The Saint Paul globe., 1896-07-31


who Is looking for victory without re-
gard to the means employed to achieve
it are numerous and devious. Most of
the tricks to which he resorts are ex-
ceedingIy dangerous, too, and Chair
man Gideon, of the racing board Of
the L. A. w, is after him with a sharp
stick, which is certain to be felt when
it falls This is as it should be. Out
side of the danger to the other partici-
pants in a race, the spectators should
not be compelled to witness danger
GUS spills which are the result of the
objectionable conduct of an unprinci-
pied racing man, and the public is not
slow to resent such practices by the
prompt withdrawal of it's patronage,
without which there would be no
meets.
One of the most common tricks is
known as leaning. 1t is usually the
result of combination between two
riders against another who is consid-
cred the probable winner. The slower
of the two conspirators makes it his
business to lay alongside the man
whom 1t is desired to beat, and when
the latter attempts to go to the front
on the last turn for the purpose of
making the run down the hemestretch
to the finish line to lean far over to-
ward him. so that the momentum of
his rush will have the effect of knock
ing him off his wheel or at least Of
causing him to swerye so badly that
before he can straighten himself out
ana resume his clip the ally Of the
leener is so far ahead that there is no
| possibility of overtaking him. The al
legation has been repeatedly made this
season that two very intimate riders
have been Systematically working this
game, and that in that fact may be
found the secret of the phenomenal
success of one of the pair. In this
particular case, however, the accusa-
ton appears to have been unjust, and
1t is even asserted that it was trumped
up by the man who originated the
leaning trick, in order to divert sus-
picion from himself and afford him
the opportunity to reform while the
feeling was strong against the ac-
cused. At any rate, the result is apt
to rebound to the benefit Of cycle rae
ing, for it has been determined to
break up the practice without regard
to whom it may hurt, and it is ex-
ceedingly unlikely that any of the cir
cult chasers will have the hardihood
to attempt thing which they know
will be punished severely.
TO PREVENT UPSETS.
Any person who has attended a
number of race meets is almost cer-
tain to have seen one or more up
sets resulting from the poor judg
ment Of a rider who has allowed his
front wheel to run into the hind wheel
of the man just ahead Of him. AS the
direction Of turning of one wheel is
upward while that of the other is
downward somebody must go down.
And that they always do, as do nearly
all the racers in the rear. The tangle
Of wheels and human limbs which fol-
lows Is very trying to the nerves of
sensitive people in the audience, es-
pecially ladies, who form a. large per-
centage of the patrons Of cycle racing.
1t is seldom that a rider emerges from
one of these mix ups without some
more or less serious injury, and it is
therefore the desire Of all that some
means be devised that would lessen
the danger in this respect. Scores
Of plans have been adopted expert
mentally and abandoned after a short
experience, as most of them increased
instead OF diminished the danger The
ingenious French people have at last
hit upon something which bids fair
to be accepted as the final solution of
the vexed question. Each competitor
at some of the recent race meets in
that country has been required to
carry a contrivance on the rear Of his