Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-29

summer day and quite another to be strug-
Cling away on dark road inches deep in
mud and the wind and rain beating in your
face. 1t is under the latter condition that
pluck is necessary; aye, that sterling, un-
adulterated pluck that makes heroes Of
people. Well, the relay race introduced to
| us many young men of this stamp, and by
their pluck and skill they demonstrated
beyond all doubt that the utility of the BIZ
Cycle is very extensive. =
The race also shows to us that the roads
are q disgrace to the country. Bad roads
are always injurious to business, and with
so much public money at the disposal OF the
powers that be, it is extremely surprising
that some general effort is not made to i'm
prove the miserable mud holes commonly
called pixies. The bicycle riders of the
country are working tolerably well for road
improvement, but they are not doing as
much as they should do in that respect
And the public should help them. If ever
a movement deserved public support, de-
pend upon it the move to have the public
roads improved does, because it will be a
benefit in which We can all share, both rich
and poor
4 Few Words About Checker Players
During the last few days the experts and
patrons OF tne QrauEnG DOdIu nave ndu uuCu
to talk about in the defeat of the veteran
champion, James Wyllie, by the youngster
Jordan. The result, of course, was a sur
prise, but one local authority said to me the
other dav: "Ahi didn't l tell you that
Willie would be dowued one of these
days?"
That remark suggests MANY things. To
me it suggests the question: In the name
OF the limits of human nature why shouldn't
he? Why, can remember m Getting Wyllie
when was a lad, and he was an old man
then. All branches of sports and pastimes
have their heroes and champions, but 1
know OF none who has had such a remark
able career as James Wyllie, the champion
player. True, he has had his foibles and
has them yet, like all of them, but point out
to me a man who has carried the laurels of
victory so long and so well in any branch
of sport in the world as Wyllie has done.
Depend upon it, Father Times finger had
Wyllie's brow furrowed before many of US
were born, and he was famous then just as
he is famous now.
But human nature has its limits At
four score years we cannot keep up the gait
of so or 40 years, neither mentally nor
physically. Then why should there be a
surprise at young man defeating the vet
eran. If We believe In progress, the sur
prise should rather be caused by the old
man defeating our best young ones. Ger
tainly there is progress in the checker
world as well as in other things, and
there is much known to-day that Wyllie,
Martins and others did not know
when they were full of vigor. There are
more irst-class young draught players to-
day than there ever were, and most as
suredly they will down the very best of the
old stock. They have time and the dis
1f h. hi 81 t. ;er
likely that any of our present checker e1-
perts will ever remain at the top of the list
as long as Wyllie did. The surroundings
and conditions are different During
Wvllie's time he has not had the competi-
tion that future champions are likely to
have. With Searights and Jordans spring.
ing up here and there a man to retain the
championship must have much of what is
remarkable about him, because these young
men now making their fame are full of
originality. And that's what tells.
1t is extremely pleasing to note the grow
ing popularity of checker playing. There
is a fostering influence OF sociability and a
process of mental training about the game
that should prompt everyone of US to en-
courage it as much as possible.
Great Intentions OF the Amateur Athletes.
Judging from the declared intentions of
the amateur athletes this year, both in this
country and in England, they, the amateurs,
are going to do some great things this year
Our local athletes are just as full OF declara-
tions as those of any other place and some
of them have commenced to perform al
ready. Locally speaking, see no reason
why the amateurs of this section should not
have a very busy and successful season oft.
There is plenty of talent and a convenient
park to perform in Amateurism cannot
very well live and prosper if private
physical exercise or merely social enjoy
ment is TO be its chief aim. 1t must have |
public performers and good ones. This is |
so much a fact that organizations that have
the best latent are among the most popular
and successful 1t is, therefore, necessary
that our local organizations should not stop
at declaring what they intend to do, but set
to work at once and do it.
Nationally the prospects of amateurism
are good. In many branches we may have
record breakers before the year is out, al
though we cannot well expect to have the
sprinting record lowered. The marks left |
by Carey and Owen are too low, 1 fear, to |
be reached by the sprinters this year. But |
we never can tell. 1t is about time that we |
had good miller" and will not be sur |
prised if we have a man this year who can |
surprise the public.
But most is to be expected from the |
blcycllsts. They are so numerous and so !
good that it looks certain that records will |
go down indeed. Zimmerman has already |
lowered the quarter mile mark and this has |
raused quite sensation among the Brit |
ishers. There never were so many good /
bicycle riders as now, and where there are
so many good ones the chances af finding an |
unknown" are all the greater. This leads
m mi fhof h,,
wonder or two this year among the anna
teurs.,
There is still a comparative lack of en-
thusiasm among our amateur oarsmen. 1t
seems to me that because we cannot down |
the Britishers in this class, we don't |
care to play at the game. Doubtless the
easy defeat of Psotta two years ago by two
DR. three of the English amateur scullers has
had a bad effect on our amateur rowers gen.
orally. But if l am rightly informed we
have now better material than Mr.. Psotta.
If that is so we NAV have chance. 1t has
been rumored that Mr. Hawkins intends to
AXE part in the English amateur sculling
contests this year. If he goes there he
must needs be very much better than Mr..
Psotta as, for 1 saw the latter completely
by a rover who wasn't the best
amateur sculler over there.
Contests Among Loca' Runners,
1t seems as if the sport of foot racing
we're going to revive here again. At pres
INT there are two very important matches
pending, either of which is of national i'm
Certainly local interest in them
must be very great because of the fame
Of the contestants
One race is a bona fide sprinting contest
IF 100 yards between George Smith aud
Tom Hammond, the latter receiving four
yards start. Smith is something of vet