My mother made me a couple photo albums of my early racing. From the very beginning in Oct. of 76 till 78. I still have the albums. So I'm going to scan them and post them. It might be boring to some, because they are pretty much all about me, but they are from the day anyhow. There are articles and photos. She was actually really good at scrap booking before it was popular like it is now. I can hardly believe I've been able to keep these for over 30 years, but I did and here they are. I'm going to start from the very beginning and just work my way through so bear with me.

My mother was a BMX saint. My sister was born 10/31/76. This first album was made when my sister was one year old and my mother was doing everything she could to raise two kids by herself. She worked at a convience store to try to make ends meet. And she still took me BMX racing, and other kids in the neighborhood.

This album was my birthday present in 1977.



This is the first page of the album. My mom made me the Jay Gallagher graphic and the JG logo. I always wore it on the side of my helmet in electrical tape.

The tall silver trophy was my 1st place 1976 Florida State Championship trophy. The two blue ribbons were my first two races. I still have them framed hanging in my study here at home.



This picture I took tonight. My first two races. I'm looking at them right now. I have them framed and hanging in my study. I also have the Oct 27th 1976 front page of The News Today Boca Raton paper with my picture on the front page framed and hanging right next to my first two ribbons. DOH. Yea, I'm reliving my youth. :biglaugh: I'll post the front page with the article when I get to it.



I didn't always get first place. Such is life. That's racing.



I was pretty much always a happy guy, and I still am.



There were articles on racing and my mother captured a lot of them. If you can't read this then let me know I can scan it so you can. This is from 1976. I don't remember what paper it was from at the moment.



My very first race and one of my favorate pictures. Notice that I have the tape on my leg on the wrong side. LOL! I was a happy camper that day. That was the day I signed up with the NBL... or NML with a B.



I've got more to come, but I have to go feed my ball python.

Jay

This is cool...keep it coming. I started racing in '77 at Grand Prix 84.

Pete

Dang. Your the one who called it Grand Prix 84. :biglaugh: It was BMX 84. I'm on it. Many more pictures to come. We used to go over to the Go-kart tracks and ride them around after races. Remember that? It was cool stuff. we would wear our helmets and racing clothes.

Jay

Yup...and we'd get kicked off for crashing them, and then switch jerseys so they wouldn't recognize us for the next round.

Awesome! i cant think of anything to say but Awesome



NOTE: Had to edit out the quoted long Post of JayG, so please see his pics above /MC

Florida State Championships 1976 at BMX 84.

I'm the No 4 guy next to the adult walking in front of the 2x6 starting gate. Back then we had a board to start off of. There were no hydrolics. It was a board and a pipe with a big adult holding it. That was it. It was very common for someone to jump the gate. You had to find a point where you didn't go over and still got enough pressure to get a good start.



This was after the first lap. We did two laps around BMX 84. It was an oval and there was no berm on this turn. We had to turn and do it again for every moto.

And yes, the finish line was a telephone pole almost half burried in the ground. LOL! I used to love jumping it.

And the track was sand and shell. There was no clay.









Bringing home 1st place at the Florida State Championships in 1976.


Jay

ROFLMAO! No man not me. My mom would have kicked my butt! LOL!



Jay

Those are some great pix!

Thanks.

This isn't the best picture, but it shows most of the old track.



Jay

This is a scan from the front page of our local news paper. The News Today out of Boca Raton. We never did get a local track.



I have this page framed and hanging in my study next to my first two ribbon races.

Jay

Wow, those pics bring back memories...so cool that your mom did that for you.

Just a note, but my sister was born 4 days after that paper came out and my mom, 9 months pregnant and ready to burst still saved all this for me. My sister is a halloween baby from 76.

Jay

Here is the first part of the article that went with the front page story that had my pic.



Jay

LOL. It's' funny to read our quotes. Jim Graham was my neighbor. He got me into BMX. Greg Esser and him are still in touch to this very day.



Jay

LMAO. Durring this time the other riders used to call me "turtle" roflmao. Guess why. LOL!

This was taken out back of our apartment complex in Boca Raton.



Hey, I was pretty proud though.

Jay

What a great collection of stuff! So cool that you still have all of it...
Great early photos!!! Thank your Mom for being so cool!!!

Yea, it's amazing to me that after all I've been through over the past 30+ years that I still have this stuff.

I've even got a couple or three boxes in the attic with all my old trophys. I've held on to it for a long time.

I'm going to give my Mom a heads up on this thread when I'm done with it.

Now if my wife isn't on our server here at the house I can scan some more stuff.

Jay

Another pic from BMX 84

I wasn't winning in this one. What's up with that.



Jay

I really did like to jump the telephone pole finish line.

There may be some names here that some may know.



I never lived in Plantation, they just got it wrong. I lived in Boca all that time.

Jay

I really did like the telephone pole finish line...



Jay

And so started the years of the Mongoose. Ugg. That damn thing was a TANK. It was way too heavy and big a bike for me. Hell, it was the same frame that Stu Thompson rode. All my family chipped in to get it for me. It was very expensive for my family. I was much better on the Huffy. Such is life. I threw it away in 1999. Can you believe that!?!?! That was stupid. Really dumb. I didn't know what it was worth. I still have an araya rim in the atic though. I'm really happy with my Alloy Podium though. It's a nice bike for me now.

This is my original NBL card. Mr. Esser signed me over to Expert. RIP Mr. Esser.



Here is my first card and my current card.





I've come full circle and my daughter and my son race as well.



Jay

nice pics you should be very thank full your mom did that its so cool ,are you going to sarasota at all this weekend

My mom is a saint.

We may go to Sarasota this coming Friday. We've ridden the new track plenty though. I want to support the Bob Warnacki race, but it's $45 for us to do it. Three racers. We're not made of money. Plus the gas for a 100+ mile round trip. We will probably go this Friday though.

As far as the championships go, oh hell yea we're going to be there. Without a doubt. I pre-registered us with Alice last Sunday morning. How cool would it be if I get the #4 plate. It's the plate I raced 33 years ago only because that was the number that came with the Huffy bike. LOL! I think I know who you are, and I think you are #5 in the state in my age group. I had an excelent time talking with you this past weekend and hanging out in staging. I want that #4 plate to complete the circle so to speak. It oozes with irony, or something like that. Obviously I can't get Pringle or Stroup or Chuck. But I might have you just because you didn't race enough. Because you will beat me every time the way we are. Next year though buddy, I'm on it! LOL!

Seiously, I want that #4, and I will be at Sarasota, probably this Friday, and definitely for the championships. Hell, it's the first championship race I've participated in for 33 years. I can't wait to follow you fogy's around the track. LOL!



Jay

Awesome Simply Awesome You have a Great MOM

Thanks man, yea I do.

NPSARider, I had you mistaken for Brady. I saw someone else call you Chuck. It was good to meet you last weekend also! It was great to meet everyone. We've got a great class of riders in 41+X. Real good guys.

I'll get more pics up later.

Jay

lol jay this is chuck we raced each other on sunday and only in the main on saturday

Yup, I've got it straight now. You have #3 pretty much wraped up. I can't catch you unless you don't go to Sarasota. I remember when you came up to me on Saturday and asked me if I used to race way back when. Why yes I did. I think it was Jason, maybe Nautica25 or something like that who told me about this forum because of his post about my NBL number. I'm glad I came to check it out. This place is great.

Jay

The Feburary after I got my Mongoose for Christmas of 76.









Jay

I scanned and posted this one full size because there are a bunch of names on there. Anyone remember anyone on there? Hyatt was a cool track. The BMX track was in the center of their motorcycle oval track. Behind the bleachers there was a full size motorcycle motocross track.



Jay

this is awesome! give your mom a big hug for all of us.

i do have one question. did your helmet ever fit? you better crash on the back of your head.

glad to see your racing again.

Awesome Jay! How cool. Jay is/was a great assest to our fishing forum and sure is on his way to adding to our Vinatge forum. I didnt see any names on the full scan results, but a few pictures up on a smaller one I noticed Tim Judge on there. Not sure what you know, but Tim went on to great sucess with Hutch even having a legendary frame set named after himself. I'll be at Sarasota Fri night, I'll look for you, Shawn and family

Too cool, I'm loving the newspaper articles. Jim Graham and I ride mountain bikes together pretty much every Sunday morning.

Thanks Shawn! I'm still on Florida Sportsman, just not as much. After 8 years of moderating 90,000 users I decided it was time to retire. So I'm on as just a member now, but not nearly as active as when I was a mod.

We are planning on going to Sarasota on Friday for the Bob Warnicke race even if the registration is a bit steep. $45 for us to race, but I'm pretty sure we're going.

I remember Tim Judge well. Him and the Essers are racers I've never fogotten. I remember Hal Orr well too becuase he kicked my butt every week.

Which picture has Tim Judge in it? I remember him, but I can't remember what he looked like.

Now, it's funny Pete mentions Jimmy Graham. I spoke to Greg Esser a couple months ago and got Jim's number from him. Jim and I were neighbors back in Boca Raton in the 70's. Jim is the one who got me into racing. I went with his family to the track once in 1976, and that was it. I was hooked. I was 8 and he was 10. So I called him two days ago just to touch base after 33 years. Yesterday he left me a message at home. I called him back but he had mentioned that he was taking his son to the BMX track to practice last night. Too freaking cool! How cool is it that if you go to the Florida points standings page at floridabmx.com and look at the rookie points, his son and my son are listed on the same page. My son is 12 and his is 8, but it was cool to see them both on there like their dads used to be on the same page back in the day.

In this picture from the 1976 Florida State Championships the guy in front of me with the red white and blue jersey is Jimmy Graham. He was 9-10 and I was 7-8, but due to the number of riders they combined our classes for that race.




And no, my helmet never fit me right. DOH! luckly I never face planted. I don't really recall crashing very much at all. Very rarely, and always minor. My children and I all wear DOT helmets now, and they all fit well.



Jay

I finally spoke to Jimmy tonight! Wow! It was great speaking to him again. We talked for an hour! Holy cow. So much time and so much to say. It was really great to touch base again. There are two ways a conversation can go when you haven't spoken to someone for 30+ years. It can go very well or very bad. Needless to say, my conversation with Jimmy tonight was very good. It was great, and I can't wait to talk to him again. We only scratched the surface of what's gone on over the past 30 years. Just outstanding! Also, he has pics from this time period to and I can't wait for him to post them! Those are pics I haven't seen for decades if I've ever seen them at all. If you need help posting them just give me a call and we'll walk through it.

Some more pictures. This was when we raced at the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers in 1977. The soccer team. I took 3rd place.









I had some attitude there. I guess I wasn't happy with third.

Jay

And I did race NPSA also. Some old school NPSA ribbons...



And some points standings and photos...



Jay

This one brings a tear to my eye. This was the first BMX article that my mom wrote. You can do a query on Amazon.com on Diana Gallagher and you will get over 100 hits on her books. She is an author.

Anyhow this was the first one she wrote. And it's true enough. Jimmy, is Jimmy Graham. It's true. And this was 1976 dollars, which she didn't have at all.



I told you my mom was a saint.

Jay

Jay-I can't stop smiling from all the memories that you have brought back for me and to share with everyone. We had some really great times and I'm glad our kids can carry it on as well. Your mom will always hold a special place in my heart - taking us to races and supporting everything we were doing. It was really great to catch up with you after 30 years and I look forward to getting together with you in person. Thanks so much for posting all these pictures. I'm glad you got ahold of me.

Now the whole page is here. The baby in the picture is my little sister. She was born on 10/31/76.

My mom did a tremendous amout of effort to get me to the races and raise both of us.

My mom's article did appear in BMX Today in the Aug 77 issue.



Jay

Jimmy the feeling is mutual 100X. It was so great to talk to you tonight. Words can't even express it. And I thank you so much for the kind words you have for my mom. She did everything she could for us back then. I really look forward to seeing you and yours again. That invitation to stay here if you want to go to Alafia stands forever. Without a doubt. And we'll see you at the races! I hope. I'll be in touch!

And post those pics you have. Jimmy has as good or better pics from the day than I do. Now I put you on the spot. LOL!

Jay

Let me rephrase that. Jimmy and family, your invitation to stay here does not expire for any reason at any time. Your all welcome here any time.

Jay

So I made my way up through the points... I got 4th. And the irony continues... I think I'll get 4th this season again after all these years...



Jay

And so the races for the Orange Bowl started. That was brutal! Really brutal.

I have about 6 or so Mr. Pibb trophys in boxes in my atic. I don't know exactly how many, but there are some.



It was very difficult to qualify for the Orange Bowl.

Jay

Crazy stuff Jay! As for Tim Judge, I was only refering to seeing his name, couldnt tell ya if he was in any of the pictures!

Can someone explain the letters? A expert, D expert etc? Was that just age groups? See ya tonight Jay, Shawn

As of now we're going to the races tonight. We've been torn between doing the clinic tomorrow or doing the races tonight. My kids aren't going to listen to them at the clinic because they're too smart anyhow. LOL! So, we'll probably be at the races tonight.

The A B C thing was age groups. B = 7-8 and C= 9-10 etc....

Jay

Jay, I'm sorry you threw away your bike. I've let a couple get away myself as have most of us.

You mom was a saint. None of this would be viewable were it not for her enthusiasm for her little boy.

I noticed the sewn frontal bash guard patches on those groovy jeans and thinking, "man his mom loved him." Then reading her little take on it in that intro to BMX thing she typed.

This stuff is golden. I wish you still had your bike.

I don't have my mom anymore, either but I'm lucky enough to have a picture of her riding my 800P in 1985! Wow, how time flies.

I'll post it at some future point. Keep your thread going. This stuff is what it's all about.

Who put the "JG" logo on your helmet?

I haven't lost my Mom. I just got off the phone with her and I sent her a link to this thread. She should register as Jay's mom.

My mom put the logo on my butt. Cool! She also put the padding on my knees on the jeans. I put the JG logo on my helmet with electrical tape. Then I went crazy with the other design stuff. Such is the life of a 9 year old who thinks about racing all the time. I'm 41 now and all I can think about is racing tonight. DOH!



Jay

She certainly needs to see this thread and what a hero she is. She's a wonderful lady.

Click to view attachment

My mom and my dad running to help, Jay's mom in the center of the picture. This is BMX 84 1976.
More to come!

Hi, everyone!

Seeing all these things from Jay's old albums has been great fun. (My family teases me about being meticulous and having "Monk" moments, but it does pay off. I have the newspapers from the day Jay and his sister were born.) I kept everything so he would have a permanent record. I think it is so cool that he's racing with his kids 30 years later!

Jim: Love your picture. I don't look like that anymore! Neither pregnant nor young and slim. LOL

That should be my ID picture here. Can you do that, Jay?

Mongoose story: As Jay told you, the whole family chipped in to get him a totally inapropriate bike that cost a small (at that time) fortune. So he had very little else under the Christmas tree. He was only 10, and he lasted through the board games, a model, and clothes before he finally got upset and stormed out. He thought better of it and came back--BEFORE we gave him the bike. Then he found a dollar bill in a walnut and all was well.