Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1896-07-07
GAMES FOR WHEELMEN.
Diversions Imported from England Which
Will Interest Cyclers.

Will Interest Cyclers.
As soon as polo became fad we had
water polo Now that bicycling has
come to stay we are to have games.
Our English cousins are ahead of us
in the adoption of these games, but
American riders will soon be initiated
into their mysteries.
One of the first games to be adopted
by cyclists was polo. The game had
for years been played on horseback,
and in the winter time on skates, but
now it is played on bicycles Naturally
the unexpected and ludicrous tumbles
taken by the players furnish no end of
amusement to the spectators. The
game as played on wheels does not diff
fer materially from the original game
as played on horseback, but it is much
more interesting when played on
smooth rink surface.
Another unique idea is that of a
bicycle obstacle race, which is more
like hurdle race than anything else.
The riders are started off as in ordinary
races. Placed across the track are
hurdles, and as the riders come to a
hurdle they dismount and, lifting the
machines over, remount and ride to
the finish line.
In another race the competitors ride
to a certain point, where sacks of corn
are placed. The idea is that each of
the riders shall take sack of corn
and carry it on his bicycle to the finish
ing point. AS the sack of corn weighs
some seyenty-fye pounds, this race re-
quires strength as we'll as skill. The
potato race is comparatively easy. A
number of potatoes are catered about
the track, the object of the rider being
to dismount as each potato is passed,
and picking up the tubers, continue on
to the end of the race.
The egg and spoon race is one pro-
ductive of great deal of fun for the
spectators, but it is a serious matter
for the wheelmen, who are each striv-
ing to complete the race first and at
the same time not to break an egg
which is carried in a shallow wooden
spoon. Should any racer be unfortu.
nate enough to lose the egg or break
it, he can go back to the starting point
and secure another egg, but must make
a new start from the scratch.
In the polo ball and bucket race a
number of wooden buckets are placed
about the course. Each man in the
1,a1I hi oh ha
has to place in different buckets before
he can finish the race.
A more difficult race to compete in is
the umbrella race. In this each rider
has an umbrella, which he is obliged
by the rules of the race to open at the
start and keep open to the finish An
umbrella is not the easiest article in
the world for a pedestrian to success
fully manipulate, and the difficulty is
much greater when one is a-wheel and
there happens to be breeze blowing
across the track.
Another race is called the dressing
race" and is subject to the following
rules: Bicycles are brought to the
bLdTbluB pOluL anu INC COdt anu NcSb Vi
the rider are laid on the ground. Aft
er the starting signal is given each
competitor without any assistance, is
obliged to put on his vest and coat
mount his wheel and make the best o.
his way to the winning post, where he
is to arrive with his vest and coat en-
tirely buttoned The vest must have
at least five buttons and the coat a.
least three buttons"
Another ingenious race is the thread
and needle race, in which each con
testant, after mounting, is provided
with needle and thread. which h,
must take to some lady among tn,
spectators, dismount and have the LADY
thread the needle. He then goes on t,
the finish, where he must hand to th'