From: les@sail.stanford.edu (Les Earnest)
Subject: U.S. cycling governance: The Spoils of War [part 4 of 10]
Organization: Computer Science Department, Stanford University
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 09:48:25 GMT

With racing suspended during World War II and with NCA moribund, ABLA
was able to gain recognition as the national governing body of cycling
just after the war.  In April 1945 a monthly slick magazine appeared
called Bicycling that was jointly produced by ABLA, American Youth
Hostels, and LAW (the second organization to use that name), but it
failed after a few issues when it became evident that the volunteer
editors couldn't sustain it.

ABLA added a rule for the first time requiring that helmets be worn in
all bike races, but made it clear in official publications that this
rule would not be enforced(!).

Cycling was at that time a closet sport that drew competitors from
only a few ethnic groups.  The New York cabal continued to control it
by creating ``paper clubs'' (racing clubs populated with mythical
riders) as needed to get enough votes to ensure their reelection.
Nearly all meetings of the board of directors were held in New York
City because nearly all the directors lived there.  There was a bit
of power sharing with other areas such as St. Louis that emulated
the cabal by creating some paper clubs of their own.

The ABLA President usually appointed himself as coach of the Olympic
team whether or not he knew anything about coaching and similar
perquisites and petty graft were an accepted part of being a member of
the board of directors.  For example, committee chairmen would buy
clothing, bicycles, or insurance from their own businesses and would
pocket the profits.

However, after the 1960 Olympic trials were screwed up, as usual, as a
result of inept administration, a Southern California cyclist named Ed
Lynch got fed up and decided to do something about it.  Lynch was not
exactly a traditional reform candidate -- he decided to beat the New
York cabal at their own game.  In short order Lynch and his friends
created more paper clubs than had ever been seen before.  They were in
a position to seize control of the organization when the cabal chief,
Otto Eisele, offered a compromise: the country would henceforth be
divided into three sections (East, Central, and West) with equal
representation on the board of directors.  Thus a modicum of
geographical power sharing came out of the largest political scam in
the history of the organization.

The California cabal accepted this compromise, but they lacked a
sustained interest in cycling politics and promptly relinquished
control again to the New York cabal.  While Eastern directors
typically viewed board membership as a lifetime position, few
Westerners sought a second term, then or now.

The New York cabal got caught with their hands in the cookie jar in
1975 after Northern California bikie (later director) Tim Nicholson
computerized the licensing process for the first time and, with the
help of a snitch named Ernie and director Rich Holder, was able to
identify a number of phoney registrations and paper clubs around New
York.  However, only one person took the rap for that: director and
district representative Peter Senia resigned before the board got a
chance to act.  The rest of the cabal, who had been clever enough not
to sign the bogus paperwork, got off Scott free and control of the
organization remained in their hands.  They then elected a malliable
outsider as President.

[Next part: Swan dive into the cesspool]
--
Les Earnest           Phone:  415 941-3984    Fax: 415 941-3934
Internet: Les@cs.Stanford.edu              USMail: 12769 Dianne Drive
UUCP: . . . decwrl!cs.Stanford.edu!Les         Los Altos Hills, CA 94022