Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-10-03
MEET OF THE CYCLISTS UNION.
The Racing Men Ready for Suspen-
sion bN the L. a. w.

The first race meet of the American Rae
ing Cyclists Union has been run. The
riders have laid themselves open to harsh
action on the part of the chairman of the
racing board of the League of American
Wheelmen. They are practically counting
this action. Not only will they be suspend
ed, but their trainers well. The officials
of the meet will receive some attention, and
the track of the Park Cycle Club Will
probably be placed on the blacklist because
the Saturday meet was held without
sanction. There were many who did not be-
lieve that the new organization would hVe
long enough to give a meet. The first meet
has not only been held, but others are ar
ranged. and the rest of the season, con-
tinuing to October %, Will witness plenty
of good racing.
Not a single one of the riders regrets the
step he has taken. They are resolved to
stick together. Two OF the local league
officials cornered Major Taylor, the colored
wonder, and endeavored to have him desert
the union, go over to Baltimore and ride In
the league circuit races Saturday afternoon
1t was held out to Taylor that by going
over to Baltimore he could win the sixty
point first championship in a walk, and the
league would confer upon him the title of
champion. Taylor rejected the offer, say
ing that if he could not win the champion
ship in competition with men of his class
SO far as riding is concerned, he did not
want ii at all.
The referee of the meet Saturday was Mr.
Walt Wilson of Buffalo, n. Y, the eastern
representative of the Associated Cycling
Clubs of California, the organization
which. upon its secession from the league
a year or so ago. drew up set of racing
rules that are more modern and more suit
ed for the sport Mr.. Wilson stated that it
was posse for general crusade against
the league being made, relieving it of the
racing game entirely.
THE control of racing brings in a lot of
money to the league" said he, but it
seems as though most of the money thus
secured is spent in salaries and other items
labeled as expense. The present crusade
is the biggest that has ever been made
against the league, and if the riders stick
together there is absolutely no chance of
them failing. 1t is also likely that the
amateur racing will be taken away from
the organization. The Associated Cycling
Clubs of California stand ready to take
hold of the matter, run II iii business-ike
way and do away with many of the OBJ
jections regarding the sport that now ex-
list. The chances are that at the meeting
next Monday something definite in this re-
spect will be taken. The owners Of tracks,
having plenty of money invested in their
enterprises, do not care to have arbitrary
rules governing racing which interferes
with the successful management of their
race tracks"
1t was impossible for Mr. Wilson to re-
main over in the city for the meet We'd
resday evening, when the first circuit
event of the newly formed circuit will be
run off. His place will be filed by Mr..
A. G. Batchelder. who is with the racing
crowd. and who is a well known authority
on cycling affairs. The list Of events for
the Wednesday race meet were published
in The Star Saturday. and will be run
according to the list
While the meet Saturday was an all-pro-
fessional meet the meet Wednesday will
have one amateur race on it, one-nlile
event for the championship of the District.
The amateurs have nothing to fall back
upon The track will be blacllisted and
suspended, and the amateurs who contest
will suffer a Ike fate. This does not de-
ter some of the riders, however, who have
expressed a willingness and determna-
ton to ride. The race will be run OFF il
there are only six starters. The present
District championship is held by c. ].
Mueller, and as the honor is one that be-
longs to an amateur IL was decided to run
the contest over again.
A noticeable thing at the meet Saturday
was tie attendance of the league officials
and some of their cohorts il a special box.
They made list Of the riders in the diff
ferent races. and also list of the officials