Its the moment that you all have been waiting for. Here are the answers to my Long Island Cycling Trivia Quiz.
1 - Who, in 1899, rode 60 MPH in the slipstream of a locomotive as a publicity stunt in Farmingdale, L.I.? (gift question)
Charles "Mile-a-Minute Murphy"
2 - I'm sure you all know that George Hincapie is from L.I. (Farmingdale
too). You might not know that his older brother and his father were/are damn fine riders as well. In the 1970's, what was Ricardo Hincapie's nick-name in the peloton?
"Bobbing for Apples" - He had an unusual habit of bobbing his head when he was going hard in a big gear. Which was most of the time. Once Ricardo and I were in a break away that lasted about 40 miles. It started off with about 6 guys and dwindled down to just B.F.A. and me. At the time he only spoke Spanish so there wasn't too much communication going on. Years later I asked him if he remembered that day. He didn't but he insisted that I re-tell it to George. George just rolled his eyes... Oh yea, we got caught in the last lap.
3 - In 1903, the inaugural year of the T.D.F., what Valley Stream L.I. rider was being touted by many N.Y.C. newspapers as the "Best Road Rider
in the World"? Hint; I sold his medals and scrapbook on ebay a few years
ago .
Joseph Eiffler - I was a fool to sell those medals!
4 - What "Patriarch of Cycling" founded the Nassau Wheelman, promoted thousands of training races and helped hundreds of youngsters find their
way in this sport? Hint: first he had a barber shop where he fixed bikes
and later had a bike shop where you could get a haircut.
Vito Perucci - 12 years ago when I opened my shop Vito gave me a good luck gift. A 40 tooth inch-pitch (=80 teeth in 1/2" pitch) bronze chainring from a stayer's bike (motor-pace) that was given to him by Alf Letourneur. You guys know who Letoureur was right?
5 - What Huntington, L.I. athlete was the first person to qualify for both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games in the same year? (1960 - cycling and speed skating).
Arnie Urlass - One of his other famous tricks was winning Somerville by going so hard from the gun that one by one he rode the whole field off his wheel.
6 - Who was the premier (only?) frame builder on L.I (Huntington) in the
60's and 70's?
Harold "Corky" Gulbransen
7 - Actually, there was another frame builder on L.I in the 70's. He "ghost built" Zeus show bikes that had jewels set in the lugs. (Richie, can you do that?) Who was he?
Matt Palermo
8 - Who was the 3rd (I think) American rider to compete in the Tour de France? (hometown; Dix Hills) Hint; He also won the Coors Classic and was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
Doug Shapiro
9 - What distinguished Canadian rider dropped out (with a stomach virus just like I have right now) of the 1984 Tour of Long Island? (7 stages in 4 days - yikes!)
Steve Bauer - Ron Hayman won and Louis Garneau got third: both Canadians. Miraculously one of our home boys, Eric Zaltas, was second. I was the mechanic for the Paris Sport team (didn't get invited to ride) and did a 13 second rear wheel change.
10 - What blow hard Masters rider beat a Senior cat1 to win the bronze medal at the 1998 New York State Roller Championship?
Yours truly. I'm not going to tell you who the cat 1 is. I suspect that he is pretty tired of me rubbing his nose in it.
And the winner is (insert drum roll) by a huge margin: Richie Sachs!!!
Congratulations, your prize is a package of red Twizzlers purchased in Farmingdale, Long Island; home of Jamie Swan, Mile-a-Minute Murphy and George Hincapie.
Jamie Swan - Long Island N.Y.