carload of prizes he won along with his trophy at the race.

This is the finish of the 1951 Somerville race showing Adolph in second place approaching the finish line (white jersey, far side).