The herald., 1896-11-02
THE WHEEL

Inc annual attack upon the % lcyCle
record table" says an interested OBJ
server, ''is now in order. Most of the
attempts will be made on the Pacific
coast, where the climate is suitable to
racing during the winter. For this
work special training is necessary, and
strange as it may seem. it often hap
pens that the man who is best against
the watch is one almost unknown to
those who keep track of racing affairs
only. Peculiar ability is needed to
records, and even this class is again di-
vided. there being those who are best
at Following pacemakers and those who
are better at unpaced attempts. The
man who makes a Furnishing finish in a
tightly contested race may be of no use
in record breaking. The one requires
generalship and headwork as well as
pluck and nerve. as much as speed,
while the other, who simply goes against
the watch, must train for speed alone
and must get out all that is in him. He
must learn not only to sprint in last
quarter, but to go the whole mile. or
whatever the distance may be that he
is trying for, at a steady, even gait. and
be able to judge the pace at which he
is riding. In going for records a large
number of tandems, triplets and other
multlcycle machines are kept IN ac-
tive service, and corps OF men retained
riders who are picked for the trials. The
record which is worth more than all
the others, because it represents A.
mans own unaided ability, is the un-
paced record.anG the standard is, of
course, the mile. The rider who holds
the honor for this mark at the close
of the season can certainly Law claim
to the chief honOrs of the year. SO far
as record breaking is concerned. even
II others who try for unpaced events NAV
have more different events to their cred
IL. Inc unpaced mile is the most credit
aple performance of all and the one
whicn the best men will try the hardest
to get"
Ihe League of American Wheelmen
now has over 900 members. It's growth
within the last fourteen months has
been phenomenal, 36,1O5 members hav
ing been added to the rolls, which is
1861 more members than the league had
gained in fourteen years previous to this
time, says the World. The L. A. w. was
organized May 80, $780, From that time
until August, 1895, it secured 32.444
-members. 1t will be seen by the fol-
lowing report of Secretary Bassett that
the membership has increased 652 dur
ing the week. The membership in
crease from the corresponding week of
last year was 1913. The week before last
Who will be the next president of the
l.. A. W.? The discussion wakes warm
er. New candidates, with hosts of ad-
VocateS, come to the surface every day
and make the situation more complex.
Messrs. Potter, Elliott Bidwell Gideon.
Bassett and Sullivan are all popular
men, and the election at the national as
sembly of the league promises to be a
nj tn TOW, 1sx.ks,
ident Elliott will succeed himself-that
he has been an able and earnest worker
for league interests and deserves a Sec
ond term.
The next national assembly of the
League of American Wheelmen will be
held in Albany, N. ", and will not come
to San Francisco, as was hoped, says the
Call. r. M. Welch will probably be the
delegate from California for this divi-
sion. And, by the way, a very unfair
criticism of Mr.. Welch appeared in Cy-
cling West, penned by its San Jose cor
respondent, criticising league affairs on
this coast in general and Mr. Welch's
conduct in particular. The writer COM
plains because San Jose was given no
representation on the board of officers
AS matter of fact there are probably
not more than fifty league members in
the Garden City today, for the reason
that the big club there refused to renew
for 1S96-97. They care very little for the
league down there and must not be sur
prised at reciprocal action on the part
of the officials here. However, no one
should criticise Mr.. Welch for this. He
is known everywhere a S a perfectly fair
and impartial gentleman, who has con-
Quoted his affairs as a member of the
national racing board with wonderful
tact and discretion and has earned the
good will of all the riders and those who
follow the sport.
Out of the 269 professional records
recognized by the racing board 125 We're
made this year. The majority We're