Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-12-22

VIII once more try conclusions with the
ponies, His experience in middle dis.
lance racing during the past season
seems to have convinced him that
while he is still a good man at the
game, there are others who are better
Now, Jimmie does not take kindly to
defeat and Is bad loser. He wants TO
be on top or nothing, and he thinks his
chances OF gaining a premier position
are better as jockey than as a cyclist
The incidents that led Michael 10
l imagine that he was cut out for a jock
ey are rather amusing, and. strange TO
relate, the story has never before been
published When Jimmie first came to
Aperica and during the period that he
was In his prime as a pace follower, he
was under the care OF Dave Shafer, the
| We'll known trainer, His manager was
! Dixie Hines, who had also managed
/ Arthur Zimmerman In his triumphal
tour Of Europe and many other well
/ known bicycle champions.
One summer when Michael was rid
ing at Boston Tod Sloane happened TO
be there. too, and Hines made the lads
! acquainted They took a liking to each
other. which was Just what Hines
wanted, FOR they were seen together
good deal, and their friendship was
commented on In the newspapers. This
gave Hines an idea. He wrote up an in
terview with Sloane in which the jock
ey was made TO say how greatly JIM
mics riding abilities would serve him
as a horseman and how other Of his
good points would make him a first
class jockey. Tod thought the thing a
huge Joke and was perfectly willing TO
stand for IT, The interview was pub
lshed in the Boston papers and was
copied extensively, with comments,
throughout the country, as the bicycle
fever was then al It's height and Mi
chael at the pinnacle of his popularity.
Lots OF the little Welshman's friends
and admirers who read the story talk
ed 10 him about It and told him how
they approved the idea. Among these
was Frank Erne, the champion light
weight pugilist, who was a great friend
OF Michael After a time Jimmie had
so many people tell him what a great
Jockey he would make that he really
began to believe It himself though he
was perfectly well aware OF the origin
OF the story and how II was manufac-
tured out Of the whole cloth. He In
herlts all the caution OF his nationality
and at the same time. like his country
men, once an idea gets rooted in his
mind it is like pulling teeth to tear IL
out. Added TO this, he has a natural
fondness for horses and an intense dis
like Of the hard work and monotony in
VOWED In training for season on the
cycle track
The germ was planted in very fruitful
ground and led to his essay last winter
as a Jockey and horse owner and may
be the cause of another invasion by him
Of the same field Of action. in which
case | wish him better luck than in his
previous endeavor I'm that direction.
There are plans on foot In New York
TO bring the game Of bowling promi-
nently before the spectacle loving pub
lie during the present season. The idea
is to get hold of good hall and lay
four good alleys in the center and so
arrange banked seats that a large as
semblage can see an the moves OF the
players
a moneyed man Is said to be al the
bottom Of the scheme, and George Slos-
son, the billiard expert, Is interested In
the venture. Their opinion Is that
bowling is destined to become the
greatest Of winter indoor sports, and
that II the public had the opportunity
TO witness good games In well lit halls,
with comfortable seats and Of easy ac.
cess, they would congregate in large
crowds and pay for the privilege.
Bowling Is very spectacular game.
and &c is probable that, with good man
agoment, the venture could be made a
great success I'm New York II only the
game is kept ION the level, as old John
/. would say. The athletlcally inclined
public has been bunkoed 80 much dur.
ing the past few years. especially in
Gotham. that It is very suspicious. and
Il everything is not absolutely ON the
square somebody is sure 10 get wise"
Then will follow an awful thud. and
for a long time TO come the sport I'm
question viii be virtually dead.
Il Is said that a considerable number