Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-11-01

"A space u SOUU SIudIG 1SSt mas DS6Il
secured by Commissioner-Gene
Peck for the American bicycle build
ing. 1t is located in conjunction with
a special bicycle track for showing the
bicycles in operation. American
builders are expected to present the
largest and most important bicycle ex-
hibit made by any country.
Paris will be the Mecca of all the
great wheel pushers during the expo
sition and champion for the
past 10 years are to have
a trial at the honors and incidentallyat
the dollars offered as prizes. The pro
fessional bicycle riders have complet-
ed their general plans for the conA
ing outdoor season and most of them
have decided to visit France, where
the largest purses will be held up.
The Paris exposition races have been
arranged on generous scale and the
pick of the profession will meet there
and on other European tracks, where
several big races will be held.
Harry Gibson of Cincinnati, the
middle distance cycle champion of the
world, has accepted an offer to ride at
the Paris exposition. Frank Mayo
of Boston will handle him and run his
motor cycle.
George Banker Of Pittsburg, the i'll
ternational champion of 1898, will so
to Paris and be included with the
American colony. Arthur w. Ross,
the Irvington-M ulburn winner, and of
late the leading amateur rider, will be
an attache Of the Elks party.
In addition to the above there will be
a number of pacemakers, as theAmer
leans will make their own pace.
1t is the plan Of Kiser, Cooper and
Gardiner to- form a team of three,
employing one trainer, and go to Paris,
proceeding from there to Genoa, Italy,
where they will prepare carefully for
their season. These three riders will
pool issues and go after the big prizes
to be offered during the season in
France and all over Europe.
1t is the plar of Elkes to go to Eu-
rope with Zimmermann Eddie Bald,
Cooper, Kiser, Gardiner, Majah, Tay-
Ior, Eddie McDuffee, the three Butler
boys and a host of other sprinters, and
with such riders as Harry Elkes and
Miller in the long-distance races, the
European champions will need to look
to their lauTels.
1t is a well-knoWn fact that Ameri-
can bicycles have eclipsed all foreign
types, not only in England, but in
France, and the French manufacturer S
are greatly disturbed over the large
amount of space which has been &C
corded to the American bicycle dis
play. A G. Spalding of the A. @.
Spalding company has taken an &C
tive interest in the bicycle exhibit from
the United States, and it is greatly
due to his enthusiasm and hard work
that this country will be splendidly
represented in this particular display.
Two of the big eastern universities
Princeton and Pennsylvania, have
signified their intention of sending
teams to compete in this second revi,
val of the famous Olympian games
/ Western athletes will be well repre-.
scented by strong team, which will
/ ~ dCIOSS uuuSl IlS IldlO OI VI Il1C
university of Chicago. Harvard
and Yale are making elabo
rate preparations. 1t is probable that
many of the star crimson and blue
| athletes will go over and compete
! individually. Pennsylvania will be
able to pick the strongest represen
tative team. Kraenzlein is such q
host in himself and has so easily de-
feated all corners among the American
runners, that it is scarcely probable
he will find his match abroad. OrtoI
! and Grant will probably join the Qua
/ ker team.
/ Among the NANNY attractions of the
Paris exposition will be a reconstitu
! ton of the Athenian Stadium, to which
all champions of the world will be in
vited.
The promoters propose to erect {
vast arena nearly 1000 square meters
i 1892 square yards in size, and &C
commodating 100000 persons in the
Avenue de la Grande Armee.
In addition to Olympic and modern
i sports, the arena will be arranged
/ that all kinds of games and spectaclei
/ can be given; bull-fghts, Arab fantas
4 les, Mexican and cowboy riding, foo
! races, tournaments, wrestling, boxing
/ fencing and shooting and from anita
I uity will be borrowed gladiatoria
combats, triumphaI marches to tn
capitol and the theater at Orange
From the middle ages will come mys