The Washington times., 1902-05-04
CYCLING SEASON
NOW UNDER WAY


of five years ago. and cycling as a spor
without the small, brilliantly Lighted
tracks for night racing is a thing OF thu
past.
This Years New Tracks.
On May 1 active work was begun upor
the new track at Norfolk, Va. The Phila-
! delphia Coliseum and the Jersey City
track and the new Lowell track have been
completed. Pittsburg's coliseum was well
under way May /. and a new track at
! Trenton Is 20 be finished by June 1. II
is also probable that May 80 will see
the opening Of the Atlantic City track. to
he managed by Arthur Irwin. who will
not hurry his track, as late June, July,
| August. and early September will he his
| season. So successful has been the cy-
Gle racing in Atlanta that capitalists in
that city are anxious to back Jack Prince
heavily in the building of an eisht-iap
/ out -of-door track there, and other South
ern cities will fall in line with Atlanta
and Savannah and form strong Southern
circuit to start carly next September.
Arthur Irwin. manager OF the New At
lantic City track. has signed Archie Nc
Eachern, the wonderful Canadian rider. to
be his star for the year. Mr.. Irwin man
aged Albert Champion last season. Nc
Eachern will make his headquarters at
the new track.
Bennie Munroe Signed.
Bennie Munroc, the Memphis lad. has
been signed to ride this season under the
management Of Spooner and Wells, Of
Newark, and will team through the sea-
son with Joe Nelson. under the direct
management Of Mr.. Wells. Will B. Fem
and Jimmy Hunter comprise the team
which will be under the direct manage
ment OF Mr.. Spooner. The former team
will be located at Vailsburg. and the
motor men will operate In the Southern
line OF coliseum tracks. while the second
team operates in New England. Frankie
Frame, originally named for this team,
has been released. and Fem. Munroe.
Nelson. and Hunter are the "colts," as
the team has been named.
Training With Joe Nelson.
Nelson and Munroe will train at Walls
burg until the opening of the season of
paced racing. Munroe had been reported
signed by Tom Eek, and later by James
C. Kennedy, and the news that he has
finally landed with the colts will cause
some surprise. This Memphis boy Gre
ated a stir last season when he cut into
the competition records up to five miles,
and rode a number of great races. Dur
irg the winter he made a name for him
self by his game riding in the New York,
Boston. and Philadelphia six-day races.
in which he gained third. and third and
second. respectively. He is known as the
strongest racing man OF today, being
muscular and very strong.
Will Follow Pace.
He is abnormally developed below the
waist. having front muscle over each
knee which hangs in great fab. He has
ridden the ten fastest miles ever ridden
in race. His muscles. however. are
not all below the waist, for above the
waist he Is so strong that he breaks
punching machines for amusement, and
will, lift 500 pounds clear OF the floor.
Munroe will rank with the leading pace
this year. Manager Prince is
anxious to have him come to Atlanta to
ride Bobbie W..>hour a series of races
late in May, for the championship of
Dixie. hut Munroc prefers to await his
early training rides before making up his
mind in regard to SO important series
OF races.
''Bobbie" walthour has posted 500 with |
an Atlanta paper as q forfeit for a side |
bet of $3.50 to $500. Walthour says that |
the only way he will ride Leander again |
will be for the entire purse, winner take /
all, and a side bet of at least $3.50. There ,
has been for a long time the warmest 1
sort of discussion between the pair in /
regard to a third race. Leander having
won one over Walthour. who turned the .
tables very summarily later on. Leander
is not at all disposed to accept the terms
Of waithour.
Charlie Porter, another Of last seasons
pace followers. has announced his retire
ment Many riders who failed to make a
good showing last year are retiring, and
their places are being taken by others.
Jed Newkirk. the expert motor steers
man, member Of McFarland's team last
year. and reported as a member of the
team of James c. Kennedy this season,
will not ride motor this year, but will en-
er the sprints. Newkirk was a star as
a sprinter In California last winter. and
n the New York six-day race in Decem-
,er last he gained third with Monroe as
/ mate. being one of the surprises of the
ow pace this year. but he prefers to
print.
Johnny Lake at Boston.
Johnnie Lake gave up one year OF cycle
acins in the East to prepare himself In
)hio for a pace following career. Lake
S cool and collected and last spring fig
red out everything closely and found ..
imself deficient then as a pace follower.
lie gave up a number of engagements in
he East which would have paid hand
omely and remained in the middle West.
there he did some good work back OF the
motors and learned the art OF pace fol-
owing. Lake is now ready. he believes.
enter the Eastern field in the finest pos.
lble manner and hold his own in good /
ompany. He is now in Boston with Wal l
hour and the rest of the flyers.