The herald., 1895-12-16
THE CASH PRIZE LEAGUE

In the matter of the attempt that is to be
made to form new bicycle racing league
In this country, as first announced in THE
HERALD, Dave Shafer, the man who has
been selected by Messrs. Spalding e. Bowe
to engineer the scheme to successful ter
mination, has the following to say: II am
misquoted when the newspapers make me
say that l am opposed to the League of
American Wheelmen. Nothing is farther
from my mind than any effort to in any
way injure that institution. But in the
matter of this new cash prize league, you
may say tn at such movement is about
TO take place. The subject is not new
one with the men who are at the head of
the affair, for they have had such a scheme
III mind ever since the opening of the pres
ent racing season. The object of the asso-
citation will be to promote professional
racing, with cash for prizes. But the an
nouncement that l was trying to get a
corn'r on all the racing men in California
for the purpose of having them race in the
proposed league is on the face of it very
absurd can say nothing at present
about the details of the affair, though they
aie almost completed"
II has been learned on the best possible
authority that the promoters of the cash
league will hire the best of the class b
men now on the racing path, and will use
them as q bait for the attraction of others
to the fold. Three months ago
the engagement of Bald. Cooper
and Zeieler to act as the stars of
the new league in connection with the
white flyer, John S. johnson. Eek, who
has been ruled off the tracks controlled by
the L. A. W., was only too willing to join
the new venture and bring his protegee
with him. Several we'll known racing men
will also be hired, and when the new
league is ready to open it's first race meet
there will be plenty of men who are able
to ride under the new management. As to
the rumor that the promoters have gained
control of tracks in all the large cities of
the country, and are trying to get a corner
on the racing men that are now we'll known
to the public, the story is untrue, for such
negotiations could not be conducted with
out the knowledge of the l.. A. W., who
have hitherto been in ignorance of any at
tempt to deprive them of their control of
the racing path. For long time az BIZ
Cycle racing has had a strong tender cy to-
wards professionalism, and this is o ly the
beginning of the end. The hollow III OK
cry of lass amateurs will be done away
with, though the hold of the new manage.
ment on it's riders will not be as strong as
that of the L. A. w. on it's alleged anna
tours. Moreover. there is no question but
that the riders will ride great deal better
for the money that will be hung up than
they will for pianos, diamonds and baby
carriages that they are not allowed to sell,
though beneficent race committee does
give them the privilege of bartering their
prizes, providing there is no cash consid-
Grafton.
.Apropos of the suspension of Titus,
Murphy and Cabanne for the alleged fix
ing Of q race, noted eastern authority
chasers agree to fix a race they will prob
ably put the contract in writing, fixing
suitable forfeits for breach of faith"
Charles Murphy, one of the suspended
riders, is well known out here, and rode at
the recent race meet in Los Angeles. He
the meet in Santa Ana, and Mr.. Gideon of
the racing board says that the decision is
final. The men who were chiefly instru.
mental in bringing about the suspension
were two newspaper men of st. Louis, to
whom the unwise riders were foolish
declared his intention of fighting the mat
ter in the civil courts, but there seems but
little likelihood that there will be any re-
versai OF the decision of the l.. A. w. The
hardship OF the sentence imposed by the
racing board lies in the fact that not only
are the men debarred from class B, but
they are forbidden from racing again un-
der any class, on any track that is con-
trolled by the league. Consequently, if
the sentence holds good, there will be
tnro0 more stars IOr the cash prize league,
which will not be under the control of the
L. A. w. in any manner. However, if
they do enter this combination there are
two of the gentlemen who will bear watch
ing, and their initials are Titus and Ca
banne.
THE CYCLE SHOW
The cycle show is an assured fact and
the three clubs that have the matter in
charge are working hard to make it a sue
cess. The committee that has the affair in
hand has issued a circular to the bicycle
dealers of the city. putting forth the advan-
tages to be derived from an exhibition of
their wares at an exhibition, and showing
the amount of space that will be given over
to this part of the show. There will be
twenty booths, ten on each side of the pa
vilion, leaving an open space in the center
60x1OO feet. Each Of the booths will be
8x16 feet, a much larger space than is
given at similar affairs in the east. At the
Denver cycle show the spaces were only
SxlO and large number were only SxS,
these being considered quite large enough
for the purpose. The gallery has been set
aside for seating purposes, and the floor
of the pavilion will be given over to the
promenaders. In order to increase the So
cial side Of the affair each club will have