Champion Spark Plug

Champion Spark Plug

1899 Albert Champion moves to the U.S. from France at the age of 25.

1905 With the backing of Robert and Frank Stranaham, Albert founds the Albert Champion Company in Boston, Mass. In the Cyclorama building.

1907 Champion is sole importer for Nieuport for which Albert Schmidt was engineer.

1908 The Albert Champion Company moves to 36 Whittier Street in Roxbury. That same year, Albert founds the Champion Ignition Company in Flint, Michigan following a disagreement with his backers. William Durant backs the new company establishing a Buick connection.

1910 The Champion Spark Plug Company incorporates.

1911 Spencer Stranaham dies in 1910. Frank and Robert move the company to Toledo, Ohio in 1911 to

satisfy terms set by Willys Overland.  The factory locates in the Holmes Snow Flake Laundry

building. Ford becomes a large buyer after the move and the “X” appears on plugs. A lawsuit between

Champion Ignition and others against Champion Spark Plug is settled in Champion Spark Plug’s Favor.

1914 Champion Spark Plug Company establishes a testing lab in Toledo, Ohio.

1915 Champion buys the Jeffery DeWitt Company keeping on Dr. Joseph DeWitt and Benjamin DeWitt. Jeffery held the 1906 “Crimped Brass Hat” patent number 942,640 used by Champion after the acquisition.

 

Gray Wolf

Albert Schmidt and Albert Champion established the Albert Champion Company in Boston in 1906. Charles Schmidt was Albert Schmidt’s younger brother. Charles built the “Gray Wolf” that Albert Champion raced and wrecked in 1903 while driving for Packard. Charles rebuilt the car and went on to win several races while Albert returned to France in 1905 and returned married in 1906.