Obituary: Albert John Fritz, Inventor of Schwinn Stingray

Born October 8, 1924, Albert John Fritz passed away May 7, 2013 in Barrington, surrounded by his loving family.

Albert graduated from eighth grade and went to stenography school, hoping to become a court reporter. During World War II, he served on Gen. Douglas MacArthur's staff in the Philippines, where he was wounded.

After the war, he signed on at Schwinn, the booming bicycle company whose factories and offices dominated his old neighborhood. He stayed for 40 years, rising from the factory floor to the top ranks of management.

When, early in his career, Fritz heard that Frank W. Schwinn, the company's volatile boss, had fired yet another secretary, he didn't hesitate to trot out his shorthand and typing skills, recounted Jay Townley, a former Schwinn executive, in Bicycle Retailing and Industry News.

"So Al was still in his welding outfit with a leather apron and steel-toed shoes, and he washed his hands and went into the old man's office — which, in those days was right off the factory floor — and said he was there to apply for the secretary job," Townley said. "The old man had him take a letter and it was flawless, so he said, 'You're hired.' "

When Fritz was research and development director in the early 1960s, he heard from one of his salesmen about teenagers around Los Angeles customizing short-frame bikes to look a little Harley, a little hot rod — a little something exciting on the quietest suburban cul-de-sacs.

"Dad flew to California and immediately saw the potential," said his son Mike, who followed him into the bicycle industry. "The people who looked at his prototypes thought it was a stupid idea, but he pushed it on through. There were 60 different permutations on the theme and each was more successful than the last."

Al was the loving father of Mike (Mary Jane) Fritz, Julie (Ken Bean) Kurasek, and Steve (Traci) Fritz, dear grandfather of Christian, Caitlin, Laura, Lisa (Jeff) Canfield, and Shayna; cherished great-grandfather of Natalie and Jeffrey James Canfield, and brother of Herman “Ham” Fritz. He was preceded in death by his wife Mary, parents Louis and Maria Fritz, and six siblings 

Obituary from Davenport Family Funeral

See New York Times, Al Fritz, Inventor of the Sting-Ray Bike, Dies at 88