Grenfell
is justly proud of Henry Lawson, Stan McCabe and Jan Lehane but one
sportsman of local origin and international stature, Reggie McNamara, is often overlooked. Reggie “Iron Man” McNamara was a hero of the
professional cycling circuit in the United States in the early 1900s and one of
the highest paid athletes in the world in his day. Some of his triumphs are
recounted in a recently published book, “Iron Mac: the legend of roughhouse
cyclist Reggie McNamara”.
Reggie
McNamara was born in the Morangarell area in 1887, the ninth of fourteen
children. He and his brothers enjoyed cycling from an early age and it seems
Reggie may have had his first professional ride at the age of eighteen, in a
series of races to support the local hospital in Dubbo where the family moved
when Reggie was ten. From an early age his strength and endurance stood out.
The
heart of professional cycling at the time was six-day racing and here it was
that Reggie starred. He arrived in the United States in 1913 and during a
thirty year career won seventeen six-day races plus many shorter events. One famous race in which he competed was over 2,700 miles done in seven
days – the Tour de France is 3,300 miles in fifteen days!
The
book is really more about the professional cycling of the age than the life of
Reggie, but it does give a fascinating insight into the ‘tricks of the trade’.
The aim was to maximize the number of spectators and so it was a bit like
professional wrestling in more modern times, an entertainment event as much as
an athletic competition. Unfortunately the pressure to perform and a high
injury toll led Reggie into alcoholism, destroying his family life. However,
showing the same determination he had on a bike he finally overcame his
addiction, becoming one of the earliest successes of the Alcoholics Anonymous
movement. He died in the U.S. in 1971.
This book is now available at the library. It is part of next week's New Material's display - reservations are invited ......
