Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-13
ARRIVAL OF CYCLISTS
Freeman and Fem Will
Finish Training Here.
AT COLISEUM FRIDAY
FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR THE
RACE MAY FL.
Both Men Are in Prime Shape and Are
Splendidly Matched for
Great Contest.
AT COLISEUM FRIDAY

| cent announcement of the opening of the
| great Coliseum track at 14th and East
| Capitol streets northeast, on Wednesday
| night, May 81, has set the local riders and
enthusiasts agog with excitement. The fans
| OF past seasons are waking up to the fact
| Of the proximity of the opening meet and
people who failed to attend last seasons
| whirl are evidencing signs of anxiety as
! the great date approaches.
| Riders in the District who had long since
| decided to quit the game themselves have
| taken down their racing wheels and begun
putting them in shape for the year. Wis.,
| itors at the track each day find the num-
Der of amateur riders working out there on
the increase until now there are almost
100 men working out over the disk with the
purpose of entering the meets of the sea-
son.
The evident purpose of the local manage
ment to give the riders every assistance
possible has met with hearty cooperation
on the part of the cycling clubs of the city.
Meetings have been held at which action
was taken looking toward the representa-
ton in each meet of the several clubs.
The Local Riders.
The racers will be afforded every oppor-
tunity Of training by the management of
the track and will receive the encourage
ment of their clubs. The local rivalry that
has always existed between the clubs of
the city has begun at this early stage of
the game to manifest itself in the brushes
on the track where the riders are already in
training. This spirit is infectious and has
been passed along to the crowds who daily
witness the work Of the men at the track.
Indeed one would be led to believe that
there was actual racing to listen and watch
the spectators urging the men in training
to beat out rider of another club.
This interest that manifests itself among
those of the enthusiasts whose love for the
game compelS them to the track for even
so tame riding as is offered by the
men in training is spreading all over the
city and the inevitable conclusion is that
Washington will have hummer of sea-
son this year. The incessant inquiries as
to the date on which tickets will be put on
sale and the early demands for seats are
incontrovertible signs of the great season
anticipated. Manager Osgood has been I'M
able to get the tickets for the opening night
but just soon they are turned over by
the printers they will be put on sale at
Tappan's on street and at Stevens drug
store on the avenue.
Racers Evenly Matched.
1t was a masterstroke on the part of the
mana cement when it secured the signatures
of w. S. Fem, the wonderful little rider
from New Haven, and Howard Freeman,
the elongated son of the Pacific SLOPE as
the stars for the motor paced event of the
opening Night 1neSe TWO fluerS are ABOUT
as evenly matched as two men can be. Only
in size does comparison fail. Freeman has
the advantage of being lonser at the game
than Fem, but the youngster from the
nutmeg state has the speed and endurance
| that will make him competitor worthy Of
such tried steel as Freeman. The two big
riders will be on hand Friday next and will
| finish their training here. AS each rider is
accompanied by a couple of motors and four
pace makers the track during the time they
are here will present a most business-lilSe
appearance. The hum and whirr of the
mighty speed producers and pace makers
will awaken any dormant enthusiasm and
arouse any latent interest there may be.
Both men are now in prime shape and only
require the work of a few days over the
local disk to familiarize themselves with it's
surface.
Manager Osgood has pushed to rapid
conclusion the erection of the new bleach
ers that are really the finest in the coun-
| try. being constructed Of finished planking
| and boards, with seating capacity of over
| LOCO, and the extra box seats, which are
intended for the ladies. who. In this city. are
set down as the most enthusiastic of the
| race-going public. No pains or expense
have been spared in the fitting out of the
mammoth plant. The outside has been re-
Gently painted. The big entrance has been
| finished in tin sheeting. painted in white
and gold. The Kitson hydro-carbo light
| will be used exclusively for lighting the
| track. They furnish splendid light, and
as each Is a unit unto itself. an accident to
This Is an assurance against failure OF
meets through inadequate lighting appar-
| atus.
Close attention has been paid to the sur
| face Of the rack itself. Carpenters have
been at work on it for over a week and
have removed every rough and unsourd
portion. Where needed new boards have
been put in and knots removed.
General Gossip.
Tommie Hall, the English midget. has
| been going faster and faster every day dur
ing the last week Manager Jim Kennedy
is now satisfied that Hall will gain a very
prominent position in the field this year.
In France they ruled lately that any
motor which could pass through a frame
four feet high and two feet wide with the
handle bars removed would be legal. France
promised to adopt the American rulings,
which allow of but eight inches width in
the frame, but under their present rule the
riders in Europe will continue to follow
what the American riders style 'box-car
pace, and the comparison Of French and
American records will again be out of the
question.
Every preparation is being made by
Voigt and De Vrees to make the grand
opening of the New Haven track marked
success. The date of May % has been set.
All of the prominent spr.nters will be pres
ent.
Bonnie Munroe. the Memphis boy, is the
hardest worker among pace followers. For
month Munroe averaged seventy-five
miles daily unpaced. and since going behind
single pace two weeks ago he has ridden
forty to fifty miles daily back of a single.
Munroe has been matched against Nat But
opening race under the management OF
Spooner and Wells.
Lester Wilson is to be managed by Tim
Hurst, and Will follow pace entirely this
1919 Ioh Ut