John Brown (cyclist)
{{short description|New Zealand cyclist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = John Brown
| image =
| caption =
| fullname =
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1916|01|07|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Lesmahagow. Lanarkshire, Scotland
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1990|04|12|1916|01|07|df=yes}}
| death_place =
| spouse = {{marriage|Meryla Bruford Webb|1939}}
| height =
| weight =
| country = New Zealand
| sport = Cycling
| club = Manukau Amateur Cycling Club
| nationals =
| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry | {{NZL}} }}
{{MedalSport | Men's Cycling}}
{{MedalCompetition|British Empire Games}}
{{MedalSilver| 1938 Sydney|Road Race}}
| show-medals = yes
}}
John Brown (7 January 1916 – 12 April 1990) was a New Zealand cyclist who won a silver medal at the 1938 British Empire Games.
Biography
Born in Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, on 7 January 1916, Brown was the son of Elizabeth Pearson Stewart and her husband John Brown, a coalminer.{{cite web |url=https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/search?path=%2FqueryEntry.m%3Ftype%3Ddeaths |title=Death search: registration number 1990/38846 |website=Births, deaths & marriages online |publisher=Department of Internal Affairs |access-date=1 May 2018}}{{cite web |url=http://www.webb-site.co.nz/familygroup.php?familyID=F35&tree=02 |title=Family: Brown John / Webb Meryla Bruford (F35) |website=WebbFamily |access-date=1 May 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/view-image/nrs_stat_births/46804550 |title=1916 Brown, John (statutory registers births 649/1 29) |website=ScotlandsPeople |publisher=National Records of Scotland |access-date=1 May 2018 |url-access=subscription }} After the family emigrated to New Zealand, Brown took up the sport of cycling in 1932 when he joined the Manukau Amateur Cycling Club in Auckland. He finished third in his first race, and second-fastest in his next race three weeks later.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19320804.2.142.2 |title=With the amateurs |date=4 August 1932 |work=Auckland Star |page=16 |access-date=1 May 2018}}{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19320825.2.157 |title=Cycling: with the amateurs |date=25 August 1932 |work=Auckland Star |page=17 |access-date=1 May 2018}} Less than two months after starting competitive junior cycling, Brown was riding off scratch and winning races.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19320926.2.174 |title=Manukau amateurs |date=26 September 1932 |work=Auckland Star |page=13 |access-date=1 May 2018}} The following season, he joined the senior ranks.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19330510.2.130 |title=Cycling: with the amateurs |date=10 May 1933 |work=Auckland Star |page=15 |access-date=1 May 2018}}
In October 1934, Brown won the Auckland provincial 100-mile road-race championship, completing the 105-mile course from Papakura to Ngāruawāhia and back in a time of 5:10:38.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19341008.2.146 |title=Road cycling: 100-mile race |date=8 October 1934 |work=New Zealand Herald |page=13 |access-date=1 May 2018}} In 1937, he recorded a race record time of 4:28:25 in winning the same event.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19371004.2.168 |title=Sensational finish |date=4 October 1937 |work=Auckland Star |page=14 |access-date=1 May 2018}} Three weeks later, he won the North Island amateur 100-mile road title, riding the race from Palmerston North to Wellington in a time of 4:38:17.4.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19371025.2.170.14 |title=North Island title |date=25 October 1937 |work=New Zealand Herald |page=15 |access-date=1 May 2018}}
In November 1937, Brown was selected as one of New Zealand's three representatives in the road race at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19371102.2.117 |title=Dominion cycling: team for Empire Games |date=2 November 1937 |work=New Zealand Herald |page=10 |access-date=1 May 2018}} In that event, he finished second, half a wheel behind the gold medalist, Hennie Binneman of South Africa.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19380214.2.143.3 |title=J. Brown does best |date=14 February 1938 |work=Auckland Star |page=14 |access-date=1 May 2018}}{{cite web |url=http://www.olympic.org.nz/athletes/john-brown/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505152835/http://olympic.org.nz/athletes/john-brown/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2017 |title=John Brown | year=2018 |publisher=New Zealand Olympic Committee | access-date=1 May 2018}}
On 18 February 1939, Brown married Meryla Bruford Webb at St Peter's Anglican church, Onehunga.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19390506.2.4 |title=Marriages |date=6 May 1939 |work=Auckland Star |page=1 |access-date=1 May 2018}}{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19390206.2.157 |title=Pantry party |date=6 February 1939 |work=Auckland Star |page=12 |access-date=1 May 2018}} The couple went on to have two children.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{New Zealand National Road Race Championships (men)}}
{{1938 New Zealand British Empire Games team}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, John}}
Category:People from Lesmahagow
Category:Scottish emigrants to New Zealand
Category:New Zealand male cyclists
Category:Cyclists at the 1938 British Empire Games
Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for New Zealand
Category:Commonwealth Games medallists in cycling