The life and career of Marshall W. "Major" Taylor is the ultimate underdog sports story that has never been told. Taylor rose from obscurity and overcame insurmountable barriers to become the dominant bicycle racer on three continents in track cycling's early years. He was the first African-American world champion (1899) in any sport and broke the color barrier in pro cycling's heyday (1896) at the height of the Jim Crow era in America.
Taylor's pro bike racing career included a decade of Australian and European tours and his winnings and endorsement deals quite possibly made him the highest paid athlete in any sport. All this and many more amazing facets of his story leave anyone newly discovering Taylor scratching his/her head and mumbling; "Why haven't I heard of this guy before now?".
Produced by Richard & Christie Beattie
25 авг 2022
