Archie McEachern
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Lindsay, Ontario, Canada
Atlantic City, New Jersey
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 25 December 1873 Lindsay, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | 13 May 1902 (aged 27) Atlantic City, New Jersey |
| Team information | |
| Discipline | Track |
| Role | Rider |
Archie McEachern (25 December 1873 – 13 May 1902) was a Canadian track cyclist. He was the Canadian National Champion of middle-distance races and was also the first Canadian to win the New York Madison Square Garden Six-Day Bicycle Race, in 1901.[1] In 1902 he broke the world's indoor bicycle record for 5 miles in a motor paced race.[2]
McEachern was training at the Atlantic City, NJ velodrome prior to it officially opening. During training he was being paced by a tandem motorcycle (driven by his two trainers Bobby Thompson and Alfred Boake).[3] While riding close to his pacers, McEachern was injured when the bike's drive chain broke and died shortly thereafter.[4][5]
In 1999 the Canadian Cyclist website put McEachern in 9th place on their list of Top 25 Canadian Cyclists of the Century.[4] The Journal of Sport History stated that he "was one of Canada's most famous professional cyclists" of his day.[6]