The times., 1899-07-03
CURRENT CYCLING GOSSIP.
Eddie Bald still Backward In Hi
TratRinr.

Eddie Bald Still Backward In His
TroiSing.
Demands are being made upon Eddie
Bald which he cannot in justice TO himself
fulfill. Bald is not yet in condition. He
has taken much longer TO round into shape
than ever before, probably owing to his
many previous years of racing, this being
the experience of all veterans of the path.
Bald is expected to compete at every N. C.
A. meet because he isHPresident of the
American Racing Cyclists Union. He has
been forced now to refuse to save his repu-
tation. His experience at Flushing, where
he failed to qualify, at Buffalo where he
was twice beaten in the finals and at Man
haitian Beach were bitter pills for the Can
non Bald to swallow.
Mcfarland and Stevens justly state in
support of their team work, that all
styles Of combinations are used against
them. They are candid enough to admit
that they do aid each other and say that
1t has taken three years to perfect their
system. They also state that with them
it is sometimes a case of two against the
entire field, and their contention is just
when they say that team work makes
handicap race and that in the open race
their minds work quicker and legs respond
more quickly to these workings than is
the case with others. Both Mcfarland and
Stevens say that there is at no time in
tention of committing a foul on their part
and that winning race with them is easy
without that.
Henri Fournier, the Demon Machine
driver, is having an outfit of four-horse
power speed machines made, fitted with
the petroleum motor. These will be sup
piled with two motors instead of one and
on them Fournier says he will guaran
tee to do 1:20 on the right track. When
pressed in regard to the limit of the ma
chimes he shrugs his shoulders in an ex-
pressive way and will not say. To friend
he stated that lilo was possible on track
sufficiently banked. There is hardly a track
so built today
Frank P. Prial. editor of THE Wheel"
New York, a cycle paper which has been
antagonistic to the N. C. A. and which has
predicted for some time the downfall OF
that organization. Joined the N. C. A.
ranks at the meet of the Kings County
Wheelmen, when he acted as timer. 1t
was the watch of Mr.. Prial that deter
mined the winner of the Earl-Bedell If
| teen-mile contest as he split on Bedell,
catching him two-fifths of a second ahead
of Earl.
1t is common talk in Chicago that anna
teurs riding at the Ravenswood track re-
ceive s35 cash for a win of what is styled
on the programme a s35 diamond This is
in Chairman Gerlach's town and the chair
man will undoubtedly investigate such an
| infraction of the rules.
Eddie McDuffee writes to friend in
hat in mi
which ii was reported he travelled back of
| his steam pacing machine at New Bed
ford, the machine made the mile and not
himself
| A match race is being arranged with
motor pace for a middle distance between
Arthur Gardiner and Charlie Church.
| Jack Prince is in Minneapolis arranging
for a three-day Grand Circuit meeting
there.
/ Jimmy Bowler rode N. C. A. on Saturday
and Tuesday following rode L. A. w. at
indianapolis. He paid no fine at all.
Bowler expected to land the money of the
Indianapolitans, so he said, but was whip
| ped by Charlie Poeter, the little Detroit
rider. formerly prominent as an amateur.
National Circuit l.. "A. W. meets sched-
uled to take place at Chicago July l, st.
Louis July 4, and St. Louis July and
s, are off, having been so declared by the
promoters, only one of whom really ap-
piled for date.
The all amateur meet at Hartford. under
| the auspices of Mr.. Alexander last Satur-
day, had lis individual entries. The con-
| test was the opening n. C. A. meet in
Hartford, the entry list the largest OF one
| class shown this season.
Tom Eek has his string of riders up at
| Montreal Mccarthy, of St. Louis. Nc
Leod and Davidson. of Canada, and several
others are included.
| Permission to exceed the amateur prize
limit has been frequently asked of late of
Chairman A. G. Batchelder, and has been
! granted. Promoters are offering first
| prizes up to the limit $50, in a number of
| instances.
Berkeley Oval track will be the scene
| of the first matinee race meet OF the sea-
son July s. The professional handicap, a
| half mile, has s75, $50, $25, SIS, and $40
for the five places, and the open race OF a
mile has $50 s25, and $40 for the three po-
sitions. Three amateur races will be
| given.
Harlem" MILLER displayed bad judg-
ment in training during the past winter.
! He trained for open scratch racing, and
trained to sprint twelfths in 0:07 40.
| Now he finds it impossible TO plug out a
handicap and save his sprint for the close.
| Providing he corrects the error Mi Ter Will
travel through the Grand Circuit.
w A. LaDue, rider who refused to
Join the n. c. A. ranks owing to desire
to win out in the New York State amateur
championships at Patchogue June 80, fell
in the mile handicap at Minneola Thurs
| day and broke his collar bone.
Howard Freeman, the Oregonian, was
| taken with chills and fever last week
shortly after his bad fall at Manhattan
Beach track on June IT. Freeman was a
very sick man. He has now determined to
go with his mate, Downing, to Philadel-
phia, and there remain until both are In
| condition to win. Downing is hardly in
condition yet from his broken collar re-
ceived May 20.
Permission having been given Newark to
exceed the prize limit Manager Fred
Voight, of the Vailsburg track, will offer
racing wheels hereafter as first prizes in
his amateur events. The present price ol
wheels, $50, allows him to do this. For
several years now wheels have not been
offered as prizes, '95 having been practi-
cally the last year of this sort of offer
ing. r-si.
Eddie Bald, it is said, will ride at the