Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-03
CYCLE GIANTS GOSSIP
Coliseum May Open Earlier
Than Was Expected.
MAY 81 SEEMS LIKELY
MEET MANAGER KLOSTERMAN
SEEKING STARS ONLY FOR IT.
McEachern, Mcfarland, Freeman and
Fem Under Consideration-Im-
provements Progressing.

riders for the opening meet night of the
| great Coliseum at 18th and East Capitol
streets northeast, the management may be
compelled to change the date originally
! fixed for the inaugural events from May
| % to May 81, two days earlier. This slight
| change in the plans may result from the
| lengthy visit Mr. c. Ross Klosterman, the
| meet manager of the Coliseum, paid to
New York and Boston last week.
Mr.. KloStermap spent several days at
the hub and found that an opening meet
here on Friday night might suffer for lack
of star riders owing to the fact that the
| tracks at Pittsburg and Atlantic City will
operate on Saturday night, May "a. This
being the case, Mr.. Klosterman feared that
such riders as he desires would not be able
to guarantee a postponed race on Saturday
night here should Friday opening meet
have to be postponed on account Of rain,
as they would have to jump direct to the
Saturday night tracks. Mr.. klosterman
| asked for several days delay in settling
upon the opening date at the Coliseum in
order to more thoroughly canvass the field
of riders available for a possible Friday
opening, and if riders of sufficient attract
iveness cannot be had, then Manager Os-
good will make Wednesday, May u the
inaugural, and thereafter that night in each
week will be the meet night for the season.
Should Wednesday night be chosen finally
1t is expected that McEachern and McFar-
land Freeman Fem will be the con-
testants. All are strong favorites here and
at the front of the professional riders.
Three ten-mile heat races the winner to
get two out Of three, would afford thrilling
and exciting sort of competition. The
character Of the amateur events for the
opening night has not been settled, but
both Manager Osgood and Mr.. Klosterman
lean toward lap races afrording the
greatest number Of riders almost equal
chance to capture prizes and distinction.
Hard-Fought Races Wanted.
1t is the purpose Of the present manage
ment Of the Coliseum to make the race
meets as strongly contested events as pos
sible, as the public rightly expects that
every mile IN a race will be hard fought
one by the riders.
The fine section of bIeacher seats has been
constructed on the north side of the track
and these seats command a splendid view
OF every inch of the course. The installa-
ton OF the Kitson lights Is progressing very
speedily, and all the other improvements
are under way and will be completed long
before the opening, whether May p or o.
The three opening race meets In the
north drew total attendance of % 600
people and in April at that, while the eight
paced races held at Atlanta drew over So
600 people. Every indication points to a
record breaking year in the sport.
Gussie Lawson the young but Terrible
motor bicycle in 1:25 at Atlanta, and on
the same evening paced Walthour ten
miles. Lawson's temperature was 1O4 dur
ing these performances His pluck is I'M
questioned. Lawson had the typhoid fever
last winter, and from this he has never
quite recovered.
The hardest worker among the cycle
riders training for the year is Bonnie Mum
roe, the Memphis boy Munroe starts un-
paced early in the morning, rides until
noon, starts again early in the afternoon
| and rides until night. and is not then salts
| fled: Munroe is in dead earnest in his
work, and is bound to succeed
Bobbie Walthour will ride in next win
| ter's New York six-day race, but with one
of two partners only. Walthour won last
winter with McEachern as mate, and will
! either mate with McEachern or Bennie
Munroe for the next race.
TWINS Opening Meet.
Willie Fem and Archie McEachern have
been matched for a motor paced race at the
| opening meet Of Arthur Irwin's new Attain
| tic City track, to take place either May Is
| or May 20.
Johnnie Chapman, the rider who since '9S
gained honors throughout the west and in
| Australia, is anxious to remain in the east
| this season follower of pace. He great
| ly resembles Tommy Hall in style, but is
| much larger.
The Salt Lake City Coliseum track has
| been placed under the management of F. E.
| Schefski, formerly circuit follower, who
| Is now trying to arrange for trip west
| with a number Of eastern riders, to whom
| he will advance expenses and guarantee
steady income On this track the promot-
! ers have made profit of $4,000 in four
| years.
| Every effort is being made to arrange
| one-hour motor paced race between Joe
| Nelson, the amateur paced champion, and
| Walter Smith, the only amateur whom Mel
son has not beaten. Joe Fulton, the Brook
| lyn lad, who defeated Smith so summarily
| In the twenty mile championship at Buffalo.
was taken into camp last fall in world-rec-
ord time for fifteen miles by Nelson. Once
| Smith has been met young Nelson will turn
professional and Manager Howe of Charles
| River Park, Boston, has been asked to
match Nelson against Netting. the Boston
| school boy. Mailing defeated Nelson at
| fifteen miles at Charles River Park last
| fall, Nelson having had no opportunity to
| train on a cement track and being at
| consequent disadvantage.
| The Savannah Track.
| George Leander. Gussie Lawson. Johnnie
Chapman and Johnnie Lake will meet In