The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-27
Professionals at L. A. w. Meet.

The programme of the races to be held at
Willow Grove, Philadelphia, on Aug and
next, in connection with the eighteenth
annual meet of the League of American
Wheelmen. contains no less than six cham
pionship events, four for professionals and
two for amat eurs--the first time in the his
tory of the league that the pros will be
given an opportunity (under L. A. w. sane
tom of fighting out among themselves the
question of to whom belongs the title Of
national champion at the various distances.
The professional championships will be at
quarter, half, one and five miles, and the
one-mile race will bring to light that long
looked-for individual-the mile champion of
the United States TO win that event will
be an honor that will carry with it no little
distinction, and will in addition, be worth
thousands of dollars to the fortunate in
dividual who first reaches the tape. The
winning of any of the national professional
championships, IN tact, VIII mean mucn 10
the man or men who capture the prizes.
The two amateur championships will be
at mile and two miles, and their decision
will doubtless furnish a repetition of the
bitterly contested struggles that have char
acterized these events in former years.
In addition to the championship events
there will be four professional and three
amateus races-one and two-mile handi-
caps for each class mile open and mile
(2:05 class) for professionals and third
mile open for amateurs. This long pro-
gramme will in the opinion of the race
meet committee. furnish excitement ga
lore for the crowd. and for that reason
it was decided to turn down the big list of
trick-riding applicants and entirely els
pense with that feature, which has become
somewhat molotonouS in recent years.
The full programme. with the order in
which the races viii be run off, follows:
First Day
Two-mile handicap professional.
One-mile championship, amateur
One-quarter-mile championship, profess
sional.
One-mile championship. professional.
One-third-mile open amateur.
One-mile, 2:05 class, professional.
Second Day
One-half-mile championship, professional.
One-mile handicap, amateur.
One-mile open, professional
Two-mile championship. amateur.
One-mile handicap, professional.
Five-mile championship, professional.
California L. n. w. Secession.
The weekly bulletin of Chairman Mott,
of the l.. a. w. racing board. received yes
terday. shows the first weakening OF the
California seceders from the league. The
Californians rebelled against the rule of
the league prohibiting Sunday racing and
organized the California Associated Cycling
Clubs. withdrew from the league and start
ed an Independent racing circuit. Among
those who went with the seceders were
such well-known riders at Otto Ziegler
Clint r. Coulter. Clarence Davis, Allen
Jones Herbert f. McCrea and Arthur NJ
Boyden. A Sunday race meet was given
and the L. A W. racing board announced
that all these riders and number of others
were suspended until May 5, 1899. The re-
striction was also placed upon the race
tracks with which the promoters interested
in the new movement We're connected.
Chairman Motifs bulletin contains the
following paragraph: Santa Monica, Cal
having signed the agreement not to permit
races, unless sanctioned by the L. A w.
the restriction upon the track is removed"
This means that at least one track has
come back 10 the league. and il may mean
the loss Of the fight by the seceders. Not
all by any means. of the California pro-
fessional riders went over to the movement.
Although it was announced that the sue
ceeding race meets would be visited by
many more riders than the first, II was q
fact that the same names appeared on the
entry lists as at the first meet. 1t Is proba-
BILE that the action of the race promoters