Translated from the Norwegian

“With kind regards to
Arne Ludvigsen
from Oscar Mathisen”

“The day after the 10,000 meter speed skating event of the Winter Olympics
1952 in Oslo the undersigned visited Mathisen’s & Erichsen’s store [a
sports equipment store] in Pløen’s Street. Made Mathisen sign his book.
Discussing together with 3-4 other speed skating enthusiasts the race of
“Hjallis” [nickname of current national skating hero Hjalmar Andersen, who won
the 3 longest distances in the Olympics that year] the day before. Due to a
water leakage at home this December the book unfortunately got minor water
damage.
Arne Ludvigsen. ASKIM”

Found by Anders Ericson in Moss, Norway who says:

“This autobiography Mitt livs løp = The Race of My Life by the legendary speed skater,
Oscar Mathisen (1888 – 1954).There is of course the author’s rather rare autograph, but
more important is the cute “story behind”, written by (obviously) a rather old, working class
fan of Mathisen on a tiny string of paper and in an old-fashioned manner and not very
correct Norwegian.

The book even contained, when I bought it in a local used books shop, several newspaper
clippings about Mathisen and other skaters and events.”