Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-04
FIVE-MILE HEAT RACES
MR.. KLoSTERMAN FAvoRs THEM
FOR CYCLISTS.
Floyd Mcfarland Will Reach the Coli
scum Next Week-Early Open
ing Of the Season.

Mr.. G. Ross Klosterman, the district
! chairman Of the National Cycling Associa-
| ton, made flying trip from Baltimore to
| the Coliseum here yesterday. His object
was to confer with Manager Osgood con-
corning the opening of the Coliseum season
and also as to the number and dates of the
races.
Mr.. Klosterman stated that the associa-
ton would meet Monday next, and that it
would amend the rules in several important
respects. He said that he hopes this year
to bring about the introduction of five-mile
heat races instead of the twenty-mile and
longer events of last season. He thinks the
shorter races will afford the public much
more satisfaction in the way of interest
and excitement, and that they will give the
riders better opportunities to show their
true worth
Mr.. Klosternan advocated an early OPEN
ing of the track, and said that the Coliseum
should be the first of the northern tracks
to begin proceedings, He thought that May
10 would not be too early, and that possibly
along about May 1 it could be done, pro-
vided the weather settled and became suf-
hciently warm by that time.
McFarland's Arrival.
Mr.. Klosterman brought the agreeable
news that Floyd Mcfarland, the California
champion, will reach the Coliseum track
some time next week. Later the SpOOneT
and Wells aggregation, including Nelson,
Freeman and Fem, will put in an appear
ance, and shortly after May the Coliseum
will be busy every hour of the day with
the training of the. cycle giants. Albert
Champion and Mr.. Eckhardt, his manager,
for Messrs. Kennedy and Powers, will
leave here next week for the Boston meet,
but will return as soon as that is concluded.
Tommy Hall in the meantime will remain
here under the watchful care of McFar-
land. Hall is beginning to show his hard
training, and will soon be in tip-top shape.
Mr.. Osgood informed Mr.. Klosterman that
all the improvements at the Coliseum will
be completed before May l, and that it
will be ready to open when the weather
conditions are propitious.
An Unequaled Circuit.
From twenty to twenty-five cycle tracks
of the Coliseum order will compose the I'M
equaled circuit in this country during the
coming season. A great majority of the
proposed tracks will be constructed. The
northern circuit alone will comprise TWEEN
ty-five tracks, and in the south there will
be many more to keep the riders busy next
winter. The entire circuit Of twenty-five
tracks will be covered inside of 800 miles
of travelling, and twenty-five meets will be
promoted weekly. This will comprise near
ly four meets per day the week around
from May 30 to late in October, or 500
meets in all, as the season extends for
twenty weeks at most tracks.
Paced Cycle Riding.
Nearly every meet will promote paced cycle
racing regular weekly attraction, two
and three-men races being the rule. mas
much these paced races average well up
IN the hundreds in the purses, the amount of
money won during the coming year prom
ises to be a great deal heavier than was
ever known before, probably a half million
dollars in all being a conservative estimate
for the entire year.
The eastern country is divided by New
York city into two almost equal districts,
Revere Beach and Charles River, tracks at
Boston, Lowell, Providence, Worcester.
Springfield, Hartford, New Haven and New
York city comprising one-half Jersey City,
Vailsburg, Trenton Philadelphia, Atlantic
Pittsburg comprising the other half. With
the completion Of the Pittsburg track the
Coliseums at Dayton and Springfield will
secure place in the circuit by booking
their attractions in connection with that
city and Baltimore and Washington. Buff
falos entry into the list, which is now
probable, will place Syracuse and Troy in
the list and thus carry the riders back into
New England. With the twenty five tracks
all in operation and giving two grand cir
cult meets yearly, the sprnters will find
fifty days of racing on the coliseum cir
cult alone without meets at other points
The short distance men will be kept quite
as busy as the middle distancers, and the
winnings will be nicely shared alike by
both branches Of the sport.