The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-07
BICYCLE CRAZE
AGAIN CATCHING
Neglected Sports Hold Sway fol
One Week, Beginning Next
Monday Morning.
HARD WORK; SMALL PURSE
Men Race One Hundred and For
ty-TwO Hours, and First Prize
IS But $500.

NEW YORK. December 6.-Wlth the
start OF the fourteenth annual six-day
International bicycle race in Madison
Square Garden at one minute past mid
night Monday morning viii be revived
for one week the quondam popularity
Of the wheel, and from practical oblivion
the bicycle comes into public prominence
as great while it lasts. as Il ever knew
in the height OF the bicycle craze For
hfty-one weeks of each year, neglected
and unused except by a handful Of its
most loyal adhercnts, the race still
serves TO keep alive a renem brance OF
the days. ten years ago, when the bicycle
was king.
For the last half dozen years the at
tendance at the race for the six days has
exceeded one hundred thousand who
have come 70 watch the spectacle Of a
dozen or moro unkempt men generally
riding at a snan's pace around the high
banked board track. The crowd changes
little year after year. as It's familiarity
with the riders testihes.
Gross Receipts Large.
The management takes in during the
week gross receipts exceeding SIS. 90. The
riders struggle for Ia hours Of riding for
a purse amounting TO less than $500
The hrst prize Is 31.5Oo. and second place
-l-4lea Vllg l+4L as kuuCR- me minimum
expenses or a team finishing the raca is
500, and several Of tire most successful
trainers charge as much as this for their
services alone
Many attempts to force the manage
ment TO give a larger purse have been
begun by the riders. A combination has
been formed, and a delegate presented its
demands. Always the attempt is frus-
trated in the same way. TWO or three
OF the leading riders learn that IN addi-
ton 20 such prize money as may come
10 them a check for S1.O00 viii be theirs
II they finish the race. The scheme has
never failed. With the appearance Of
the most needed stars assured. the man
agement IS in position TO laugh at
the remaining indictments. and capitula-
ton follows. Aside from this champions
frequently receive a bonus OF from 500
10 1900. But neither OF these schemes
Affects the race as does another.
When a Rider Falls.
The rules read that II a rider falls dur
ing 81 sprint and some other rider or rid
crs gain a lap. whether because OF the
accident or not. the lap thus gained shall
not count The management contends
that public interest in the contest is whet-
ted by keeping as many teams tied for
first place as possible.
The race attracts two very widely sep
arated classes Of spectators. The crowd
comes to be thrilled II generally Is dis
appointed. II sees bicycle riding some
tunes very exciting. usually very supid
II sees at night a densely- packed mob
or ntteen thousand other persons all moved
Dy a common impulse. And IL sleeps or
yells itself hoarse as the riders loaf or
sprint.
The other class includes the old bicycle
riders OF an almost forgotten day. once
champions, now chauffeurs. mechanics
statesmen bertenders or policemen. They
sitAer ar the track side each year and
minglo fraternaly with tho men who
rubbed and trained them in the other
days. The big, husky pacemakers who
saw themselves dethroned with the adj
vent Of the motor tandem and later OF the
motor cycle, are there These are the
real fans They come to watch the race
and see II as no layman can. In every
change of position they mark a develop
ment in "a well-laid campaign. They value
at its true worth the wine induced sprint
OF a despairing foreign team. They APP
praise at its real significance the holding
back in an inconspicuous position of a
really dangerous team
Although the sprints are the only fea-
ture OF the race which holds the crowd
I'm the Garden hour after hour even the
! layman often wonders why the almost
Invariably unavailing attempt Is made
and just what starts it In most cases
these nerve-racking spirits are begun
| by riders who "gO out" for the fun OF il
Such men are VIGOROUSLY unamenable to
trainers discipline. and their endeavors
| 20 steal a lap serve chiefly 10 set the
| crowd in an uprOar.