The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-25
Taylor Incurs Hatred Of the
Cyclists Union.

If the big cycle racers of the coun-
try bear as much animosity toward
Mai. Taylor, when the racing season
opens as they are now manifesting. the
plucky colored rider will have great
deal to contend with.
Every rider Nho. deserted the League
of American Wheelmen when the
American Cyclists Union sprung into
existence a few short weeks ago, is
dead sore on-the major Some-of these
men are expressing their feelings in de-
cidedly emphatic Language, just al
present.
Taylor, by being the first man to
break from the union and seek again
the good graces of the l.. A. w, has
incurred the hatred of every union
man in the game. He was admitted
to the union, so these men say, on suf-
ferance, agreeing with the others that
they would not go back on the rules
laid down oy. the union nor desert it
so long as it lasted. He also prom
ised to refuse to ride with any man
who after agreeing TO join the outlaws,
backed down
These riders say they haXe4a punish
ment awaiting Taylor that,w fit his
crime. The white riders have several
times threatened to strike, and refuse
to ride at meets where he rode, but
now he has given them the best of ex-
cuses for cutting him altogether Col
ored or white, he will be put on the
black list, and the faithful riders of the
union will draw the line on him. They
will do this, not because he is colored,
but because he has shown that he is a
traitor. This is the view entertained
by the men who are opposed to Tay-
lor
But there is another side to the story.
Taylor went into the union not because
he wanted to buck the L. A. w, but
he was simply forced to if he was to
retain his position, and to meet the
other big men. 1t was agreed that
there should be no championship events
run off on Sunday, this being one of the
stipuiations made by Taylor and ac-
cepted by the others. At st. Louis,
however, that promise was violated, the
final in the fiye-mile championship be-
ing held on Sunday. If the union riders
were willing to go back on their word,
Taylor thought he had a perfect right
to leave the union.
Taylor told a Spy man that he had
not the slightest feeling against any
member of the Cyclists Union, neither
did he consider that the union had act
ed especially unfairly towards him. He
says, however that the union now eX-
lists only on paper; that it cannot pos
sibly survive next season, and that the
other riders, if they are to find profit
able riding next season, will have to
get back into the league. The officers
of the union, of course, take decided
exceptions to any statement that the
organization will not last for all time,
or that it is in an unstable condition.
The only man who held out in favor
of the L. A. w with Taylor was Owen
Kimble, "Old Kaintuck," as the fol-
lowers of the cycle path know him. A
rumor has recently been going the
rounds that K;mble, like Taylor, in
tended DESERVING the union and going
back to the L. A. W. Kimble denies
such story IL toto Il am with the
boys first, last and always Kimble
is quoted as having said, land now that
/ am in the union, l propose to stand
by the organization until its finish.