The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-08-18
LAWSON REFUSES
TO MEET KRAMER
Gives as Announced Excuse
That He Was Criticised for
Fou! Riding.

liver Lawson did not ride at the Salt
Palace last evening against Frank Kra-
mer. The reason was given by Announcer
Fred w. MealNin TO the crowd in the fol-
lowing announcement:
liver Lawson refuses TO ride tonight
owing to what ne considers unjust criti-
cism in The Herald and News. Hardy
Downing will be substituted and will ride
I'm his place. The referee announces that
Mr. Lawson has been suspended from rid
ing on this track indefinitely
AS liver Lawson could not be seen, it
is taken for granted by The Herald that
this is the true reason Lawson did not
ride. AS 10 the criticisms that appeared
in papers other than The Herald, this
paper knows nothing about them and
grants its contemporaries the perfect right
TO write and comment on the cycle races
For the first time since disagreement
over the merits of the race last TUESDAY
night The Herald will be forced to the
use OF the words fake crooked or
phrases meaning a sporting event Is not
on the square. 1t is the policy OF this
paper never to use them in the sporting
, columns unless there is plenty of evil
dence to back their use, and then they
are used unsparingly.
What The Herald Has Said.
The Herald is the only daily paper in
words or phrases in connection with that
race. Neither before the race. the morn
ing after. nor in any comments since that
time. has there been used word, phrase
or insinuation that the race was other
wise than on it's merits. The reason for
this Is that the writer believes the race
Tuesday night between Lawson and kra-
mer was strictly on its merits, so far as
any cOnniVance between the riders or
management is concerned to have it END
otherwise than that the better man would
win.
What The Herald did say was that Law.
son cut Kramer in that race. 1t also
said that il did not believe Kramer could
have won III Lawson had not cut him. II
did say that cutting was against the rules
and that the referee should see to II that
Frank Kramer got a square deal.
So far as the cutting is concerned, the
writer was within a few feet OF the plac,
il occurred. II was seen and commented
upon by dozens OF spectators In that Vi
cinity who saw IT, including some of thu
best Informed bicycle riders at the track
II occurred at the southwest curve Of tn
track and could hot possibly have beer
seen by a large number of those present
as the spectators who lined the inside o
the track shut off their views.
After the race Frank Kramer was loatl
TO discuss the cutting down and at frs
would not talk about il. When eucstiOnc'
further he used this phrase. or word
meaning practically the same thing:
''Iie came near sending me on my hea'
on the cement.
This statement was made I'm the pres
ence of another newspaper writer in tn
city.
Rule on the Subject.
Here is the rule on cutting" down il
"A bicycle race as taken from the rules o
RIDING
"A rider may be disqualified by the ref
cree for foul riding II he violates any o
the following rules:
"b)-A contestant overtaking anothe
must be on the outside, unless the latte
is clearly riding wide, and when the lea
Is gained the former must be at least
clear machine length ahead before takirH
the pole"
To go into details and explain the rea
son for this rule would take much tim
and space. but any bicycle rider will sa
that cutting another down has the effec
Of Immediately slowing the rider who ha
been cut and IL the cut takes place q
the last lap. IL clearly puts the rider 5
cut out OF the race. The Herald did sa
cutting Of Lawson may have been unin
territorial on his part, and docs not car
AZ the present time TO change this state
mont
The Herald grants everybody a right (
their own opinion and those who were I
a position TO see the cutting down q
Lawson can Judge for themselves whethe
Lawson was a clear machine length ahea
Of Kramer when he took the pole. II h
was it was a violation of one OF tn
strictest rules in bicycle racing. If not
was not a foul.
After the announcement was made tina
Lawson had refused TO ride. there weT
cries from the grand stand. 'Dawson's
coward" and Hes a gutter
Cheers for Kramer followed. Subse
quently there were shouts for Lawson.