The Worcester Whirlwind
 

Good stuff from NPR...

Major Taylor, the Worcester Whirlwind
BOSTON, MA - August 03, 2006 - The sport of cycling usually gets a boost in interest around this time of year...because of the annual Tour de France. And, even in the shadow of doping controversies, the top cyclists become household names. But how many people remember the name 'Major Taylor.' Taylor was the first African American World Champion bicycle track racer, and the second American world champ period. This was back in the 1890s. And now, Taylor's adopted hometown of Worcester is working hard to remind the world of his legacy. WBUR's Sean Cole explains how.

You can listen here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=5589049

Interesting piece - thanks for the heads-up!

- Wil

guy was a badass.
used to train by sprinting up george st (an obscenely steep hill).
they have an annual race up the hill.
here's the link.
http://www.majortaylorassociation.or...street06.shtml

indeed...http://members.aol.com/Velodromes/Ma...r/MJTAYLOR.JPG

Maybe Worcester ought to build a true velodrome to honor his memory. Oh man, somebody needs to get on this right now!

Worcester needs some sort of economic generator, and perhaps that could be it. Combined with the connection to Boston via commuter rail, sounds pretty damn good. I've always felt that Worcester has a lot of untapped potential.

Where is Major Taylor? He hasn't posted for ages.

How do Americans pronounce 'worcester'?

I watched that race once. No wonder he was so strong. Kinda like Lance riding up the same mountains as the Tour. Eddy said don't buy upgrades, ride up grades. It works better for me than anything I have ever tried.

I think I see a pattern.:)

wuss-ter

Ok, Brits is the same.

velodrome in worcester = t3h nutz0rz

providence would be even better (for me) :)

Funny caption from one of the George street race pics:

http://www.majortaylorassociation.or...05/slide40.jpg

EDIT: Actually 3rd place overall went to another fixie rider from providence! Woo!

I always thought it was "whus-stah" :D

wus-ta

you beat me to it

I listened to that piece this morning, thanks it was a good one.


Thats the first girl on a fixed gear in RI that isnt either a messenger or covered in tattoos.

--Aaron

there's a major taylor velodrome in indiana.


MT was more badass than any other american athlete ever.


everybody should read his autobiography, the fastest bicycle rider in the world, if they can find a copy. it's out of print and quite rare, but anyone with access to a university library/interlibrary loan should be able to track one down.

failing that, read andrew ritchie's biography Major Taylor: The Extraordinary Career of a Champion Bicycle Racer.

what taylor went through makes jackie robinson's life story look like tiger woods's (well, not quite... but you get the picture).


btw, he was more popularly known as the "dusky whirlwind" in his time...

you're joking about a velodrome being an economic generator, right? that was a good one.

and yea.. wuss-taa.. right next to Holden.. you know, where dick hurtz lives..

I think it's actually Whistah...

I went to high school there for three snowy years...

It was a boarding school for wayward Hasidic girls :D

(yes - I was a wayward Hasidic girl)

its obviously pronounced "war-chester"


but worcester is a neatish city, looking to go to school up there maybe.

Partially. Of course Worcester would need a lot more than a velodrome, but it would be a great step for that city: it would give Worcester something people are looking for. Right now Worcester is lacking that IMHO. I'm fully aware that a velodrome is no cash cow - as a designer I was thinking in more urban planning terms than anything else.

i think they already tried that.. its called the baskeball hall of fame.. more popular then a velodrome, but still not a city builder..

velodromes are fun for us bikers, but in the urban plannning sense, they are straight up depressing

Basketball Hall of Fame is in Springfield, not Worcester. Different part of the state and not very popular at all (plus the new Gwathmey Siegel building is horrible).

ah.. youre right.. whats in worcester.. holy cross? the worchester spectrum? anyway.. my point was you coudl build a syncronized swimming stadium and itd attract more people then a velodrome

"Pretty girls make graves." -- Morrissey (i couldnt resist (grinning emoticon)(grinning emoticon))

it's pronounces "worst-er". i should know since i just made this up.

I worked a short, four day contract in whusstah this last Spring, and actually walked up and down George Street, with difficulty.
Steep.
Steeper than the pictures would suggest.
I'd like to take my bike back with me and ride the hill.
I wonder what size chainring and cog would work best.
I don't have a hill that steep in this town on which to experiment.