Evening star., 1902-03-10
.bOOM|h CYCLE RACING
Tracks to Be Built Through
the South.
GEARS TO BE RAISED
DISTINCTIVE SUITS TO BE WORN
By THE STARS THIS SEASON.
Little Joe Nelson Will Endeavor to
Replace His Brother Among
the Motor Followers.
GEARS TO BE RAISED
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

and Lake Atlantans stood aghast, for little
Fem was POI Iular with the masses. Fenn's
disaster was due, 1t Is believed, to some
thing placed in his water. as an
other man. r. G. Bennett, in the
same camp, suffered in the same
| way. Hadwell and Hunter, team mates OF
Fem and Bennett. drank nothing from
| the water pail and finished the. race strong.
Both Fem and Bennett were overcome
with nausea and blindness. The race was
one Of the hardest ever run. each two
hours being composed of sprints more na-
nerous than were ever seen before in any
six-day race, no matter how few the hours
| of competition. Once ground was lost 1t
was practically impossible to regain 1t.
Those teams Tapped twice Thursday
night, when the warmest racing occurred.
Iegained one lap EACH because the leaders
| would not go after them. In the finish
Leander held the lead Of Lake for the en-
| tire last mile, and in the second bu1ch Of
hnishers, Fem was nicely boxed in and IN
able to get out OF the position, Hadfield
and Russell Walthour holding the places of
vantage.
Chairman Batchelder and c. Ross I,los.
terman OF the board Of control finally
time to witness the finish Of the six-iay
| race. Both left the following morning.
| They had been held for two days at q
point in North Carolina by floods and
sohville and other southern points the board
members will attempt to secure sights fer
cycle tracks. which Jack Prince will build
They proffered their services fnasmuch as
they were travelling south. Both corsilor
that the southern country will develop nice
" for winter racing. as the interest In the
sport Is again at fever pitch. Mr.. Prince
will push the track building and homes to
have at least three tracks In operation BY
April l.
Raising the Gears
Gears will be raised very considerably on
the wheels of the pace followers this year.
Many will go even higher than last year
Little Fem, the nutmeg state blacksmith.
Is so strong naturally that but few cycle
riders will ever use larger gear than his.
Fem put on a 121 gear Immediately after
the close Of the six-day race and started
trials back Of pace With the big gear he
rode easily mile after mile in 2:25 and lower.
"Finkie'' Hunter. the Newark rider, also
adopted 121 gear. Hunters winter of
to his strength. He also rode easily. Bob
bic Walthour used a 13O gear regularly last
season and says that he will high
as 14O this year. The facility with which
tiuue fast riding speaks wonders for the
times which will be made The speed pos
sibilities Of the bicycle have increased regu-
larly with the increase Of gears. But ten
using higher than q and the usual gear
was 60. Five years ago a rider after rec
ords never went higher than 81. The riders
of France first adopted high gears and
went beyond the 100 mark. Their success
begot imitation in America
Vailsburg will have a number Of OppOsi-
ton tracks this season conducting Sunday
cycle races. Syracuse will promote Sunday
races as will also Jersey City and now
Norfolk. Va, has been added to the list.
At this point there is to be constructed
modern cycle track which will draw from
an immense stretch of country for Sum
day racing Norfolk Is great resort and
is crowded on Sunday. Chairman Batchel-
der and Mr.. Klosterman Of the board of
control found the interest there very con-
siderable. and local capital was found ready
to step in Immediately. Norfolk win prove
a popular training spot in the early spring
time. Like Atlantic City it will prove a
popular headquarters for the racing men
at all times of the year.
Promoter Down With Smallpox.
Much concern for the welfare Of popular
Fred Voigt, manager of the Vailsburg and
New Haven tracks, is felt by the racing
men. Mr.. voigt has been responsible for
a great deal Of the success of cycle racing
during the last three years. The Sunday
meets at Vailsburg have been success
full that other promoters have been inspfr-
ed to make greater endeavors in the field
Of racing. Thousands and thousands of
of the men Of the cycle track. Mr.. Voigt's
success at Vailsburg is considered an indi-
cation Of what will occur at New Haven,
which track he lately added to his list.
The popular promoter was lately afflicted
with smallpox. now raging in New Jersey.
and was taken to the detention hospital.
Little Joe Nelson has but one thought in
life and that is 20 fill the shoes of his fam
Gus brother. whose sad death last fall af-
ter his fall at Madison Square Garden.
cast a pail on the game. Joe watched
Johnnie's upward career as only young
brother can. and when Johnnie died the
younger said: "Well. / must try to take
his place. To Joe this is an inspiration.
and in every move he makes the thought
is ever present that that move will be one
more step toward the goal. All winter
long the youngster has lived in hopes and
has taken every means Of training which
he could discover. No matter how ardu-
cheerfully. No temptation has been his
for everything which would in any way
injure his chances has been avoided faith
fully. Steady training last season and un-
deviating attention to his work this win
ter brought Joe up to the highest point Of
development and he Is now of the same
size as Johnnie and much stronger in
many ways. He will start road work just
as soon as possible, take up track work be-
fore April / and go for records early in
May. turning professional right after his
Walter Smith Nelson is now eighteen
years Of age, being nearly nineteen, In fact.
To Have Distinctive Uniforms.
Motor teams and pace followers general
1y, will be neatly and attractively uniform
ed. Hitherto a motor team has lacked per-
sonality. each rider wearing almost any
suit which he could find. few teams
wore sweaters advertising makers last sea-
son. but the number was few. Motors were
enameled always in dark colors One team
in particular will. this year. be arrayed
in gay attire. Spooner and Wells. the
Newark team managers. will enamel their
three tandems and two singles In clear
white. the first pacing machines ever so
enameled. and their pace followers will be
arrayed in bright-colored uniforms with
black trimmings. The motormen will be
uniformed In bright red with black
trimmings. Little Joe Nelson win fol-
low the suitings Of the motor teams.
Little Fem will probably be In lavender.
Jimmy Hunter in bright pink and Frame
in clear white. All four riders are little
fellows. The combinations Of coiors will
be pleasing to the eye and win set a new
fashion In team suitings.
One more large team Is added to the list.
5vy. .nF Nnru vrr iu &