Howard A. French

Sun 3/30/31

H.A. French is dead at 80

 

Owner of Sporting Goods store retired 2 years ago.

 

Howard A. French, owner of one of Baltimore's oldest sporting goods stores, died yesterday at his home, 2004 Edgewood St., at the age of 80. For 49 years, until a heart attack forced hin to retire 2 years ago, Mr French was proprietor of French's Inc. on West Baltimore St. In his earlier years, he was a bicycle racer. He was educated in the public schools here and in 1895 received his law degree from Baltimore University although he never practice law. After working for several years at the Gilmor Street branch of the Post Office, Mr. French entered the bicycle business. A pioneer in the bicycle and motorcycle field, Mr. French for 2 years the Baltimore Police Dept. with motorcycles. Later the store widened its operations to include sporting goods and toys. Mr. French is survived by his wife, Alice A. French, a son Howard A. French Jr., 3 sisters and 2 brothers. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at a funeral establishment at North & Pennsylvania Avenues. Burial in Lorraine Park Cemetery.

 

Baltimore American 5/25/41

 

Howard A French, veteran sporting goods dealer, has seen several sports come and go. He has seen the bicycle disappear from the local scene and then stage a most remarkable comeback until today there are more bicycles in daily use than there were in the heyday of the sport in the Nineties. Another sport he has seen become popular and then pass almost entirely out of the picture is motorcycles. Thirty years ago the motorcycle began to become popular and sales soared until 1925, when they began to drop. Today the police force is the largest users of motorcycles. Then there was pee-wee golf, which swept the country like a tidal wave and then disappeared completely. Of all the miniature golf courses hereabouts, I do not believe a single one remains. Another sport remains, but its name has changed. The old battle-dore-and shuttlecock of grandfather's day is now the popular sport of badminton. Also, it has become a much faster sport. Archery is still popular, especially at girls' schools and colleges. Mr. French has seen many other changes. In the old days baseballs were made by two firms - Spalding and Reach - both the bearing the names and managed by retiring ballplayers. Today most of the baseballs are by - products of the meat packing industry.

 

At Christmas time all sporting goods houses do a big business in electric trains for the gardens and accessories.

 

Back in the early days of bicycles, Mr. French officiated at many cycle meets under the League of American Wheelman, or L.A.W. as it was known. He served as a judge, timer, starter and clerk., of course, at the old Park Cycle track and at Electric Park, and at races on the Shell Road and Seven-Mile Lane. Howard French reeled off many a century run, but he was not the speedy rider that his brother Bob was. Bob French won a long string of meals and trophies for his fast pedaling.

 

Warren H. Wimmer

Sun 12/1/78

 

Funeral services for Warren H. Wimmer, the owner of French's Sporting Goods Store in Baltimore will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Mount Hebron Presbyterian Church, Mt. Henron & Calvin Circle, Ellicott City.

 

Mr. Wimmer, who was 57 and lived in Ellicott City, died Tues. at St. Agnes Hospital after an illness of ten days. He had been associated with store, at 304 West Baltimore St., all of his working life. His father had been a founding partner in the firm in 1904.

 

Born in Baltimore, he was a graduate of Poly and served in the Army Air Corps in World War II. A collector of model trains, he belonged to several organizations of model train enthusiasts.

 

He is survived by his wife, the former Dolores Smith; 2 daughters, Mrs. Donna Lamparski of Denton, Md, and Mrs. Christine Welty of Laurel; 3 sons, J. Scott, Russell B., and Warren H. Wimmer Jr., all of Ellicott City, a sister, Mrs. Boulden Wilkins of Annapolis, and 2 grandchildren.