Posts
1477
Joined
8/2/2006
Location
Wheaton, MD, USA
Edited Date/Time
5/10/2012 12:21pm
Well here it is, Black History month again, and I didn't want to let the month slide by without sharing a little knowledge with my friends at Vital MX.
Many of you remember the article I wrote for Racer X back in 2008 about “black motocross pioneers” Andy Jefferson and Brian Thompson. As honored as I was to be able to meet those men and see those words printed, those guys were pretty gracious in return. Brian went so far as to share the story of another black two-wheel pioneer, Marshall Walter Taylor, who went by the nickname “Major.”
Perhaps you've never heard of Major Taylor? I hadn't, until Brian sent me a copy of his biography. Titled Major Taylor, The Extraordinary Career of a Champion Bicycle Racer, and written by Scottish journalist Andrew Ritchie, the book tells the remarkable story a teenage prodigy who went on to become the National sprint champion in 1898, 1899, and 1900 and World Champion at the age of 20. This was right before the automobile and motorcycle industries exploded, back when bicycle racing was as popular as boxing, horse racing and baseball.
So there you go, have a happy Black History month. Should you choose to learn more about him, I trusy you'll find Taylor's story fascinating, uplifting and heartbreaking. Grand achievers like Major Taylor should never be forgotten.
Many of you remember the article I wrote for Racer X back in 2008 about “black motocross pioneers” Andy Jefferson and Brian Thompson. As honored as I was to be able to meet those men and see those words printed, those guys were pretty gracious in return. Brian went so far as to share the story of another black two-wheel pioneer, Marshall Walter Taylor, who went by the nickname “Major.”
Perhaps you've never heard of Major Taylor? I hadn't, until Brian sent me a copy of his biography. Titled Major Taylor, The Extraordinary Career of a Champion Bicycle Racer, and written by Scottish journalist Andrew Ritchie, the book tells the remarkable story a teenage prodigy who went on to become the National sprint champion in 1898, 1899, and 1900 and World Champion at the age of 20. This was right before the automobile and motorcycle industries exploded, back when bicycle racing was as popular as boxing, horse racing and baseball.
So there you go, have a happy Black History month. Should you choose to learn more about him, I trusy you'll find Taylor's story fascinating, uplifting and heartbreaking. Grand achievers like Major Taylor should never be forgotten.
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=475518&atid=0
The Shop
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
Free shipping: VITALMX
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Fascinating shtuff, Paul. The Major bicycle history is an amazing piece of history.
Worth mentioning is a story I read not too long ago - about an old-time black gentleman
from upstate NY that not only owned an HD dealership from waaaaay back - but was
also an accomplished hillclimb competitor - amongst other racing he competed in ...
pretty sure he died a few years back in his 80s or 90s...
* Also, don't know if you mentioned it in your article - but I do recall a man named BART-
from Rochester, NY - winning 40+ at Loretta's ?
Yes Bart Lucas is officially 12 hrs. older than I. We will be 54 yrs old March 3rd. A great friend and a wealth of moto knowledge. His older Brother Ted(call me Fred) Lucas is still racing as well. I think Ted is in his 60's. Both great people.
Should mention, in all my six + years in this filthy sport, I have seen but one (1)
black female competing. At an Ohio county fair race two years ago, it was good to see.
She was slow - yet not water-truck slow, like me.
Pit Row
MR
Great thread with some pretty cool history
Thanks
Thank you Rupert and wmapop700 for bringing this info to the thread. I had no idea there were black women and girls racing motocross! I've seen a (very) few riders, but no racers. Cool! And good luck, pop!
Since this thread got brought back to the top, I'll take the opportunity to confirm that Lynn Nickerson did pass away this year. Lynn was motocross and if I could be a little selfish, he was Texas Motocross. No one could announce a race like he could, it's like he knew everyone. A few threads from earlier this year.
http://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Moto-Related,20/Lynn-Nickerson,1217813
http://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Moto-Related,20/RIP-Lynn-Nickerson,1217856
Pdub never fails to bring cool stuff to the board !
Post a reply to: Black moto history, of a sort...