Evening star., 1898-09-03
THE LOCAL SITUATION

The local racing situation is anything
but encouraging, and, despite the fact that
there has been plenty of good sport. the
patronage Of the public has been hardly
sufficient to encourage its continuance. In
deed, had any other than the present man.
agement obtained the local race track the
place would have been shut down long ago
for want of patronage The manag gement,
however, when it secured a lease Of five
years on the place, was fully aware of
the dfficulties to be experienced, and was
content to run the first season at a loss,
with the expectation that the second year
would be more successful.
The accommodations at the bicycle track
are limited. so far as providing seats for
spectators is concerned. At least this is
the case when compared with the accom-
modations provided at other tracks further
north. The local grand stand will not seat
over 1000 persons, while the bleachers
were designed to hold less than 900 With
every seat in the grand stand and on the
bleachers occupied, there will be only $500
persons accommodated, a comparatively
small number. AT the Willow Grove track,
near Philadelphia, the seating accommoda-
tions will hold fully 10000, while those at
the Manhattan Beach track and the
Charles River track, at Boston, will hold
probably as many. At either OF these
tracks 1t is a common thing to see every
seat occupied and large crowd in the in
neid The support received by the race
meet promoters is sufficient to warrant
them to go to good deal of expense in
order to secure good attractions Without
TINS support the racing game would be
practically nothing
Locally the support received has not been
the best, but city the size of Washington
is expected to have more or less enthuxi-
asts on the subject. 1t is in the hope of
creating a public demand in this direction
that the local race meets are regularly
hnc had
contend with this season more so than
Ior any previous years Many meets have
3een prevented by rain. Where the rain
dld not interfere the weather might have
been threatening '
speaking of the matter, a weli-known
Wheelman and business man of conserya-
I'VE Judgment stated that this city is pc
culariy situated, as far as racing ia con-
Gerhed. There are very few cities like
Washington in the east, where there is
any nlcyele population said he. we are
pblac'icaily isolated from other sections and
IiaNe 10 depend almost entirely upon local
I!aeIs furnishing good sport To bring
otler riders OF some note to this CITY re-
auiIes more outlay than one would i'm
rf5arS fnI hoTtn this is not the case. and
tLuers is from all over the country come on
lheir own accord and ride SOLELY for ,ha
prizes offered. The patronage of tho tr.ci-e
na1;so lmay 9e much better than that which is re-
prizes can be afforded "e''ei
we ara so situated that there is not
aiiotiier r city OF any consequence within a
.I. soiIa "a nle-dlsta tance from which we can pot
SOU fidihg material. There are no TOWNS
TO the south of us sunnorting 60 1919, .OS ne
ineIi' heither are there any west of Wash
ihston- IT Is Lot necessary to mention tba
east at ALL Baltimore is the nearest ctty
. ID dS cychng Is concerned. Once upon
a tihe Baltlmore had some good racing
men, but that time has passed For tbs
pas Two or three years Washington riders
Itar rare neeh far superior to the Baltimore
..eii, ana never before was the difference
50 marked as this year. The local man
amateurs and professionals. can almost
rue circles, as the expression goes around
Ine 6aI-lmore riders. In an even race tn
dshlislon boys can capture every prize
gwen at Baltimore race meet thongb
When they resort to the handican tac+{cs
the orioles are given such a big ADVANTAGE
mat 1t IS almost impc ssible for the wash
Ihston riders to win. For that reason the
District cyclists when they appear ON tba
Baltimore track prove good dra auino
cdrus, while the Baltimore riders fail To
oraW any crowd when they come here.
Fnllsdelphia and New York are nicely
situated, so far as the racing men are con
cerned. With either of these two cities as
oasis, they can come down to Baltimore
on lhe south, and go up as far north as
Boston. They would probably come down
TO Washington if there was any chance ~
a meet south of us. With PhiiadeIphia as
headquarters the racing men can make a
nylng trip to Baltimore and return home at
respectable time the same day They do
not care to be away from their base too
long, and cannot afford to wait over and
come to Washington.
The racing game in this city is bound
to pay. 1t is a big undeveloped field. and I
lnlnk that II this season can be safely car
ried through, next year success will
attend the efforts of the present manage
nent The track is getting a reputation as
Worid-beating course, and as soon as this
becomes general the riders will come here
on their own accord, venture to predict
that before the close of the present season
there will be plenty of big events pulled off
on the Park track. Up north the bicycle
game is being overworked, and in a few
weeks many of the riders of sprint and
middle distance classes will find them
selves strapped, and they will be glad to
jump at anything. Another thing, as soon
as the weather gets too cold up north for
comfortable riding the racing teams that
are still in the field will come down this
way to ride. / think that the local public
will have plenty of sport before winter sets
In, and the fall of the year is the pest time
for racing, fact that most people appre-
ciate."