Shelby James

Cyclist infobox
ridername = Shelby James


fullname = Shelby James
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age |1973|10|29
height = 1.85m(6'1" Imperial) 1988) ["BMX Plus! December 1988 Vol.11 No.12 pg.48]
weight =
country = USA
currentteam = Retired
discipline = Bicycle Motocross (BMX)
role = Racer
ridertype = Off Road
protourrank =
europetourrank =
amateuryears = 1980-1981
1981
1981-1982
1983-1986
1986-1987
1987
1987-1989
1989-1990
amateurteams = DG
Oakridge Bike Shop
MCS
Profile
Murray/Jolly Rancher
Now & Later/Murray
Mongoose
Vans/Free Agent
proyears =
proteams =
majorwins =
updated = September 9, 2008

Shelby James (b. October 29 ["American BMXer" December 1989 Vol.11 No.11 pg.26 Infered. Text states that after racing 15 expert for the last time on October 28, 1989 he would had race 16x for the first time on the 29th if not for illness.] , 1973 in Orlando, Florida USA) was a Amatuer American "Old School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1982-1990. Starting at age six, it could be said that Shelby James was one of the best racers never to turn pro. From the very first year of competition in 1979 he was winning titles. In part due to his large size for his age, he was already 5' 11" by the age of 13 in June of 1988 ["BMX Plus!" September 1988 Vol.11 No.9 pg.15] and then 6'1" at 14 years of age, he was one of the most dominatant amature racers since Richie Anderson (who was also for time larger than normal for his peer group for a time). However, his first love was basketball and always had the intention to become a professional basketball player in the background of his mind. In 1990 after an injury during a race, he quit BMX to persue that dream.

Racing career

Note: Professional first are on the national level unless otherwise indicated.

----Retired: In early 1990 after suffering an injury to his chest in a crash at the NBL Easter Classic on April 15, 1990, James retired from BMX to persue his dream of becoming a professional Basketball player. ["BMX Plus!" September 1990 Vol.13 No.9 pg.6] This was practically confirmed by a "BMX Plus!" article writing about another racer Shawn Bone quit the Robinson Products racing team giving up BMX for the Basketball court:

Career factory and major bike shop sponsors

Note: This listing only denotes the racer's primary sponsors. At any given time a racer could have numerous ever changing co-sponsors. Primary sponsorships can be verified by BMX press coverage and sponsor's advertisements at the time in question. When possible exact dates are used.

----

Amateur

*D.G. Performance Specialties (The initials stood for "D"an Hangsleben, "G"ary Harlow ["BMX Plus!" July 1988 Vol.11 No.7 pg.26 ] ): 1980-Early 1981 ["BMX Plus!" May 1981 Vol.4 No.5 pg.32(photo caption)]
*"'Oakridge Bike Shop: Early 1981 to Early April 1981
*MCS (Moto Cross Specialties) Bicycle Specialties: ["BMX Plus!" September 1988 Vol.11 No.9 pg.28] Early April 1981-1982. He was on its "B" Team. ["Total BMX" September 1981 Vol.2 No.4 pg.65 (MCS advertisment)]
*Profile Racing: Early 1983-October 1986
*Murray Ohio/Jolly Rancher: October 1986-February 1987
*Murray Ohio/Now & Later: February 1987-September 1987 Murray Ohio decided to drop their race and freestyle efforts after the 1987 NBL Grandnationals. ["BMX Action" February 1988 Vol.13 No.2 pg.15]
*Mongoose (BMX Products): Late November 1987-December 1989 The 1987 NBL Christmas Classic was his first race with Mongoose. ["Super BMX & Freestyle" April 1988 Vol.15 No.4 pg.17 (photo caption)] In December 1989 Mongoose would let James go due to budget cuts. ["American BMXer" January/February 1990 Vol.12 No.1 pg.10]
*Vans/Free Agent: December 1989-April 1990

Professional

*No professional career.

Career bicycle motocross titles

Note: Listed are District, State/Provincial/Department, Regional, National, and International titles in "italics". "Defunct" refers to the fact of that sanctioning body in question no longer existing at the start of the racer's career or at that stage of his/her career. Depending on point totals of individual racers, winners of Grand Nationals do not necessarily win National titles. Series and one off Championships are also listed in block.

----

Amateur

National Bicycle Association (NBA)
*NoneNational Pedal Sport Association (NPSA)
*"1979, 1980 Florida State No.1"
*"1979, 1980 National No.1"National Bicycle League (NBL)
*"1979, 1981-1986 Florida State Champion"
*1984 10 Expert Grandnational Champion
*"1984 10 Expert National No.1"
*1985 11 Expert Grandnational Champion
*"1985 11 Expert National No.1"
*1986 12 Expert and 12 & Under Cruiser Murray World Cup V Champion
*1986 12 Expert and 12 & Under Cruiser Grandnational Champion.
*"1986 12 Expert and 12 & Under Cruiser National No.1"
*1987 13 Expert and 13 Cruiser Vision Street Wear World Cup Champion
*1987 13 Cruiser Grandnational Champion
*"1987 13 Cruiser National No.1"
*1987 14 Expert and 14-15 Cruiser President's Cup Champion.
*1988 14 Expert and 14 Cruiser Grandnational Champion.
*"1988 14 Expert and 14 Cruiser National No.1"
*1989 15 Expert and 15 Cruiser Grandnational Champion.
*"1989 15 Expert and 15 Cruiser National No.1"American Bicycle Association (ABA)
*"1979,1980, 1981 Florida State Champion"
*1984 10 Expert US Gold Cup Champion
*1984 Florida District # (FlA-) No.1
*1984 Winter Season Champion*
*1988 15 Cruiser Grandnational Champion.
*1989 16 Cruiser Grandnational Champion.
*"1989 Cruiser National No.1"

*In 1984 in addition to the District and State and National No.1 titles the ABA divided up the race season into three distintic points seasons and rewarded year end plates for it.

International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)*
*"1981 7 Expert International Champion"
*"1985 11 Expert Canada Cup Champion"
*"1985 11 Expert World Champion"
*"1986 12 Expert and 13 & Under Cruiser World Champion"
*"1987 13 Expert and 13 & Under Cruiser World Champion"
*"1989 14-15 Cruiser World Champion"Fédération Internationale Amateur de Cyclisme (FIAC)*"
*""'1988 15 boys and 17 & Under Cruiser World Champion
*"1989 16 boys and Cruiser I World Champion"

* Due to FIAC rules at the time James had to race in a year older class than his usual 14 Expert class because James had his birthday late in the year. ["Super BMX & Freestyle" December 1988 Vol.15 No.12 pg.55]

Independent race series and Invitationals
*"1982 8 Expert Anglo American Champion"

Professional

*No professional career

Notable accolades

*1985 NBL Rider of the Year. ["Super BMX & Freestyle" November 1986 Vol.13 No.11 pg.40]
*Named 1st (in a three way tie with 70 points with In Hee Lee and David Milham) out of 21 racers deemed BMX's Hottest Amateurs in 1988 from a "BMX Plus!" poll of seven team managers which included Don Crupi of MCS, Mike Seevers of GT, Yvonne Shoup of Free Agent, Dave Custodero of Mongoose, Mike Donell of Revcore, Bill Nelson of Robinson and Racer/Team Manager of Diamond Back Harry Leary. ["BMX Plus!" November 1988 Vol.11 No.11 pg.78]

BMX product lines

* [http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/profile/3931 1984 Profile Shelby James Mini] :Product Evaluation:
*1986 Profile Shelby James Replica:Product Evaluation::"Freestyle BMX June 1986 Vol.1 Iss.26 pg.52"

ignificant injuries

*Had a bout of bronchitis on October 28, 1989 after coming in second in 15 expert at the ABA Fall Nationals in Yorba Linda, California. He went home to recoperate instead of racing 16 expert for the first time the next day. ["American BMXer" December 1989 Vol.11 No.11 pg.26.]
*He received a chest injury at the NBL Easter Classic in Sarasota, Florida on April 15, 1990 at which point he started considering retiring from BMX competion to pursue his ambition to be a professional basketball player. ["BMX Plus!" September 1990 Vol.13 No.9 pg.6] He eventually did retire, making this technically a career ending injury.

Racing traits and habits

Miscellaneous and Trivia

*In 1988 at age 14 he dated and had as a steady girl friend a 20 year old woman from North Carolina named Shannon. ["BMX Plus!" December 1988 Vol.11 No.12 pg.48] ["BMX Plus!" August 1989 Vol.12 No.8 pg.18] His previous girlfriend was 12 years old. ["BMX Plus!" December 1988 Vol.11 No.12 pg.48]
*His other athletic love was Basketball. In his last year of junior high school he averaged 24 points a game. ["BMX Plus!" December 1988 Vol.11 No.12 pg.48] He was on the High School varsity team as a freshman. ["BMX Plus!" August 1989 Vol.12 No.8 pg.18] He eventually left BMX racing in early 1990 to persue his ambition to be a professionall Basketball player.

Post BMX career

*Persued a career in basket ball after April 1991.

BMX press magazine interviews and articles

*"NBL National Number 1's" "Bicycles Today" January 1985 Vol.7 No.1 pg.14 Short biographical blurb in sanctioning body newspaper for becoming NBL National No.1 10 Expert in 1984.
*"On The Winning Track" "Super BMX & Freestyle" November 1986 Vol.13 No.11 pg.40 Brief article on Shelby James with detailed career titles listing.
*"5 World Champs" "BMX Plus!" December 1988 Vol.11 No.12 pg.48 One of five racers profiled including Melanie Cline, Mark Sterious, Sam Arellano, and Franck Roman.
*"Team Mongoose" "BMX Plus!" August 1989 Vol.12 No.8 pg.18 A profile of the Mongoose racing team including Eric Rupe, Sam Arellano, and Travis Chipres
*"Racing Secrets of the Stars" "BMX Plus!" January 1990 Vol.13 No.1 pg.56 One of four articles of different racers on how they train.

BMX Magazine interviews and articles

BMX magazine covers

Note: (defunct) denotes that the magazine was out of business before the career of the racer started.----"Bicycle Motocross News:"
*None"Minicycle/BMX Action" & "Super BMX:"

"Bicycle Motocross Action" & "Go:"

"BMX Plus!:"

"Total BMX"

"Bicycles and Dirt:"

"Ride BMX Magazine:"

"Snap BMX Magazine" & "Transworld BMX:"

"BMX World"

"ABA Action, American BMXer, BMXer" (the official BMX publication of the ABA under three different names):

End Notes

External links

* [http://www.ababmx.com/ The American Bicycle Association (ABA) Website.]
* [http://www.nbl.org/ The National Bicycle League (NBL) Website.]