December 9 1920 – Italian moto champion Bruno Ruffo is born

Italian motorcycle racer Bruno Ruffo was born on this day in 1920. In 1949 he would win the innaugural 250cc World Championship while riding for Moto Guzzi. The next year he would take third in the class, but he claimed the factory asked him to let his teammate win. The same year, atop a Mondial, he won the 125cc World Championship. In 1951, again riding for Moto Guzzi, he reclaimed the 250cc championship. The three championships were enough for Ruffo, who retired following an accident in 1952.