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EspañolMILE-A-MINUTE MURPHY
'Charles Minthorn Murphy' (Oct, 1870 – Feb 16, 1950), but more popularly known as "'Mile-a-Minute" Murphy', was an American cycling star from the late 19th century and early 20th century. His greatest claim to fame was being the first man ever to ride a bicycle for one mile in less than a minute in 1899.
This achievement was achieved by following an LIRR train car from Farmingdale to Babylon on Long Island.
Because of this stunt, he claimed to have thought up the concept of streamlining for later utilization for automobiles and planes and stated that he was paid a sizeable amount for this idea.
After his great record, he went on the vaudeville circuit with the great African-American cyclist Major Taylor in Massachusetts as they raced on bicycle rollers on many a theater stage.
He was also National Tandem Champion in 1891 and won League of American Wheelman titles from one to five miles (setting 17 national records). He also broke seven world records in distances up to ten miles during his career.
One of the first NYPD motorcycle policemen at the turn-of-the-last century, he claimed to have been the first policeman able to fly a plane in the US (possibly in the entire world) as of 1914. He pushed for an aviation unit for the police force around that same year, but he ultimately was a little ahead of his time since the NYPD didn't form one until 1928.
As a motorcycle policeman, he had three accidents, two of them serious. His first happened in 1914, which sidelined him for a while that year. The second occurred on 19 September 1915 when he hit a touring car in hot pursuit(he was thrown off his motorcycle and the touring car passed over his legs, but miraculously wasn't seriously hurt). The third and final one happened on 3 September 1916, breaking one of his legs in three places after a collision with an automobile on the Manhattan Bridge. That last accident forced him into retirement from the NYPD on 29 January 1917.
Fiorello LaGuardia, a friend of Murphy, was said to have taken his first flight in a plane with him during the 1910s.
Another known occupation that he had were bicycle salesman.
He died due to complications from diabetes in Jamaica, Queens (one of his legs were amputated in 1948 from gangrene poisoning).
He was elected to the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame in 1991.
★ The New York Times
★ The United States Bicycling Hall of Fame
This achievement was achieved by following an LIRR train car from Farmingdale to Babylon on Long Island.
Because of this stunt, he claimed to have thought up the concept of streamlining for later utilization for automobiles and planes and stated that he was paid a sizeable amount for this idea.
After his great record, he went on the vaudeville circuit with the great African-American cyclist Major Taylor in Massachusetts as they raced on bicycle rollers on many a theater stage.
He was also National Tandem Champion in 1891 and won League of American Wheelman titles from one to five miles (setting 17 national records). He also broke seven world records in distances up to ten miles during his career.
One of the first NYPD motorcycle policemen at the turn-of-the-last century, he claimed to have been the first policeman able to fly a plane in the US (possibly in the entire world) as of 1914. He pushed for an aviation unit for the police force around that same year, but he ultimately was a little ahead of his time since the NYPD didn't form one until 1928.
As a motorcycle policeman, he had three accidents, two of them serious. His first happened in 1914, which sidelined him for a while that year. The second occurred on 19 September 1915 when he hit a touring car in hot pursuit(he was thrown off his motorcycle and the touring car passed over his legs, but miraculously wasn't seriously hurt). The third and final one happened on 3 September 1916, breaking one of his legs in three places after a collision with an automobile on the Manhattan Bridge. That last accident forced him into retirement from the NYPD on 29 January 1917.
Fiorello LaGuardia, a friend of Murphy, was said to have taken his first flight in a plane with him during the 1910s.
Another known occupation that he had were bicycle salesman.
He died due to complications from diabetes in Jamaica, Queens (one of his legs were amputated in 1948 from gangrene poisoning).
He was elected to the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame in 1991.
| Contents |
| References |
| External links |
References
★ The New York Times
External links
★ The United States Bicycling Hall of Fame
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