The herald., 1897-02-16
SUNDAY RACING QUESTION
Threatens to Disrupt the
WheeImen's League
CALIFORNIA; DELEGATES
Think the Great West Needs Some
Sunday Sport
Nothing VIII Be Done In q Hurry. but
Division Of the League Now
Seems Unavoidable
Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
NEW YORK, Feb. 15.-It is expected
there will be a division in the racing
interests Of America into two separate
bodies within the next month. This di-
vision will be the result Of an adverse
decision of the national assembly of
the League of American Wheelmen on
the Sunday racing option question.
California sent on three delegates
from her northern portion to bring about
favorable action on her request, which
was made without a threat Of what
might happen. Two Of these delegates,
Robert WEIGH, the California member
of the racing board, and Frank Kerri-
gan, one of San Francisco's Judges and
president of the Bay City wheelmen of
that city, were seen in New York last
night and gave out the following inter-
view:
1--WE do not see how a division of the
L. A. w. racing interests can be avoid
ed, now that the question of Sunday rae
ing has been so disastrously settled for
the coming sea son. We cannot see that
there is any possible way in which that
action can be annulled, and the fact Of
the matter is that we G0 not advise
the tracks of Northern California or
the west to stay in the league. Our fight
was made to the best of our ability, and
lost because the members of the as
sembly thought more of what the par
sons might say than of the rights in the
matter.
Now it is a case that lies w<h the
track owners of the great west, and we
thing they will at once make prepara-
tions to go out of the league. Nothing
will be done in a hurry in the matter
Should the step be taken 1t will be after
the organization of new league has
been made complete. We must make
no error in this matter. Our country's
great need is Sunday sport, and other
portions of the west are similarly stu
ated in this matter. The rational cir
cult will start In California just the
same, and there will be over a dozen
days of racing between the 20th of April
and the 10th of Nav, when the circuit
chasers leave for the east.
IF any action looking to secession is
taken previous to May 10 it will only
be toward the forma tion of new rae
ing body, and not toward anything that
will place us on the black list of the
league. The eastern racing men will
be given grand time when they come
to California, for it will be tao years
before they can come again. The ma
tlonal assembly we are sure will at the
next meeting adopt the measure for
the success of which we were sent east.
and then we will regain our old places
in the controlling body. Meanwhile, it
Will mean separate body, and that
body will be we'll and ably managed.
the rules being quite as strong in all
respects and similar to the rules of the
l.. A. W.. except that the prize limit
may be raised and the principal part of
the racing will be on Sunday"
kerrigan and Welch left for the coast
today and said they would do all they
could consistently to prevent the rup-
ture, put that they must go with the
majority in this matter, and the ma
jority can take but the one step.