Floyd MacFarland

Floyd MacFarland
	MacFarland in 1901
Personal information
Full name	Floyd Alfred MacFarland
Nickname	The Human Engine
Born	July 9, 1878; San Jose, California
Died	April 17, 1915 (aged 36); Newark, New Jersey
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Team information
Discipline	Track
Role	Rider

Floyd Alfred MacFarland (July 9, 1878 – April 17, 1915) was an American track cyclist and pioneer of six-day racing.

Career

MacFarland competed mainly in sprint events early in his career, having won the national championships in this discipline. One of his biggest rivals was Major Taylor, whose grandparents had been slaves. MacFarland, who was the descendant of a Virginia plantation owner, was known to be racist. He even founded his own national racing association, the Cycle Racing Association, to exclude Taylor from competitions.^[2]

In the following years, MacFarland concentrated on six-day races and Madison races.

After retiring from competition, he became one of the leading race promoters and managers in the nation up until his death in 1915.

Death

In April 1915, MacFarland was stabbed to death with a screwdriver while training at the Newark Velodrome, after being involved in a dispute with David Lantenberg, a refreshments seller who had used screws to put up a billboard by the track. MacFarland, who was the director of the track, had forbidden this as the screws would often come loose and pose a danger to cyclists. When MacFarland tried to take the screwdriver from Lantenberg, the latter accidentally stabbed him in the back of the head with the tool; horrified by his own deed, Lantenberg took MacFarland to the hospital in his car, however he died there. 1,500 people followed the funeral procession at the funeral. Lantenberg was charged with manslaughter but acquitted in June of that year.^[3]^[4]

Major results

1896: 1st Sprint, National Amateur Track Championships
1900: 1st Six Days of New York (with Harry Elkes)
1901: 1st Madison, National Track Championships
1902: 1st Six Days of Boston (with Otto Maya)
1904: 1st Madison, National Track Championships
1908: 1st Six Days of New York (with Jim Moran)
1909: 1st Six Days of Berlin (with Jim Moran)

References

^ "Floyd McFarland". Olympedia.org. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
^ Andrew Ritchie, Major Taylor, The extraordinary Career of a Champion Bicycle Racer. Bicycle Books, San Francisco CA. 1988, ISBN 0-933201-14-1, page. 141
^ Andrew M. Horman (2011). Life in the Slipstream: The Legend of Bobby Walthour Sr. Potomac Books. p. 214. ISBN 978-1-59797-685-5. Archived from the original on February 8, 2017. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
^ "Floyd MacFarland Stabbed to Death" (PDF). The New York Times. New York. April 18, 1915. Retrieved August 28, 2010.

External links

Floyd MacFarland at Cycling Archives
Floyd MacFarland at Olympedia

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[1] "Floyd McFarland". Olympedia.org. Retrieved November 3, 2021.

[2] Andrew Ritchie, Major Taylor, The extraordinary Career of a Champion Bicycle Racer. Bicycle Books, San Francisco CA. 1988, ISBN 0-933201-14-1, page. 141

[Slipstream-3] Andrew M. Horman (2011). Life in the Slipstream: The Legend of Bobby Walthour Sr. Potomac Books. p. 214. ISBN 978-1-59797-685-5. Archived from the original on February 8, 2017. Retrieved July 30, 2011.

[4] "Floyd MacFarland Stabbed to Death" (PDF). The New York Times. New York. April 18, 1915. Retrieved August 28, 2010.

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