Albert Champion was born in France in 1878. In 1889 Champion, a renowned bicycle and motorcycle racer, came to America to compete in a series of races. Champion found parts for the bicycles and motorcycles he brought with him very hard to find in the US, so he made his own. Subsequently Champion began making spark plugs and sold them to friends in order to cover his expenses. In time Champion's enthusiasm for motors expanded to include automobiles and he later returned to France and opened a shop that manufactured spark plugs and magnetos. In 1900 Champion was hired by Charles Metz to race bicycles and motorcycles for the Waltham Manufacturing Company, and he returned to America. Champion moved to Flint, Michigan in 1904 and opened Champion Ignition Company to manufacture spark plugs. Champion was able to transfer his racing hobby into a successful business with the help of investors. Problems among the investors in Champion ultimately led to a break up and although the investors continued to make spark plugs under the Champion name, Champion himself was out of a job and without a company. In 1908 Champion formed a new company called the AC Spark Plug Company, with the backing of the Buick Motor Company and was appointed president. Alfred P. Sloan formed United Motors Corporation in 1916 and eventually acquired Buick and AC Spark Plug. Sadly, on October 27, 1927 Champion died of a heart attack. General Motors then purchased the remaining stock held by Champion's estate and took over the AC company. AC became a full division of General Motors on December 1st of that same year. In 1971 United Motors Service was renamed United Delco Division. United Delco and the AC Spark Plug Division combined a few years later to become the company known today as AC-Delco. Champion today is part of the Federal-Mogul family of companies.