The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-03-15

and they were quickly thrust under
HE swinging a~ ~ the I. a. W. rae
.EE board, when found out that
-ae-. But the vigilance Of The racing
board vas easily UUCHitLed. Riders
had q happy faculty VI getting rid Of
their prizes through manufacturers.
whose wheel jney rode. Every good
rider received so much per" for rid
ing a certain wheel.
Adams was a good rider and he got
his. When the money limit of amateur
prizes was cut down, Adams cOnClud-
ed mat he vast going to ride for prizes
which wouldn't bring half their rated
value, and rode professional. His first
victory was in q road race in 1892. He
won the tWO-mile bicycle race at the
Tech games Of 1892, being a member
OF that school at the time. He also
won the tWo-mile race Of the Worces-
ter Athletic Club. In the 10-mile road
race Of the Putting Wheel Club, Adams
was given minute start, but he sur
prised the Handicapped by not only
winning the race, but by winning time
prize covering the course in faster time
than any other rider
Adams held the championship Of
Worcester county for two years. and
still holds it, as that title has not been
competed for since.
The trophy which was offered for
three years competition was won for
keeps by Adams 1t was the John P.
Lowell medal presented the Bay State
Bicycle Club. The only defeat Adams
sustained in 1896 was his race with
James J. Casey at Agricultural park.
He won 20 firsts and about 10 seconds
that year. His race with Casey was
a hot contest Adams began his sprint
too Ia,e, and was beaten out by six
inches only His friends maintained
that he would have passed Casey had
the race been two yards longer.
He retrieved himself later in the
year in races at Whitinsville, Labor
day. Adams always maintained the
trace at Whitinsville is the best race he
| has ever ridden. I was a mile open
paced by a tandem. Casey competed
/ in the race. Adams was the only man
/ who could follow the tandem. He shook
| the bunch and finished in Pm, S.,
|miIe Casey had won from him He al
! so Won the half mile open the same
Iday.
He turned professional in 1896, his
/ first race as a money winner being at
/ Keene, n H, in a half mile handicap.
| Adams was set up As yards with Ed
die Bald on scratch. Adams finished
! first in I'm. IS, earning his first money
! directly. He said his reason for turn
3
| it q better game than racing for anna
| teur prizes, which were not worth half
! what they were rated for and whose
| winning did not repay the rider for the
expense of the competition. On July a.
1885, he got second in the professional
/ half mile open at Fitchburg, for a
Istarter and won first in the mile open.
| He won over $500 in that year In 1897
he was under the weather and raced
but once, winning second to Johnson
at Marlboro. Last year he did not
race.
| Adams was unquestionably one OF
| the best riders Worcester ever saw, but
| he hardly did justice to himself. He
seldom attempted to prepare for race
as ne should have done. He did not
abuse himself in any way, but I'd sc
much innate speed that he was care
LESS about training Had he been as
! faithful in his training as other rid
Iers with whom he competed, what few
defeats he sustained might have been
victories. Adams had a great sprint at
the finish and usually let his men lead
Iunti the last hundred yards, when he
Jumped him and sailed home a yard
ahead He does not expect to do any
tracing the coming season.