
Albert Crossley
Inducted in 2015 for Veteran Road & Track Competitor (Pre-1945)
Biography
Albert Crossley was born on July 6th, 1903 in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Al was a skilled bike racer and was soon winning amateur bike races at the outdoor tracks in New England and New York. In 1929, he started six-day racing at the age of 21 and completed 12 years as a professional six-day racer until 1940. During his career he started 89 six-day races, completing 78. Crossley’s most successful racing year was in 1935 when at the age of 28 when he competed in 11 six-day races and won 4 of them. Of his 10 overall six-day wins, 7 of them came when he was teamed with Jimmy Walthour who was his partner for 36 six-day races. Other Hall of Fame racing partners included Charlie Winter, Bobby Walthour Jr., Norman Hill, William “Cecil” Yates and Freddie Spencer.
Crossley competed in six-day races from coast-to-coast as well as in Europe. His favorite racing cities were Montreal (13 races), New York (12), Chicago (9), Toronto (8), Buffalo (6), Milwaukee (6) Cleveland (6) and Pittsburgh (6).
In the Historical Classification of Six-Day Racers, by Jacq van Reijendam ( 2007), Albert Crossley is placed in the 45th position worldwide with 10 victories, 15 seconds, 17 thirds and 16 times finishing fourth. The only American six-day racer ranked ahead of Crossley on the all-time results list is Jimmy Walthour in 44th place.
Al Crossley Career Highlights
Professional 6-Day Rider for 12 years from 1929 to1940
Completed 78 of 89 grueling races
Competed prior to 1929 as an amateur at outdoor tracks in New England & New York
Rated 45th in the Historical Classification of Six Day Racers with 10 victories, 15 2nd’s, and 17 3rd’s
7 of his 10 victories were with Jimmy Walthour, 2008 US Bicycling Hall of Fame Inductee
Most successful year was in 1935 when he competed in 11 six-day races and won 4
Other Hall of Fame racing partners included Charlie Winter, Bobby Walthour Jr., Norman Hill, William “Cecil” Yates and Freddie Spencer
The only other American six-day racer to be ranked higher than Crossley was Jimmy Walthour