Evening star., 1896-11-07

Wheelmen to clSim jurisdiction over every
thing that pertains to cycling, no matter
whether connected with the organization
or not. The league defines amateurs and
professionals, and none Of the latter class
are permitted to belong 20 the organi-
zation. They are foreign TO the org AMI
zation. yet they are obliged to stand by
the ruling of the racing board. 1t is the
same thing with amateurs, a great ma
jority of whom do not belong to the league.
but they come under its ban.
A queer instance of the control of the
league cane up during the week. The or
ganization draws the color line, and does
not admit colored riders to membership.
Yet at the same time whenever the colofed
people give a race meet they are obliged
10 apply and pay the racing board before
the necessary sanction is given. even
though their entries are limited to coloTed
riders. This in face of the fact that II
a record be made by colored rider 1t
will not be allowed.
The National Bicycle Club. Z colored or
ganization of this city, has decided to
give a race meet this fall. and was anxious
to secure the use OF the International Ath-
letiC Park. As the regular racing season
has closed there the management decided
to permit the club 10 give the races at
the park Thanksgiving day. The QueS-
tion of the sanction raised and some
people expressed doubt as to whether or
rot the racing board would permit the
races to he held.
a letter was accordingly forwarded to
Chairman Gideon, and his reply was re-
ceived during the week. He stated that
he saw nothing in the rules Cf the league
to bar a colored man from ordinary races
under league sanction. The chai man
further finds that there are no rules bar
ring the racing of white and coIo-@d r.en
together. or the entrance Of q white man
in the colCred mems race. In racing no
distinction regards color is made
said Mr.. Gleor, and the rules state that
every race on track must be under the
sanction of the l.. a. w.
Tom Mudd. the fast rider of the Arling-
ton Wheelmen and a member of the East
ern Athletic Club. comes under the con-
troll of the Georgetown University Ath-
letic Association and the probabilities are
that Mudd will race under the colors of
the blue and gray for the school season.
the same Schade. He mas entered the
Georgetown Law School. and will take a
full course During this time he will come
Under the supervision of Trainer Foley.
at the varsity, who will give him the
advantage of thorough training for hard
work. 1t is likely that Mudd will be sent
to represent the school with Schade in
the annual games next year at Berkeley
Oval He will be in the bicycle races of
the field day meet this evening at George
town Field. Incidentally it might be stated
that Mudd. who is a road rider Of some
repute, holds the twenty-mile record for
the road. made last fall in the good time
of $3.50 from a scratch.
Chicago man has invented a combina-
tion cycle and office suit, which may be
worn during the day with long trousers, or,
If occasion demands, can be turned into
boomers for use on the wheel. thus doing
away with the necessity of changing
clothes or using pantaloon guards. The
l,r hsrorS fyr1 L.,
ings. on the inside of the trousers a cuff
of regular beaver material is fastened,
and when wanted for knickerbockers the
wearer simply turns the trousers up until
the cuff is exposed, then button the cuff
together and the Transformation is COM
plete, people being unable to detect the
change Among many of the local riders
the custom has existed all along of turn
Ing the trousers and letting the lower por-
ton lap over to resemble boomers but
unless tightly rolled the thing would come
down. This was the only drawback. Then
again, there are a good many persons who
wear the long trousers inside the stockings,
but this makes bulky show of the limb
and can be detected at glance.
There are very few people who have
paid any particular attention to the man
ner In which men ride on the track. The
general inclination of an ordinary person
is to go to the right, and 1t is said that if
a person be taken out in a wilderness and
slowly and surely describe a circle to the
right and return almost to the starting
point. On the bicycle race track, and, in
fact, on the race tracks, the rule is re-
versed. The men always ride to the left;
that is. their left side is toward the inside
of the track, or pole as it is more general
ly known. One would imagine that If the
rule were changed and the men ride to
the right, better results would be obtained
but this is quite the contrary, practical
demonstration having proven that the pres
ent method is the best for fast riding. 1t is
not only better, but safer to the rider,
pecially on the turns, where the change IN
position makes rider more cautious than
he would be were the turns to the right.
The racing men soon become accustomed to
this method of riding, however. and get as
bold and as risky as if they were going in
the opposite direction. To many followers
of the track it would be a strange turn
around ii the track riding was done with
the right to the pole.
Very few people have any idea Of the
difficulties of mana ging a road race of any
size. 1t Is quite different from a track
event, and the officials. or a great part of
them. have to hustle The public win read
the list of winners. and perhaps the time
of forty or fifty riders in a matter-of-fact
sort of way, and never once think of the
manner in which the results were secured
The finish of the race is quite exciting, and
while one man is apt to cross the tape
alone, he is likely to be followed by bunch
of five or six. and the next second another
bunch equally large, If not larger. will
come. The timers are required to take the
time of each man who finishes, or as many
as there are prizes for, leaving a good
margin over. in case any protests should be
filed. and some men ruled out.
The timers cannot stop their watches. as
in a track meet. The timepieces are kept
running until the last man crosses the tape.
The method of taking time and keeping
tab is follows: There are several officials
at the finish who do nothing but call the
numbers of the men they finish. Other
officials take these numbers down in the
order called out Every time a number Is
called out the timers call ont the time, and
the time is jotted down in regular order by
more officials. After the race the deduc-
tions are made for the handicaps, and the
corrected list furnished showing the actual
time of the winners and also the winner of
the time prize. Though this work is done
Very fast, it is very seldom that mistake
occurs.
There was very pleasant gathering of
friends last evening at the residence of Mr..
w. H. Henshaw, at $40 11th street. Accom-
supper was on the program, and q limited
number of invitations had been sent out to
n'embers of the Columbia Athletic Club
TEe econ, which weighed over seven pounds,
was shot and killed by DIR. Munson while
out on a recent cunning trip. and Mr. Hen
shaw did the rest, in excellent style and
hat tfSfo,