The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-16
Line Up for Cycle Racing.

After several months of talking,
during which time all kinds of wild
rumors have been heard, the lineup
for the coming cycling season seems
we'll defined. Salt Lake is to have two
tracks this year The old one at the
Salt Palace is to be run as usual, and
at Saltair a new ten-lap affair is TO
bid for the patronage of the Salt Lake
fans. While the Salt Palace has been
somewhat slow in lining up for the
season. it was announced this week
that Iver Redman is to handle the
managerial end of it, while Johnny
Chapman. manager of the Salt Palace
for the past two seasons. will guide
the destinies of the Saltair track.
This means that two old heads in the
game are at the helm and will use
their best efforts to make the tracks
under their charge a 60. Both men
say an endeaYOr will be made to run
tremendously and help each other out
as much as possible Undoubtedly this
is the intention of the two managers,
and the honest intention. at the pres
ent time, but it is hard to see how
the two managers can work along
these lines In the writer's opinion,
the operation of two tracks means
fight for the patronage of the public.
and this means, i'm the long run, the
is all well enough to talk of harmony,
but both managers are going out after
drawing cards to bring the people to
the rival tracks. Drawing cards are
secured with money, and the track
that puts up the most money gets the
best cards. Suppose, for instance.
matters so shaped themselves at the
two tracks that an Australian pursuit
race between Billy Samuelson and Nc
~ IL r1.1I 49, f1
Both tracks would try to get the
match. and don't think for q minute
that the riders would not stand out
for the biggest purse. This would ma
turally make the managers bid high.
and after the race is secured there
would probably not be enough money
left to pay the expenses of the meet.
1t would be great Cor the bike riders
and public, but hard on the promoter.
Again. suppose the Saltair people
conclude that it needs Major Taylor
as an extra inducement to get the big
ger crowds. They offer Taylor a con-
tract for $1,000 to ride at Saltair for
the season. and ride there exclusively.
It is cinch tie Salt Palace will have
to sign up an attraction to offset this,
and they would have to come through
with big sum of real money to get
it, More cards are secured for Salt
have to go Stronger to Offset this move
by the people out on the beach.
1t is foolishness to say that one
track or the other is going to draw all
the crowds. The people will patronize
both tracks. and after the first few
meets the fans of the city will split
up and go to the tracks they like best
This, of course, is with the under
standing that each track will promote
tNS-n hos
nounced What the final outcome will
be is hard to say at present, but while
it lasts the bike riders will have a gold
mine and the public will be able to get
its complete fill of the racing game.
Trouble for Battling Nelson.
Battling Nelson stacked up a pile of
trouble for himself when he signed to
meet Jimmy Britt in Los Angeles. Now,
if there is one man in America Nelson
can defeat it is Jimmy Britt. but this
ten-round game with big gloves and
no decision. that goes on in Los An
gees, is one game Nelson cannot play
and come out a winner. All Jimmie
has TO do is stay away and box, and
al the end of ten rounds the sporting
writer's of Los Angeles will be telling
how Britt whipped Nelson I'm
doubtedly the fight will draw a big
house, and Nelson is smooth enough
to get the long end of the purse, but a
fight with Britt, in which Jimmie has
all the best of il, will not add to Nell
Sons reputation. Nelson should cut
out that Los Angeles game and seek
fights where they go twenty rounds or
to the limit, and If he still has it in
him. it will not be long until the pub
lie is demanding that Joe Cans meet
him again in the ring. Here is where
Nelson would make the real big
money, but if he keeps clubbing along