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Published: April 22, 2021, 2:15 p.m.

Bicycle racing in America during the late 19th century was as big as, if not bigger, than baseball or boxing and Marshall Taylor was an American and World champion. During his career, he set numerous track cycling records; some lasting decades.

His professional debut was a track race where he cycled indoors at Madison Square Garden for 6 straight days and he covered more than 1700 miles. It’s chronicled in the ESPN short films titled “The 6-Day Race” Crazy stuff, I get dizzy just watching the footage.

His autobiography is titled The Fastest Bicycle Rider in the World” and there is a statue of him outside the Public Library, in his adopted hometown of Worcester Massachusetts.

Listen to hear how Marshall “Major” Taylor, also nicknamed “The Black Cyclone” broke professional sports barriers 40 years before Jessie Owens won Olympic gold, and 50 years before Jackie Robison played baseball for the Dodgers.

linktr.ee

Major Taylor: The Extraordinary Career of a Champion Bicycle Racer (Amazon affiliate link)

Major Taylor Association Website

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