Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-15
THE CASH PRIZE LEAGUE
1t Nay Have . Damaging Effect On the
L. A. W.

1t Nay Have . Damaging Eject On the
L. A. w.
Bicycling is now one Of the most popula,
sports In this country as well as in England,
and 1t Is becoming more popular every day.
zimmerman, Windle, Munger and many others
have made their records riding under the colors
Of the League Of American wheeimen. but 4,
remained for harry Wheeler to be one of the
first to ride under the colors Of the Cash Prize
Cycling League and carry off more than $l 200
in two days, while those against whom he had
heretofore been riding were doing the same
thing for all sorts Of prizes, from . box of
cigars or bronze medal to piano.
The organization of the new Cash Prize
League, it is pretty generally thought, will have
its effect on the League Of American Wheel
men. and that it is only a question of time, and
short time, before all the good men will leave
the L. A. W., or the racing rules of the organi-
zauon VIII have to be changed. And the change
II 1t Is to come at all, will have TO come soon, SO
many OF the wheeimen think, or 1t will result in
bringing to an end the many racing events
under the auspices Of the L. A. W.
MIR. George s. Atwater, ex-chairman Of the
racing board, L. A. W.. is decidedly OF. the
opinion that the new Cash Prize League will prove
q success
Speaking to . STAR reporter the other day
Mr. Atwater said he thought there would be
many fops to the new organization after the
international championship races at Chicago
next month.
THE new league" he said, "will be success
without doubt 1t has been asserted that races
with cash prizes will be nothing but hippodrome
races, but such is not likely to be the case
The league is controlled by base ball men, who
have brought that sport up to such q high
standard and made it the most attractive sport
in ha 800
nevlng that they cannot and will not do the
same with the bicycles. The idea Of saying the
races will be sold is ridiculous. No one ever
hears Of games OF base ball being sold. and it is
unfair to presume that there will be any
crooked work in cycle races- Its salvation will
depend wholly upon the purity OF the sport.
Harry Wheeler" he added, ''won more than
III. 1000 in two days, while the other men were
racing for tin pots. brass medals, household
utensils, 800 pianos marked 81 00O and such
other things, and they will soon get tired of
that sort of business. They can't sell the
prizes under the rules Of the L. A. W. and the
only thing they can do is to keep them"
ANOTHER wHEELMAS's VIEW.
Said another wheelman, speaking of the Cash
Prize League, Il think 1t is an excellent AFFAIR
and will tend to purify the racing in this coun-
try. At present most of the prizes at big meets
are carried off by few men ana there is no
question about their being professionals.
though. perhaps. proof on that subject NAV
not be obtainabie. These riders represent
Cycle factories and, Of course, the only wheels
they ride are those from the factories thew rem
resent. These men are undoubtedly paid sala-
r1es By the companies, for some Of them GER
tainly could not afford to travel over the conn
try as they do and do nothing except engage In
bicycle races and discuss the merits of their re-
spective wheels.
These men cannot be competed against by
persons who ride only for the sport there is in
riding. for the latter do not have the ADVANTAGE
Of as many wheels a. they want and man to
train them at all times. Then, too. can see
no reason why man who wins q number Of
presents cannot dispose Of them as be sees g.
especially when he duplicates them. A man
who has won three pianos, for instance. does
not want SO many Of the same kind Of instru-
ments In his house, and yet under the L. A. W.
rules he cannot sell them. but must give them
away or keep them. Again / repeat that man
. no rides in the principal races in all parts of
The country must be a man Of wealth or else he
iocs not, cannot come within the rules a. Laid
DOWN by the L. A. W.