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http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/196151740

Major a black athlete, a White era, and the fight to be the world's fastest human being

Examines the life of Major Taylor, an African-American cyclist in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who aspired to be named the fastest man alive, focusing on his rivalry with Floyd McFarland, an unscrupulous white rider who pushed Taylor to his limits in a final showdown in Australia in 1904.

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  • ""At the turn of the 20th century, hundreds of handsome, lightning-fast racers won the hearts and minds of bicycling-crazed fans. Scientists studied them, newspapers glorified them, and millions of dollars in prize money were awarded to them. Major Taylor was fastest of them all. His mounting victories, high virtue, and bullet-like riding style made him a natural enemy to his white rivals, Floyd McFarland most of all. First America, then the world, was riveted by the duel. Finally, in 1904, both men headed to boomtown Australia for a much-anticipated title match to decide who was the fastest man on earth. Major is the story of a superstar nobody saw coming, a classic underdog aided by an unlikely crew: a disgraced fight promoter, a broken ex-racer, and a poor upstate girl who wanted to be a queen. Major Taylor's victories on a bicycle earned him a chance for more fame and fortune--if he could beat a giant named McFarland, he would become a hero to every person in the Gilded Age not getting a fair shake."--From publisher's description (cover p. [4])."
  • "Examines the life of Major Taylor, an African-American cyclist in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who aspired to be named the fastest man alive, focusing on his rivalry with Floyd McFarland, an unscrupulous white rider who pushed Taylor to his limits in a final showdown in Australia in 1904."@en
  • "At the turn of the 20th century, hundreds of handsome, lightning-fast racers won the hearts and minds of a bicycling-crazed public. Scientists studied them, newspapers glorified them, and millions of dollars in purse money was awarded to them. Major Taylor aimed to be the fastest of them all. A prominent black man at a time when such a thing was deemed scandalous, his mounting victories, high moral virtue, and bulletlike riding style made him a target for ridicule from the press and sabotage by the white riders who shared the track with him. This is the account of a fierce rivalry that would become an archetypal tale of white versus black in the 20th century. But it is also the tale of our nation's first black sports celebrity--a man who transcended the handicaps of race at the turn of the century to reach the stratosphere of fame.--From publisher description."@en
  • "At the turn of the 20th century, hundreds of handsome, lightning-fast racers won the hearts and minds of a bicycling-crazed public. Scientists studied them, newspapers glorified them, and millions of dollars in purse money was awarded to them. Major Taylor aimed to be the fastest of them all. A prominent black man at a time when such a thing was deemed scandalous, his mounting victories, high moral virtue, and bulletlike riding style made him a target for ridicule from the press and sabotage by the white riders who shared the track with him. This is the account of a fierce rivalry that would become an archetypal tale of white versus black in the 20th century. But it is also the tale of our nation's first black sports celebrity--a man who transcended the handicaps of race at the turn of the century to reach the stratosphere of fame.--From publisher description."

genre

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  • "History"
  • "History"@en
  • "Electronic books"@en
  • "Biography"@en
  • "Biography"

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  • "Major a black athlete, a White era, and the fight to be the world's fastest human being"@en
  • "Major : a black athlete, a white era, and the fight to be the world's fastest human being"
  • "Major : a black athlete, a White era, and the fight to be the world's fastest human being"
  • "Major : a Black athlete, a White era, and the fight to be the world's fastest human being"
  • "Major : a Black athlete, a White era, and the fight to be the world's fastest human being"@en

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