The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-18
WAITING FOR MOTIFS RULING.
WILL DECIDE THE MEMORIAL DAY
ROAD RACE.

sionaIs-Thc Racing Cracks Fast
Getting in Trim at the Wheeimen's
Track-COOper JubiIant over the
Prospect of His Race with Bald.
Local Events Among CycIers.
The Memorial day road race on the Au-
gusta road is the principal topic in cycle
dom lust now and the indications are that
the race will be very successful one. En-
tries are coming in daily and it is expected
that there will. be fully forty riders. A
good many riders are delaying entering
until the last minute, but there is no doubt
there will be a large field of starters.
The publication in the Morning News
last week Of Chairman Motifs recent rul-
ing in regard to professionals and their
relation to amateurs caused somewhat OF
a stir among local riders and some Of
them are in daily expectation of being de-
olared professionals Whether profession
ais will be allowed to compete is not yet
known. Chairman Mott has not been heard
from. If the chairman of the racing board
rules that the race is to be'run under the
sanction of the league, professionals viii
not be allowed to ride, and the race will be
run as an amateur event. If, however,
there is no departure from the way in
which road races have been run in the
past, amateurs and professionals will be
allowed to compete.
The time for training for the race was
not as long as some of the riders would
have liked, but most Of the fast road and
track men will be entered.
The handicappIng will probably be done
by MIR. W. Edwin Grady, who handi-
capped the Ogeechee road race. Mr..
Grady is not, strictly speaking, the Off
cial Handicapped of the league, as there
is no division of the League of American
Wheelman in Georgia, and, consequently,
there can be no Handicapped He is. how
ever. the highest official Of the league in
Savannah, and is the one who should do
the handieapping.
The entry list viii be closed next Sat
urday when the entries will be turned
over to the Handicapped The handicaps
will not be announced until the day Of
the race. All riders who intend to COM
pete are requested 70 hand their names to
Mr. Frank Williams as early as possible.
The bunch of speed merchants training
at the track had fine weather last week
and the boys are fast getting into racing
trim Charlie Murphy put in a week of
hard work and is already beginning to
ride in his old time form. Murphy was
gladly welcomed by his old friends in sa-
vannah. He is looking fine and expects
to have a good season on the circuit
Fred Loughead, the Canadian champion.
and his trainer, arrived during the week
The Canuck is a very fast man and after
putting in a few weeks at the track he
will start on the circuit
Cooper and Michael did not miss day
at the track. Cooper is Overjoyed to hear
that Bald will ride him match race and
hopes that nothing will prevent the race
coming off. He will certainly leave moth
ing undone to make the Buffalo boy come
TO time. Bald won more money on the
circuit last season than did any Utfer man
and claims to be the champion of America.
cooper challenged him to a match
race and has persistently urged
the acceptance of the challenge but IN
to this time Bald has refused to ride. Now
that he has accepted the time and date
at Detroit, May 81, the outcome of the race
will be awaited with interest. as il will
decide who is champion of America.
WeDD IS very much pleased at the way
Cooper shows up and he expects great
things Of his charge this season.
kinsey IS in training and will be taken
half mile by the Dayton triplett this
morning All Of the racing men will also
be seen at work.
savannah cyclists are certainly fortu-
nate in the possession of fine streets and
roads. With all the paved streets there
Is no difticulty now in reaching any part
OF the city With the Ogeechee, Louis
vile, Augusta, Thunderbolt White Blur
and Waters roads and Estill avenue. there
Is variety of roads and good runs that
cannot be eXcelled by those Of anv city
in the country.
All of the roads. with the exception Of
Thunderbolt and White Bluff. are in ex-
cellent condition. White Bluff road is a
little heavy and there are spots of green
shells along the road that make il dan
gerous to tires. Thunderbolt road is prob
ably IN as good condition as It ever was
but the shell road company Will persist
in laying fresh shells on the road. which
have not been ground, and a rider has to
pick his way along. This Is not so diff
cult in day time, but at night. especially
II the night be dark one, il is extreme
ly so, and II a rider gets to Thunderbolt
land back without a puncture he is fortu-
nate
The nights last week, to use the Ian
guage or young lady rider, have been
simply gorgeous. The roads are crowded
these moonlight nights and numbers OF
parties are made up every night.
The c. L. A. Cycle Club had its regular
run on Thursday night, and a large num-
Der of riders were out.
The high school boys who ride wheels
are getting up a road race 10 be run Nav
Z. There are a number of enthusiasts
wheelmen ia the school and some of them
are fast riders.
Peter Leist and ]. NJ. Wilson rode tvs
quarter-mile dashes, flying start, at the
track Friday afternoon, to settle a dis
pute as to who was the faster man.
Lest won the first heat and the second
was declared a dead heat
The bicycle trade has picked up wonder
fully of late, and the dealers report a
heavy sale during the past week
Tuesday night the Spalding Bicycle Club
gave It's lady friends the first compliment
tary run of the season, on the Louisville
road. Quite a large number were present
and all reported having a delightful time