The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-28
THE WHEEEMEN'S WORLD
Review of the Events of the
Past Week.
BALD's GREAT RIDING FORM
His Present Showing Fully Realizes
the Expectations of His Friends.
An Imitation of the ProfessionaI
Ranks Is Anticipated--The Future
Government of Cycle Racing.

Eddie BdlG IS beginning TO show tflit
form which his friends have constantly
predicted since the opening of the season
His decisive win at Indianapolis. when he
lowered the coIors of his old-time rival.
Cooper. shows that he St!n has the speed
but has never been able to get Il out
heretofore this season. Bad is one of
the best performers in the world. but
thinks less of taking care of himself
than ne does of enjoying the pleasures
Of this life. 1t has been due to this fact
that he has done no better this year, as
his most intimate friends have expected
his retrogression for two years He has
been before the public five years now
and there are few sprinters who have
been able to retain their championship
form for SO great length of time. Wind
lie was unable TO do It, and Zimmerman
fell by the wayside in about four years
Taylor was prominent a less time than
that. while Sanger managed to hold on
for five years. Taylor was a prominept
figure for -four years and Dirnberger for
there. Bliss was popular and famous for
four years while Mcdonald fell early.
Johnson probably holds the record. He is
still riding in sufficiently good form to
warrant his being caassed as first rate
rider, and he Is one of the few who were
prominent in the game at the time of
ZanmermanS prime that are still in
active participation. Major Taylor the
negro. unless he falls away in form.
promises 10 be among the leaders of the
sprinters ait the close of the season.
Cooper is in better condition than he has
been for two years, while Gardner viii
not be able to stand the strain.
Before the close of this month the rae
ing board will have swelled the profess
sional list very appreciably from the
ranks of the present amateurs. 1t is
claimed that the sensational devel-
opments brought out by the case of Fred
Schade Will have the result of clearing up
the conscience of many of the fastest am
ateurs in the United States at the pres
ent time. Many Of the amateur cham
pions of last year came under investiga-
ton. while other prominent college am
ateurs. whose names are familiar all
over the United States, are likely to fall
into the trough OF professionalism be-
fore the racing board has finished with
them. The professionals who give any at
tention to racing legislation point to this
wholesale decapitation of amateurs as a
sign Of the injustice imposed upon the
professionals by the League of American
Wheelmen. AS one of these riders said
in discussing the matter a few days ago:
IF an amateur breaks rule of the
racing board he is not suspended. nor is
he fined He is merely .professionaiized-
promoted, as II were. IL a professional is
guilty of an infraction of the rules he IS
either fined, suspended or expelled alto
gether. II is hard, TO draw the distin-
gushing line, where the difference comes
Il
infraction, but the League Of American
Wheelmen has 1t all arranged 10 nicely.
1t is a bit of class legisla ton and iujus
tice in keeping with some other methods
of the League of American Wheelmen,
and should be remedied. Until liberality
reigns supreme in the national assembly,
however, suppose this will not be.
When tqle cycle racing season is prac-
ideally ended this year there Will be
started a discussion which may have an
inatnseay important effect upon the
future Of tht sport; may cause radical
cha rges in the government If not en-
tireiy overthrow it; which viii at least
be extremely interesting TO all wheel
men. This discussion will DE aroused
by the action of the last assembly OF
the League of American Wheelmen in
passing a resolution instructing the
executive committee 80 investigate the
subject Of cycle race control. with
view. if possible. of giving the racing
government into the hands Of another
organization The committee is to make
Its report at the next assembly. which
will be held at Providence, In February
and between now and then will make
its investigation. as it IS almost I'M
nossibIe 10 do so when the season Is
actively on
Students of the game and those finan-
ciallv interested have made many vary
ing prophecies as to what action the COM
mittee will advise, but those who are IN
the best position to Judge freely state
their belief that there will be no change
in the control from what it is at the
present time Their reasons for this be-
lief are many and good principal among
them being that the league has handled
the sport as ably as it is possible for an
orga nization to do. But the strongest OBJ
iections to the league continuing control
come from it's own members. and that ac-
counts for the resolution at the last as
sembIy having the idea of relinquishing
it. These members will have to be paci-
fed at the same time that the other or
ganizations are dealt with, and it will be
an easier task to make the organizations
understand that they are not 10 be given
power than to satisfy the members of the
league. who are disgruntled, that the
| league must give up the control Speak
ing upon this subject recently, a promi
nent member of the league, and one of
| its best-known officials touched fea-
| ture of the matter which has not been
given the prominence it deserves. He
| said:
"If the executive committee recon-
| mends to the assembly that the league
transfer its control to some other organi-
cation. and the assembly adopts the rec
| ommendation. the moment the necessary
motions are passed marks the beginning
! and ultimate disintegratipn OF the league.
| know that many of the most prominent
| members of the organization take an en-
tirely opposite view of the matter, believ-
| ing that the provindel ofEthe league is to
! further the work for good roads and
wheelmen's rights, and nothing more. The
sentiment sounds well and if it could be
| done, would be the best course, but as a
| matter of fact it cannot9be. There Is no
! disputing that the racing department of
| the league Is and has always been the on
| ly one in which there has been anything
| like activity on a national scale. The
! good roads department and the wheel
mems rights adhereTits Have made spas
modic efforts to keep the organization TO
the fore and occasionally they have sue
| ceeded remarkably well, but it is not
| within my memory when there has been
| an instance of any successful undertake
| ing in which the national committees
as much as lifted finger The work has
been done by individuals who could have
accomplished the same thing without ma
tional organization. And when they have
| derived from it has been almost purely
| local On the other hand tho racing de-