Richmond daily palladium., 1884-08-23
BICYCLE RACING.

Correspondence of the Palladium.

Correspon den ce OF the Paiiadium-
CLEVELAND, o., Aug. u, 81
Monday was the first day OF the an
nual meet of the l.. A. W. of the State
of Ohio, and as this new means OF loco
motion is becoming quite popular l
events would perhaps interest your
readers Early in the morning the
streets were full of wheelmen from all
parts of the State and adjoining States
as well as from States more or less re-
mote. Around the entrance of the
principal hotels could be seen wheels of
all sizes and patterns with their uni
formed riders near chatting pleasantly
on their trips and machines, each trying
to display his knowledge of wheels with
that nonchalance with which turfmen
talk "hoss. AT | o clock the men be-
gan to ride out to Athletic Park, on
Madison avenue, to contest for the va
rious prizes and the State champion
ship. At clock when the trial heats
were being run off the grand stand and
ampltheater were well filled and quite
number of carriages occupied the space
around the quarter-mile cinder tract.
The grand stand with the gay costumes
of the fair admirers and the brilliant
uniforms of the thickly- y-interspersed
knights of the wheel presented very
pretty appearance indeed
The races proper began at four clock
and continued until aftersix 1t would
| hardly be necessary to describe them In
detail, but to looker-on they are very
fascinating. The men mounted ON
their wheels stand just over the score
line wheel to wheel, and with feet
ready for the signal The starter fires
= ha al = ha lat I'd xh
men are off Round and round they go
one leading for while until some one
makes squirt and assumes his place,
which he in turn tugs to regain. Now
they work steady, again they fairly fly.
The glistening of their wheels and the
tinsel Of their uniforms only add to the
fascination which seizes one the mo-
ment the pistol is fired. Among others
that were present, l noticed G. w.
Ashinger, of Camden, .. He rides
very nicely and is plucky on a long race
In the FIVE mile race the first day, he
won pretty gold medal as second prize,
which is quite an honor since he had to
contest with the state champion. Mr.
Ashinger has only been riding bicycle
for a short time, and is surprise to all
the older wheelman. In conversing
with Cincinnati bicyclist he told me
that Ashinger was a remarkable rider,
and with training would make one of
the foremost wheelmen of the
country.
Bicycle racing has its dangers as well
as pleasures. Mr.. Dolph, after having
won the State championship, took a
header" while going at 3 80 gait but
fortunately was not overrun. | will say
that a header" in wheeling circles
means a precipitation over the wheel,
and is the wheelman's terror.
On the whole | like the races, and l
think they are bound to become popu-
lar with those who are overserupulous
about horsehesh The absence of all
pool-selling and the hight toned charac-
ter of the riders and admirers are sure
to win for it a reputable place among
American amusements.
In the evening there was fancy riding
and club drilling at the Grand opera
house Tuesday morning about four
hundred wheelmen formed in line on
Lake street and proceeded through the
principal streets with banners waving
over their heads, much to the delight
of the throngs which stopped to wit
ness the gay and fairy-like procession
as they glided by The races were fin
ished in the afternoon, and at night
very brilliant display of pyrotechnics
closed this, the most successful meet of
the League of American Wheelmen.
e. : i