Robert MacPherson (BMX racer)
Encyclopedia
Robert D. MacPherson was a professional American "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX)
racer whose prime competitive years were from 1995-2001. His nicknames were "MacFearsome", and "Big Mac".
Started racing: MacPherson started racing in 1976 at the age of four, where crashed on his first lap around the track in practice. He didn't attempt to race again until 1981, and this time he did not qualify. In his third race he got fourth place. He had a successful child amateur career after that, and then left the sport in late 1986 at 15 years of age. He resumed racing in 1994 with the ABA Fall Nationals in Burbank, California
on October 21–23, 1994.
Sanctioning body district(s): American Bicycle Association
(ABA) California 9 (CA-9) (1983), CA-22 (1985)
First race result: Did not qualify in 1981.
Turned professional: November 1995, moments after his victory in becoming National No.1 Amateur at the ABA grand nationals. He was 23 years old.
First professional race result: Eighth place (last) in Superclass at the National Bicycle League
(NBL) Christmas Classic in Columbus, Ohio
on December 28, 1995 (Day 1).
Retired: MacPherson first retired after the 1986 ABA grand nationals to pursue football. He resumed racing in 1994 after an eight-year layoff at 23 years old. He missed the travel and camaraderie. He retired again in December 2002 to spend more time with his daughter.
National Bicycle League (NBL)
American Bicycle Association (ABA)
United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)
International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)*
United States Cycling Federation (USCF)
Independent Events, Race Series and Invitationals
(ABA)
Pro Series Championships
----
BMX Plus!:
ABA Action, American BMXer, BMXer (the official membership publication of the ABA under three different names):
BMX
Bicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...
racer whose prime competitive years were from 1995-2001. His nicknames were "MacFearsome", and "Big Mac".
Racing career milestones
----Started racing: MacPherson started racing in 1976 at the age of four, where crashed on his first lap around the track in practice. He didn't attempt to race again until 1981, and this time he did not qualify. In his third race he got fourth place. He had a successful child amateur career after that, and then left the sport in late 1986 at 15 years of age. He resumed racing in 1994 with the ABA Fall Nationals in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
on October 21–23, 1994.
Sanctioning body district(s): American Bicycle Association
American Bicycle Association
The American Bicycle Association is a United States-based Bicycle Motocross sports governing body in Gilbert, Arizona created by Merl Mennenga and Gene Roden in 1977. It is the largest sanctioning body in the United States concerning BMX. It has tracks in Canada and Mexico as well as in the USA...
(ABA) California 9 (CA-9) (1983), CA-22 (1985)
First race result: Did not qualify in 1981.
Turned professional: November 1995, moments after his victory in becoming National No.1 Amateur at the ABA grand nationals. He was 23 years old.
First professional race result: Eighth place (last) in Superclass at the National Bicycle League
National Bicycle League
The National Bicycle League is a United States based Bicycle Motocross sports sanctioning body originally based in Deerfield Beach, Florida but after several moves it was based in Hilliard, Ohio...
(NBL) Christmas Classic in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
on December 28, 1995 (Day 1).
Retired: MacPherson first retired after the 1986 ABA grand nationals to pursue football. He resumed racing in 1994 after an eight-year layoff at 23 years old. He missed the travel and camaraderie. He retired again in December 2002 to spend more time with his daughter.
Amateur
- Valencia Schwinn: 1982
- Zap Clothing: 1983
- Vans: 1983-February 1985
- CW Racing:February 1985-November 1986. He retired after the 1986 ABA Grandnationals
- retired for 8 years (December 1986-Late 1994)
- Mongoose: May 1995-December 1998 He turned pro with this sponsor.
Professional
- Mongoose: May 1995-December 1998
- Diamond Back: December 1998-2001 The 1998 NBL Christmas Classic was his first race for Diamondback.
- To Fitness/Diamondback: 2001-2002
- Free Agent/O'Neal: 2002
Amateur
National Bicycle Association (NBA)- 1980 9 Novice Third Place Jag World Champion
National Bicycle League (NBL)
- 1981 10 Expert JAG World Champion (NBL sanctioned)
- 1985 14 Expert National No.3
American Bicycle Association (ABA)
- 1983 California District 9 (CAL-9) No.1
- 1985 14 Expert Grandnational Champion
- 1985 14 Expert Winter season* California 22 (CA-22) District age group (DAG) champion.
- 1985 14 Expert National No.1 (NAG)
- 1985 National No.3
- Retired for eight years
- 1995 21-25 Cruiser World Champion
- 1995 19 & Over Expert and 21-25 Cruiser Grandnational Champion
- 1995 National No.1
United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)
- 1984 13 Expert 7-Up World Championships Champion**
International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)*
- 1984 13 Expert and 13 & Under Cruiser World Champion
- 1985 14 Boys Bronze Medal World Champion
United States Cycling Federation (USCF)
- 1981 JAG 10 Expert World Champion
Independent Events, Race Series and Invitationals
- 1983 12 Expert Second Place Jag BMX World Superbowl Championship Champion
- 1984 13 Expert Larry Wilcox/Pepsi West Coast BMX Challenge Series Champion.
Professional
American Bicycle AssociationAmerican Bicycle Association
The American Bicycle Association is a United States-based Bicycle Motocross sports governing body in Gilbert, Arizona created by Merl Mennenga and Gene Roden in 1977. It is the largest sanctioning body in the United States concerning BMX. It has tracks in Canada and Mexico as well as in the USA...
(ABA)
- 1996 National No.1 Pro. Prize won: A customized Jeep.
- 1996 "AA" Pro World Cup Champion
Pro Series Championships
BMX product lines
- 1997 Mongoose "MacFearsome" Signature Series race bicycle.
- Product evaluation
- BMX Plus! February 1998 Vol.21 No.2 pg. 71 Note: this bicycle was jointly evaluated with the GT Speed Series Team bicycle.
- 2001 Diamondback Robert MacPherson RM20 frame
- BMX Plus! February 1998 Vol.21 No.2 pg. 71 Note: this bicycle was jointly evaluated with the GT Speed Series Team bicycle.
- Product evaluation
- Snap BMX Magazine December 2000 Vol. 7 Iss. 12 No. 50 pg. 118
Significant injuries
- Injured knee at the 1995 NBL Christmas Classic in Columbus, OhioColumbus, OhioColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
on December 28, 1995. - Damaged a rotator cuffRotator cuffIn anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
in his shoulder at the ABA Lone Star Nationals in Humble, TexasHumble, TexasHumble is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area.As of the 2000 census, the city population was 14,579. The city shares a zip code with the small Houston neighborhood of Bordersville, although people who live in Bordersville still have Humble...
on March 23, 1997 (Day 2) in the first main. He managed to race the next two mains and finish third over all. He eventually went into surgery.
Post BMX career
- After his retirement in 2002 he went back to school earn a degree in physical education. He was hired as an instructor at Val Verde USD in 2004. When he mentioned that he was a former professional BMX racer, They asked him to set up an alternative BMX related PE course. He is currently teaching that subject to troubled kids.
BMX press magazine interviews and articles
- "Robert McPherson" Snap BMX Magazine March/April 1997 Vol.4 Iss.2 No.15 pg.100
- "At Home with Robert MacPherson" BMX Plus! May 1997, Vol.20 No.5 pg.88
- "Robert McPherson" Snap BMX Magazine August 1999 Vol.6 Iss.6 No.34 back of poster in centerfold
BMX magazine covers
Note: Only magazines that were in publication at the time of the racer's career(s) are listed unless specifically noted.----
BMX Plus!:
- February 1998 Vol.21 No.2 with Billy GriggsBilly GriggsWilliam Luther Griggs is an American "Old School/Mid School" former professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1985 to 1996....
and T.J. Lavin in insert.
ABA Action, American BMXer, BMXer (the official membership publication of the ABA under three different names):
- American BMXer April 1986 Vol.8 No.3 (3) behind in the background Matt HadanMatt HadanMatthew Merle Hadan is an American professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years are from 1985-1995. Nicknamed early in his career "The Master" and later "The Diesel"....
(1).