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.Andrew Ritchie, Major Taylor, The extraordinary Career of a Champion Bicycle Racer. Bicycle Books, San Francisco CA. 1988, , page. 141
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.
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)
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