The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-26
THE WHEELMEN.

ing in cycling circles this week, besides
the appointment of the Associated Cycling
Clubs committees. There is a meeting
tonight, however, which is more impor-
tant to the racing branch of the sport than
anything that has occurred in a long time.
It will be the asse blage of all the League
OF American Wheelmen officials, racers
and all interested in the sport to discuss
the proposition of sending delegates to the
National Assembly at at Albany. n.
Y, in February. to fight for the passage
of Sunday racin law. 1t is plain that
cycle racing in this State can only be
made q success when the meets are held
on Sundays. Saturday afternoon meets
scarcely pay, and there are too few holi-
days, and indoor night racing gets monot-
onous. But with outdoor Sunday racing
it is expected the sport will draw crowds
milar to those which used to attend the
ball games in its palmy days. 1t is mani
testify to the interest of every racing man,
and particularly the professionals. to at
tend this meeting tonight and disproye
the article on the 'Ingratitude of Profess
sional Racing Men" which recently ap-
peared in local cycling sheet, by showing
by their presence that they are at least
alive 10 their own needs and are willing
10 O6lp the 1OCdl OllC1d4S III SSCuT-
ing them. The meeting has been called
bv Frank H Kerrigan, chief consul, and
Robert NJ. Welch, mem Der of the National
racing board of the league, and will be
held Al the rooms of the Bay City Wheel
men, AL Golden Gate avenue, at O'CLOCK.
J. A. Ostendorf, manager of the local
Cleveland house, is away on business
trip through the Northwest. Will knip-
enberg OF Los Angeles will return home
in a lew days. Wilbur f. Knapp is back
from his southern trip and reports bust
ness good.
The following are the nominations for
the officers of the Olympic Clue Wheel
men, made at the last meeting: President,
Charles Albert Adams; vice-president,
Douglass White; secretary. 81. V. Scott,
treasurer, George h. Strattor; captain;
II. u. Hadenfeldt; executive committee,
John F. McGIynn, Frank w. Fuller,
Thomas SpiIlane.
1t did not take Vincent and Kraft, the
coast champion amateur tandem team,
long to consider and accept the callenge
of Smith and Wing Of San Jose, as the fol-
lowing reply will show:
SAN Francisco, Dec %, 1896.
To the Cycling Editor San Francisco CaLE-DEAR
SIR: Replying to the challenge issued by
Messrs Smith and Wing of San Jose, who wish
to race US as tandem team, we desire to say
that we are willing 10 race them under the
same conditions which governed the Thanks
giving day contest between Messrs. Smith and
Harde nbrook and ourselves.
As to the date of the proposed contest, we
leave it to be decided by Messrs. Smith and
Wing. II good weather prevails next week,
New Years day will suit us, but if the weather
will not permit OF training, the contest can be
postponed until such time as the weather con-
ditiOns are favorable. Respectfully yours, Svd
B. Vincent, Charles Kraft Bay City Wheelmen.
The Reliance Club WheeImen of Oak
land held their annual election last
Wednesday evening, with the following
result: President, E. b. Jerome; secre-
tary-treasurer, o. B. Marston; captain, G.
S. Myrick; first lieutenant, B. Neylan;
second lieutenant, II. H. Price; racing
board, E. Griffith, r. Balm, 6. Gross.
Tom Cooper, the crack professional, thus
estimates his earnings for the past season:
Winnings $3.50. salary $4,000, tire salary
$1,000, chain retainer $500, appearance
money $780, grand total of $3.50. AS
Cooper's business previous to going into
cycle racing was clerking in a country
general merchandise store, it may be seen
that racing with him was paying invest
ment.
There is a new candidate in the field for
president of American Wheelmen. Al
though no overtures have come from the
gentleman personally, his friends are
pushing his canvass, and in case of dead
lock in the convention between Sterling
Elliott and Isaac B. Potter, Charles f.
Cossum will doubtless be made to ascend
to the presidency of the big order. Nor
rison is counting on Potter's support, and
Potter will control fifty-six delegates,
which will cut no mean figure when the
ballots are cast. It looks now as though
Potter and Elliott were cut of the race.
The former is bound by promise to Eli
oft not to oppose him, and Elliott cannot
possibly be elected without Potter's sup
port. Thus the situation stands.
New York. Philadelphia and Buffalo are
each making a play for the next National
meet OF the L. A w. 1t seems that New
York is best adapted for the meet. Wheel
men can be we'll entertained ut Manhattan
Beach, and the zone and only" New York
is but short distance away. Wheelmen
travel far to attend these annual Journeys
and feel they should have something out
of the ordinary.
Were this tourney to hold the boards in
New York it would be one of the biggest
wheeling demonstrations ever held. Only
1000 visitors were at Louisville during the
memorable week in August last, but it is
safe to presume that there would be fully
fifty times that mum Der should New York
handle the annual meet and hold it at
Manhattan Beach. PHILADELPHIA will
make good try for it, and Buffalo is sure
TO be a strong candidate. The Buffalo
wheelmen know how to entertain, as many
riders have occasion to recall. Toledo,
Ohio, IS also in the field.
The two principal events to be run at
the Velodrome meet on New Years day
>will be a five-mile scratch professional
race, run in mile heats, single paced, the
final to be tandem paced, and a one-miie
post amateur race. Both shonld be star
events, particularly the former. Many
will remember the fve-mile champion
ship run at San Jose Saturday, Novem Der
8, 1895, which was won by Charley Muir
ply, with Bald second and Tom Cooper
third. 1t was pronounced the greatest
cycling event zen on the coast, and has
never been equaled. If the race to be run
next Friday Is well paced it should be
equally as interesting, as some OF the fast
est professionals in the world are now
riding at the Velodrome.
Walter Foster will race at Pasadena
New Years day, and expects to retire
after that date, as business demands his
attention. Mcfarland, Wells and one or
two other professionals would like a
match race with Foster before he retires,