The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-08-02
NEWS OF H WHEELMEN
END OF THE CIRCUIT WILL WIT
NESS SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEsT.
The Prominent Racing Men Decline
to Ride by Electric Light-Sfand-
ing of thu Circuit Men.
specIal 70 the IndlanapoIIs journal.

started the route are found at the finish,
many and many a good man having
dropped out. II may truly lie called a case
of the survival of the fttest. The survivors,
are those who are the best fitted for the
tremendous work. not only by nature, but
also by a careful trainer. There are very
few OF the racing men to-day who can last
well for a whole season OF smashing races
such as the professional class is now put
ting up. The racing of to-day takes more
out Of a winner than did half a dozen of
the years gone by. The real racing men OF
the year-Bald. Sanger. Gardiner, Cooper
and Ziegler-win not race by electric light
at night. and especially is this so when
the races come before a prominent meet in
which they must be at their best. Cincin-
natl was scheduled for a national meet on
the eth and sth of August, just prior to the
opening OF the national meet.
Cincinnati desired to give It's races at
night. and the racing men refused to enter.
A cold contracted i'm such racing by any
one of them would have ruined chances for
the national championships. and none could
afford to risk condition for the gaining or
money. The national championships are
considered the most important events OF
the season, and although there be no money
"a tA4C AitA NO4lu IlSk IliOnty 10 VIII.
Cincinnati lost on its meet owing to the
fact that the men refused TO ride. and Gin
cinnati then came back at the men with the
declaration that money was wanted as a
bonus before the men would enter. No
money was wanted from the Cincinnati
promoters, but the men did want the races
run during the daytime. and this the pro-
motors were not willing to concede.
Reports were sent out from Cincinnati
that the races had been called off all over
the State. owing to the demands of the big
men for bonus money, but this was not
true. Dayton's race was called off for the
reason that club made 81. 1000, so it is said.
on its meet of July 3 and 4, and the pro-
moters wanted to go on a vacation at the
time the National Circuit meet was sched-
uled. Every one of the prominent men was
going to Dayton. and there had never been
any doubt OF that. 1t was reported In press
dispatches that Springfield and Lima were
also of. owing to the demands of the men.
But no demands had been made. and Lima
saw the first meeting of the five great men
Of the year. These men came to Lima
when the invitation race gave all of them
a chance at a observation-disclosures prize
at Manhattan Beach on the same day.
They went to Springfield when that city
publicly announced that no bonus would
Dc given. Previous to this announcement
the five men had entered at that meet.
The entire five would have gone to Cincin-
natf had the races been held in the day-~
time instead Of in the evening, whep/a all
were in danger of catching cold. T2mmia
Cooper wrote to the promoters CIncin-
natl, telling them that they Might comm
on the entries of. the big MN woula thew
but hold the races il thsT afternoon, but
tnat the men You'd not enter the races
were they to be held at night. Cooper re-
ceise" litter in reply from Charles E..
IuoorSne manager OF the track, thanking
him for the Information contained in the
letter and replying that to hold the races
at any other time and give the purses it
would be necessary to entail a loss. The
races were therefore called off.
EXTRA EARNINGS.
1t II true that the big men are some
times said to go to races off the National
Circuit. a special exhibition ride being
placed on the programme for them to in
duce them to come. They. of course. re-
ceive something ION the side for the ex-
hibition. Sanger was paid to come to Day.
ton July 3 and A. He had to travel many
hundreds Of miles to make the meet and
had TO pay expenses for two people, San
ger Is paying his own way this year, being
as yet unsigned on a satisfactory contract.
He rode in four races at the Dayton meet
and In one OF them. the mile open, set
three-quarters OF a mile of pace and then
won out by four lengths. The time was
2:19 and the referee ordered the race run
over in the face Of the fact that the winner
made the pace. Sanger refused to ride in
the turnover and the press reports gave
the impression that he was beaten out by
three second-raters in the final race.
C~incinnati's trouble came In an attempt
to make the racing men bend to their will.
Racing men do not have TO ride at every
meet on the circuit. They do have TO ap-
pear at every meet at which they have en-
tered or show a doctors certificate that
they are sick. They do have to ride in
every race for which they have entered
and TO pay entry fees for all of these
races. but there is no law that compels
every racing man TO enter every National
Circuit meet and ride at the same.
The Springfield meet on the National
Circuit-Springfeld in Missouri-was a case
IN point. The promoters secured a sane
ton and the men following the circuit were
SO notified. No arrangements were made
for a special train necessary to bring the
party TO the meet from Hot Springs, as
the regular train could not be taken to
reach there in time. But the race pro-
Iloters figured II all out that once they
had their sanction the racing board under
took TO secure the entries OF all the men,
and hat the racing board was the proper
party to go to for the entries. Springfield
had three professional riders.
Riding at night is at the best precarious
and risky. as the shadows are always
thrown so the men cannot ride close TO
each other nor follow pace as they can in
the daytime. No matter how good the
lighting. the shadows Will be seen TO q GER
tain extent, and these same shadows will
cause a fall. The men claim that such rae
Ing Is rot fair comparison. and that defeat
at night should not be figured in the per-
centase tables OF the circuit. They will not
take the slightest risks in such races.
Kalamazoo gave night races. The men had
entered for day races and only found that
they had to ride at night after they
reached the city. They protested. but the
promoters were memorable and made the
men live up to the rules. This they did by
starting and then dropping out OF the con-
test. IL was the statement of this case
that caused Cincinnati TO give up its date.
Night racing will not be entered.
Percentage Table
No. OF No. of Per-
Times men de- men de- cent
Name. started. feated feated by. age.
Bald. q. c......io p 2 seo
Gardiner. Ais 12 p .2ss