The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-07-27
CYCLING CHAT.
News and Gossip of the Leading
Wheelmen.

News and Gossip of the Leading
WheeImen.
Albert Champion OF France continues MS
reu1arka bic racing awheel and last week
managed TO add the One-hour honors TO ms
laurels. In a race at Pittsburg with Bash
DE Guichard of the Rambler cycling team.
Champion crowded fOrty-Ore miles and 80
yards into an hour. Extraordinary as the
distance may seem. being nothing short or
railroad speed. Champion was only able TO
beat his rival by less than a lap. De
To BE- one OF the fastest middle-distance men
In the country before the season closes
Champion Is on the Columbia cycling team
The following members OF the American
cycle Manufacturing COmpany's racing
team are following the " g. A. grand cir
cycling team: liver Lawson and -Piugger
Bill Martin. Cleveland cycling team; Frank
Brauchamps and owen :. kimble. Tribune
cycling team. Daniel Sullivan and JED
\ewkIrk. Crescent cycling team: John 4.
Fisher. Monarch cycling team: Lester VIII
son. Rambler cycling team. and George g.
Schneider. Imperial cycling team.
With a string Of dates that insures plenty
OF racing. the Grand Circuit OF the National
Cycling Association IS now in full swing
and before II ends. in September. the public
will know beyond question the fastest
sprint bicycle rider Of America. The style
OF running the race and the scoring Sys-
TEN in operation gives every speed mer-
chant a fair chance to prove his ability at
pedalling.
According to this years style OF running
the championship. there are hut three heats
Instead Of four as last year. There are fou.
trials, the first tao men qualifying for the
seminal and from each semifnaI two men
are taken for the final race. In which there
are four starters. Points are scored five.
three. two and one.
This years circuit promises 20 have more
for a number OF foreign riders are slated to
follow the big line among them are
"Plugger Bill Martin. who now claims TO
be an Australian although he was born in
Lowell. Mass. and Frank Bsauchamp OF
the Tribune team. who was born in Aus
tralia and who comes 10 America on a
brief hunt for honorS and dollars. There Is
a chance that Henri Myers may come over
from France and take a hand IN the cham
pionship struggle
Kramer evolved a winner OF the open
championship race OF the y. e. A. but II
Was proved 10 him that this years circuit
life Is certain TO be Of a more strenuous
nature than any previous one. AS Eddie
Bald has often remarked since he re-en-
tered The game "fhe-s are Dou, CIV -
seven men ready 10 fight you to the tape,
whereas in years gone by. I never seriously
The others / had beaten before they had
GOT UP on their wheels" This is certainly
The men in the sprints make every EFFORT
early IN the race 20 hold a lead until the
tape IS crossed. Many a man has been
the part OF some one OF the competitors
who pushed HIS wheel over the line a
fraction OF an inch in advance CT the
others.
Thus early in the y. Z. A. circuit game.
probable outcome. OF course. the adher-
ents OF Frank Kramer gleefully point TO
his win AZ the FIRST two meets. but the
20 them for championship honors. John T.
Fisher Of the Monarch cycling team and
lver Lawson. Cleveland Cycling team. seem
10 be excellent possibilities. while the un-
expected might harper among such riders
as Owen 5. Kimble. Lester Wilson and
Eddie Bald. "FluRger Bill" Martin, who
won the last Australian wheel race with It's
first prize Of SO0. Incidentally cashing
Cleveland cycling team and should make
Things interesting before the season ends.
Martin. who has been termed the Iron
Man, Is one u the marvelS OF cycling. for
his racing career extends over a period Of
twenty years. yet with his - years. he is
now travelling faster than ever before in
his life
P~aradoxicsl ss il might seem. lovers Of
cycle racing VIII be glad and sorry TO learn
that Jimmy Ancheels has again qui; the
turf TO return TO the bicycle. They VIII be
glad. because he is a fayorite among all
followers Of the sport They will be sorry
because the Title Wslshman has certainly
tried hard to attain success as a jockey. and
u Is always regretful to See a well-siined
| purpose come to naught. As a member OF
the Columbia Cycling Team last year Mich
aels was certainly riding faster than any
4 '-AAN man tA AZ ElAd=A EAdNhS- 10 - 7
he did not win the championship on account
Of poor form during the summer. 5u. IL
was generally admitted that In September
and during the meets at Madison SQUIRE
Garden. New York. the Welsh RareSit's'
! speed compared fayorabiy with any other
man following the puttering motor tandenLs.
/ MichaeTs second faflure at the horses mly
cure him forever Of the fever that has rost
him so much time and money at a period
thousands OF dollars.
Three years ago. at the height OF his
career aTneel. the dtminutivs bundle %
muscles from Wales relinIuished his hold
on the championship crown and iavezte! his
money IN running horses. An unsucC~ss-
full season on the turf apparently cured him
Of the ambition TO become a famous Jockey.
and he returned to the banked bicycle
tracks. To the wonder Of athletic followers
Michae,s soon proved that he had the
strength. grit and speed TO win at cycle
that re deveIoped championship form until
Re had gone through many months Of 'Ia-l
training.
Last fall he again deserted the wheel fer
horse racing. going to Paris. where he. Sc
cured the mounts on many Of the bcsS
horses and for a time seemed TO have
ever. he has had little success on the Pa
risian tracks and the cable reports state
rat Fat he 70 has r,,5 zone o5 the the Rba p1r SeS Sss P nri;sTs
ing tandems and subsequently, TO com to
America.
One Of the surprises Of the season IN
sprint cycle racing is John Bedell. the farm
er hoy from Long Island. who. on many
| cccssions OF late has compelled Kramer.
Fisher and other cracks to extend .ierl-
| selves to the limit. Bedell signed rs a
member Of the Columbia Cycling Team a
few weeks AGO and since that time he has
furnished remarkable speed I'm his r1cCS.
I From the last six meets al NailsbUrC. ". J,
1 he has taken a good part nf the p-iz1
money and he has also scored in the circuit
Championships Although but q years I'D
Re1e1 locks TO be about -. on accoun: n i
rather hiEh forehead and n scarcity OF hair
suite adOrnment.
MR. SPRAGUE SAYS