Evening star., 1898-08-27
A HOT FIGHT PROBABLE

There are many interested in racing who
are wondering how long the League of
American Wheelmen will control racing in
this country. Some claim TO be able to see
the end, and venture to predict that before
the close of the present racing season there
viii be a revolution, unlike anything the
League of American Wheemen, or any of
its officials, has had to contend against.
These people, who are in a position to
know, say that the change will come soon.
and that whan it does come it will be sue
cessful, the force behind the movement be-
ing so great to make this possible.
When the League of American Wheelmen
was organized the charter members and the
founder did not have in view the control of
racing. Racing was a side issue, which
came up later, and Of which the league
promptly assumed control. This was possi-
BILE because the organization was in exist
ence while bicycle racing was in its in
fancy, and as the sport grew the league
frightened its grasp upon the reins until the
organization became master of everything.
In it's management of racing ths league
seems to have lost sight of its original aims
and objects, and the assertion is Ventured
that if it lost control OF the racing the or
ganization would Immediately sink into OBJ
hvion.
Be it as it may, there is no doubt that the
ieaSue mas complete control OF racing. 1t
not only exercises jurisdiction over every
race track in the country, but it has COM
pietc control over all riders. Every time a
race meet is held its promoter must de-
posit 50 for sanction. If the affair is a
national circuit meet the sanction fee is
raised to $25 This revenue goes to the sup
port of the organization. If a meet is held
without sanction the chairman of the rae
ing board proceeds to blacklist the track,
and even goes further. The riders in the
pension as long as the chairman of the
board may wish is placed against them, and
the riders cannot enter any race maets un-
I'll the time is up.
The question is naturally asked what is
to prevent a rider from entering other
events within thestime of his suspension? !?
This sometimes happens, but in every in
stance the rider has entered under another
name. II it is discovered, his sentence is
increased, and possibly the cyclist is barred
from the race track. The racing board, by
a weil-organized system, Is able to keep
control of racing. When a sanction is
promoter send copy of the program, with
list Of prizes and the markings Of the
Wlnnsrs OF the events. NAs four or five
thousand maets are held Asnually in this
country, the chairman receives a report
IRON every one. These are studied, and 1t
| Is comparatively easy to follow the. course
OF rider. The failure of a promoter to
send a program will result in the refusal
4
ne complies with the rules. 1t so happens
tfat Iii out-of-the-way places, country viii
lages, where perhaps a dozen or more
cyclists can be gotten together, small BIZ
cycle meets are held. Perhaps the people
never heard of the League of American
Wheelmen. The account of the races might
be published in the village newspaper and
copy might get in the hands of the chair
man OF the racing board. Again, the league
division officials of the state in which the
affair Is held are pretty likely to get hold
! OIL copy of the paper containing the ac-
count OF the meet, and they immedia tsly
send the copy to the chairman of the rae
| Ing board. The next step is the dispatch
| TO the riders in the meet Of communica-
| ton announcing that they are suspended
| for riding in unsanctioned races. The meet
| officials are also likely to receive a COM
| munication announcing that the village
| track is biacklisted for running bicy Gle
| races without a sanction.
| While the organization is composed en-
| tirely OF amateurs, no professionals being
| allowed TO have anything to do with the
| aHairs OF the organization, yet as much
! attention is paid to the riders of the latter
| class as to the former. In fact If any
| thing. more attention is paid to the pro-
/ fessionals. While they cannot belong to
| the organization. yet the league recognizes
| their status. Before a professional can
| race hs must be registered, for which he
has to pay the chairman of the racing
board two dollars. In return the racing
| beard does nothing for him. On the con-
trary. 1t limits him considerably. The rae
| ing rules provide that the prize for first