Birmingham state herald., 1896-02-13
WIPED OUT IF EXISTENCE Class B" BicycIists Given a Genuine Surprise. HERE ARE BUT EYEGLASSES The Class "B" Men Given Their Choice Be- tween the Two A TROUBLESOME QUESTION SETTLED The Delegates Were Given Theater Party by the Maryland Bicycle Club and
 Were Amused by Do Wolf
 Hopper.
A TROUBLESOME QUESTION SETTLED

Baltimore, Md, Feb. 12.-In conse-
 quence of today's action of the League of American Wheelmen's convention there are but two classes of bicyclsts.
 Glass B, generally known as pro-ama-
 nre 573 of this class of riders, all of whom
 will be given the option either of be-
 coming amateurs or of accepting profess sionalism This definitely settles an sgi- tatfon that has been in progress among wheelmen for years, and has taken a
 most prominent part in their affairs ever since the sport was known. Class B, which is now abolished, was a middle
 ground between amateurism and profes-
 sionalism and was adopted by the bicy-
 clers' body at the suggestion of Howard B. Raymond of Brooklyn, then chairman
 of the national racing board. at the con vention in Louisville in 1893, 1t having previously been withdrawn at the con vention at New York. When bicycling began to assume It's present large pro- portions and the making of bicycles opened a. wide field for profitable invest ment competition demanded advance ment. It was found by the makers that if they could get fast racing men to ride their wheels 1t aided greatly in the sales, as some of the guileless assumed that it was the wheel and not the man that
 won the races The reputation of the
 great manufacturers of this country and
 England was built on this basis. The competition then became keen among the makers for the several classes of the flyers sand the rewards to them reached proportions and thus started the scandal of bicycle racing, which has been wiped out today.
 There has been growing for years a tl ,l,, sionals. and today's action Is a frntion of that agitation. The immediate result of the action is to remove the cloak of amateurism from professionals. The agi- tation which led to the decision was most unexpected. Amendments to the constitution and bylaws were under con sideration, and several having bearing upon class B had been adopted without an effort in the direction of abolishing the class. In the discussion of proposed amendment offered by Chairman Godeon | of the racing board. several amendments to the amendment were made, until final ly Albert Mott of Baltimore made a mo- tion to strike out all reference to class B, and to make new heading in the | constitution of the professionals" The suggestion was debated with growing ex- citement until the convention was in a uproar. The unanimity of sentiment in favor of abolshing the class B was un- expectedly pronounced. Cries of "vote" came from all parts of the hall. and MT. Mott's, motion was carried almost unan- imously. The convention disposed of thrty-six- of the seventy-four pending amendments to the constitution before it adjourned at o'clock. until II a. m. tomorrow. Of that number eight were withdrawn, four lost and twenty-four adopted. The action taken in several cases was annulled by the abollshment later on of class B. None of the other amendments were especially important. Tonight the delegates were given a thea ter party by the Maryland Bicycle club. Fords opera house was thronged to the doors by pedalers, dealers and their fe- male companions. DeWolf Hopper and his company introduced all manner of wheel jokes into "Dr. Syntax" for the amusement of the great audience of Wheelmen,