Evening star., 1896-11-14
S o ME CYCLE CT IA T

A season OF very successful racing mas
trst about closed in this city. There have
been more race meets given here this year
Than ever before in the history of cycling.
End the aggregate attendance at ali of the
meets would swell up into the hundred
thousands. 1t seems though bicycling
as a sport has only been recognized this
year, and if this is the case the future for
next year is very bright. Cycle races in
other cities make splendid drawing cards,
and by many this class of sport is prefer
red to horse racing. The general public, it
seems. has to be educated to this view of
the sport. and when this is accomplished.
there will be as many cycle fans in the
city as there are base ball fans.
The present state of affairs of cycle rae
ing is undoubtedly due to the completion
and opening of the International Athletic
Park third-of-a-mile track. This filled 4
long-felt want with the local racing men.
and placed the sport on proper grade. 1t
has been tried and tested. and found excel
lent. The judgment of racing men who
have followed the cycle races in almost
every city in the country has been pro-
nounced on it. and all of the talk is nothing
that the work on the track was very
nasty, and that there was considerable
hustllnS done to get the course ready for
The opening day.
public next year. number of changes will
have been made. which will alter the ap-
pearance of the place considerably. The
central entrance to the grand stand will
have been closed up and exits made at
etther end. The row of boxes in front of
the grand stand will also be elevated con-
SiceraDly. and entrance gained by means of
the grand stand. instead of by the outside
as at present. This will be of additional
value to the spectators who occupy the
boxes, as 1t will permit them to follow the
racers with unobstructed vision The
boxes will be boarded clear to the ground.
and the track will run up to the base
clubhouse IS also possibility in the north
east end of the grounds. and also pavi-
non in the immediate neighborhood where
the Wheelmen and their friends can enioy
dancing.
The suspension of E. E. Clapp. formerly
captain of the Arlington Wheelmen, will
expire January l. 1897. This will be good
news to the host of friends of the rider in
ihis city. who We're well acquainted with
HIM. Ii is Thought that he will again
go on the track and carve out a name
In tie racing world. He bade fair to do this
"heh he was suspended, and lust before his
ssas suspension 3 was announced he defeated San
ger IN close race at Philadelphia in which
Insfe were other well-known cracks enter
ed whether OF not he has suffered by his
retirement OF two years and six months
from the track remains to be seem Should
ne race again there is some doubt If he
would appear in Washington His father ia
opposed 70 his racing here. believing that
the public is prajudiced against his son
Clapp IS now employed up north, and has a
good position, and. of course nothing can
be learned of his intentions. He has been
IN the city several times since his suspen-
sion. and was looking extremely we'll
The Sims boys will perhaps shortly leave
the city for the winter season, and stop
with their parents a Philadelphia Their
father. Prof John Sims, well known in this
city when instructor at the Y. NJ c. A.,
Synanaslurr vas in town a few" days
ago. and wanted TIE two to return
home with him. Billie the Younger
brother who has made such a successful
debut this season a racing man. will
pfonah leave for his home today. He
entered the races Wednesday at Columbia
neli, and then went out in the country for
e Few days cunning trip. His brother
Fred will probably not leave for his home
'rnti after Thanksgiving day or perhaps
later There is also a possibility that his
plans Will be altered and he not go at all
Inere IS one thing. however that is Ger
TAIN Both brothers will begin training in
the early spring and come out On the track.
Ihey Will return to Washington, claiming
this place as their home. and do most Of
their riding here.
There is every Indication that next
season there Will he more bicycle rae
ing than was witnessed this season. All
Signs seem to point that way So far as
known there is only one race meet planned
so far for next year, and that is for Deco
ration day. the opening day of next sea-
son son races The Arlington Wheelmen will
run this race meet Arrangements are now
IN progress. 1t is understood. for the giving
OF great meet on July 4. These two days
are regarded as the best in the year for /
races Then there will be the nationqI
circuit meet and most likely it will bc con-
tlnued for two days, instead of one as was |
Gone this year. On the top of these comes |
the ldea OF having night races at the Inter |
national Athletic Park. to accommodate |
the great mass of people who would enioy
trip TO the place and witness the men
racing under the bright illumination of the |
electric lights.
There was an amusing scene recently at
one of the cycle stores in the city A col
ored man weighing fully $50 pounds. and
perhaps more, came in with a pair of
trouser guards on and asked to look at a
wheel He stated that ne wanted to buy
a machine, but wanted to be sure to get
one that would hold him. The reader can
Imagine a man weighing 80 pounds short |
IN stature and extremely broad seated on
W heel The man was riding a solid-tire |
machlne and wanted to get a pneumatic
believing that il would be easier for him
He finally found secondhand bicycle of |
the vintage of 80, with large pneumatic
tires These caught his eye. and the size
or them was sufficient to make him believe
that the wheel would hold him. Incl
dentany it might be added that the wheel
weighed in the neghborhood of forty
pounds. but weight was nothing for him to
consider. He gave his old wheel and S,5
In cash and took his new-found delight
The machine was undoubtedly strong
enough to hold him up.
one would think that the streets and the
avenues or the city paved with asphalt are
as smooth as parior floor. but one would
soon nnd his mistake if he rode over some
OF the asphalt streets on bicycle There
are humps and hollows and holes and p1,l-
lies, and riding over these "a as bad as rid |
ing over country road. The drivers of |
carriages and vehicles do not feel the
unevenness of the surface nearly as much
as 5icyclist, who being only few feet
from the ground. not cnly sees, but by way
of emphasis, feels the slightest depression
or rise A good many people wonder, per
maps, why most of the bicyclists keep to |
the middle of the street wnere car lines |
operate. The explanation Is simple. The
traffic is not near 80 heavy there, and con- |
sequentiy the street surface is more even. |
1t makes better riding, and the wheelmen |
soon find this out.
How many cyclists are there who have
made study Of the way the different |
riders mount their wheels? The curbstone
mount at present seems to be the most |
popular style. 1t Is easier and makes a |
more graceful appearance. A young lady
can get into her seat with less trouble, and |