The San Francisco call., 1897-01-04
v HEELMEH WANT
SUNDAY RACING
They Will Ask the League
to Permit Such
Meets.
Delegates Will Plead at the
Annual Meeting at
Albany.
A Blue Ribbon Meet to Defray the
Expenses Of Those Who Will
Go East.

Racing men, club 0tnclalS ana prOml-
nent mem bers of the North California Di-
vision of the League OF American Wheel
men are convinced that there is but one
thing which can put cycling on this coast
in the place among sports which they feel
it should occupy. They are practically
unanimous in the opinion that to save the
sport the ban which the league has placed
on Sunday racing should be. so far as this
coast is concerned, removed, and local
wheelmen are exerting every energy to
this end.
On February 10 the League OF American
Wheelmen will hold its annual meeting
at Albany, n. Y. This is the great event
of the year in the cycling world, and as
this organization controls practically all
track racing in the United States it is to
this meeting that Western riders look for
relief from the clause which they consider
one rous.
California wilfhave seven delegates in
the meeting Numerically, the strength
of the coast is of no consequence what
ever, New York alone, with its 10000
league members, having ffty-two repre-
sentatives.
1t is the intention of the officials of this
division, however, to send its strongest
men to Al bany to see what argument,
persuasion and entreaty can do. The per-
sonnel of the delegation is not completely
determined upon yet but those who it is
so far certain will go are: +. H. Kerri-
gan, chief consul of the North California
division; Robert NJ. Welch. chairman of
the State racing board; John E. Alexander
of San Jose, and r. A. Smythe, official
Handicapped of this division.
In the fight before the convention Cali
fornia will have the support of all the ex-
treme Western States, including Colorado,
and also OF Louisiana and Missouri. 1t is
not the desire OF the California mem bers
10 have the league lift the ban from bun
day racing absolutely. What they desire
is divisional option-that is, that each di-
vision be permitted to vote for itself upon
the proposition and take action accord
ingiy. Sterling Elliott, president OF the
league, has expressed himself in favor OF
this concession, though he opposes Sun
day racing in his own division. Isaac B.
Potter, chief consul of the powerful New
York division, is also said to favor di-
visional option. He is said to exert a
great influence in his jurisdiction and the
friends of the measure hope for his
friendly offices with New York's tifty-two
delegates.
The sentiment of the race promoters in
the matter was voiced by w. B. Fawcett
OF the Velodr me yesterday.
The situation is simply this" he said.
''In the East Saturday is generally OBJ
served as a half holiday. The Young men
who have iabored in stores and offices all
week take their recreation at that time,
and there Saturday racing is great sue
cess. On this coast conditions are differ
ent- Saturday Is not a half holiday, and
Sunday is generally looked upon as a day
of rest and recreation. AT present there
is no other sport so popular as wheeling,
and the young men who on Sunday do
not know what to do with themselves
would gladly avail themselves of the op-
portunity to patroniZe their favorite sport.
Now the few holidays they have are
about the only opportunities to witness
racing. Saturday racing Is not sufficiently
profitable to pay for the maintenance of a
good track, and the prizes offered must
necessarily be small to allow any profit on
the meets
The racing men themselves look at this
matter from a somewhat different stand
point, but are equally emphatic in their
desires for more racing. Roma Dow, the
speedy professional pacemaker, expressed
the views of the speed merchants when he
said: Sunday racing will certainly be
great thing for this coast. The way things
are now it hardly pays man to keep in
training, even if he wins right along.
With Sunday racing there would be meets
at a number of tracks each week.
"Ihe prospect of more races would bring
good men here from the East and many of
fesslonal class. There would be competi-
tion tracks, and this fact, together with
increased profits, would allow the race
promoters to hang up better prizes
There Is no reason why Sunday racing
could not be conducted as well as the con-
tests which are being held on week days.
Every professional and | think, almost
every other racing man on the coast is in
favor of the change in the league by
laws"
Other racing men expressed themselves
in a similar strain.
In order to aid in defraying the ex-
penses of the delegates to the Albany
meeting blue ribbon meet will be held
at the Velodrome on January 16. The
DESIGNATION of the meet signifies that no
prizes will be offered other than blue rib
bons, the riders, by consenting to ride for
Ethese trophies. showing their interest in
( the cause. Among the speedy men who
Ewill appear are Ziegler Foster, Mcfarland,
Stevens. Wells, Terrill brothers, Becker Of
+ Minneapolis, Dow OF Seattle, Jones, Boy
den, Whitman. Dovee and Norris of Texas
and all the speedy amateurs.
The programme is said to be the best
yet arranged for the Veiodrome 1t con-
sists of one-third of mile scratch. proFes-
sional; two-thirds of,mile handicap profess
sional; one-third of mile scratch. amateur;
half-mile handicap, amateur. There will
be n number of interesting record trials
meeting next Wednesday evening, at
which it will consider means by which it
can lend its support to the Sunday racing
proposition and the blue ribbon meet in
particular.
L. H. Smith of the Olympic Club Wheel
men and Harry Fowler of the San Fran
cisco Road Club started the new year with
one of the pluckiest rides on record Just
as the clock ushered III the new year they
left the Oakland mole for century around
the bay. 1t was raining and had been for
two or three days, the roads being in
misera bic condition. In spite of this fact
they reached San Jose, distance of forty
TWO miles, in seven hours They stopped at
San Jose one hour for rest and breakfast,
and then resumed their journey, reaching
THIS City at O'clock. En- route they made
sufficient detours to make up the six
miles which the trip lacks of being a CON-
plete century. Their time of eighteen
hours is considered remarkable under the
circumstances.