The herald., 1893-09-13
THE RIVERSIDE RACES.

A Kick About tho Way They Wore
Managed. s
Mr. A, d. Williams OF Santa Paula,
the father of the crack young riderrwho
took second time prize in the late River
side road race. writes to the HERALD to
reply to certain criticisms OF the meth
odH OF the riders in the track events,
which have appeared since the race.
lie throws some light upon the treat
ment accorded the visiting riders in the
late meet at Riverside last week. He
says;
III those who do this criticism will
investigate the cause of the slow race,
or the men who entered and did not
start, they will find the cause lies with
the management at their own town, and
not with those whom they are censur-
ing. In the first place, last year those
who attended the races at Riverside
were dissatisfied the way they we're
treated by the wheelmen and
citizens. The general explanation
then was, we will not 90 there
again. OF course the Riverside club
must have known it. Therefore this
year they must make a grand showing,
which would be liberal, or visitors would
not come. So they get out large colored
show bills advertising to give $500 in
prizes, which had the desired effect, for
was among thoae who were roped in,
as the boys called it.
"Now the total amount expended in
prizes, am credibly informed, was
1927, which was S43 less than had fg-
ured them az.
"When the Waiting wheslmen arrived
and found out how they had been
fooled, they decided in body not to
take part in any OF the track events on
the following day; but, through the in
fiuence OF two or three gentlemen OF the
club, some OF the visiting wheelmen
agreed to help them out. This is why
go many of those who entered did not
fide-there was nothing in it.
"Now, MIR. Editor, bicycle racing costs
lots OF money; it costs great deal to
train, then rallrosd fares are high, be-
sides one takes great chances in having
wheel broken. For instance, the ex-
penees of my son and his trainer and
myself, which only includes railroad
fare, hotel bill and four tickets, amounted
to $50, W hich was 500 less than last
year. do not begrudge the expense,
for | am q great admirer of the sport.
and / think those who criticized. are
justified in 30 doing, but they should
look into the facts OF the case. Then |
don't think they will find fault with the
ridera jor string themselves all out for
thesamuseHent of those who paid their
30 and rs cents and get nothing for it.
Place yourself in the same position and
you will be more reasonable.
"The managers are the ones to be
censured, they are the ones who put the
money in their pockets, and were the
means OF giving the audience the poor
show they had, instead of putting it
in prizes as an inducement for those
who entered to race for it. II they had
put q time limit on each race,
with q prize worth racing for,
then it would have been interest
ing. The Riverside club tried the time
limit but it did not work, for the men
would not ride in that manner for the
prize package worth so cents or go, and
the management had to tell them If
they did not ride within the limit they
would get the prize anyway. They had
to do that in order to safety the crowd,
or they would have demanded their
money back at the gate.
bicycling is sport that is interest.
ing and should be encouraged by giving
good substantial prizes. With q time
limit and the men who cannot race
within the required time, will stay out
of that race and 60 in one they can.
Then there will be no trouble in getting
gate receipts to pay for all prizes and
have margin to spare" DeE