Hall of Fame

 



william h. mccarthy

Year of Birth: 
1849
Immortal: 
Yes
DriverTrainer: 
Yes
Driver: 
Yes
Elected as Immortal: 
1958
Year of Death: 
1917
Biography: 

"Knapsack" William McCarthy was born in 1849. Little was known of him until he appeared as a young man at the stable of Dan Mace, carrying a knapsack of his worldly goods. He could neither read nor write. After "graduating" from the Mace school, McCarthy began from the bottom and worked up to become an independent trainer. His patience, "know how" and love of horses earned him the reputation as an excellent horseman. In 1881, after much work, McCarthy made Little Brown Jug 2:11 3/4 a champion pacer. During the high-wheel days he trained and raced Hopeful, Charley Ford and many others. After the introduction of the bike sulky, McCarthy campaigned Searchlight 2:03 1/4 and Frank Agan 2:03 3/4, among others. William McCarthy died as a result of an accident in a race in Carrollton, Illinois in 1917.

Published in the Harness Racing Museum's 1994 book, The Immortals