The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-06-16

aroused the country with their record
breaking smashes, the country was
bicycle crazy. A Jimmy Michaels was
given as big a reception when he landed
in this country as Teddy ever got IN a
tour through the States. The Buffers
were heroes, and the great Arthur Zim-
merman's father became rich running
a dinky hotel at Manasquan because of
the crazy hero-worshippers who went
there and spent their money just so
they could say that they had met the
great Jimmy. The game paid then ten
times more than it is paying today. 1t
was a clean sport, and the riders got
big money. Today the best of these
heroes of the bike are riding autos for
a weekly salary, n glad to nave it
to do.
A Scandal Broke Out.
Things were going on nicely and peo-
pie were breaking their necks trying to
squeeze into Madison Square Garden
and other places where the six-day
meets were being pulled off. One
morning there appeared a storm in the
cycle clouds. and rumors of cheating
and defrauding, false scoring, and
goodness only knows what were
sent across the land. Riders accused
certain people of padding the mile
scores, and the people VINO were led to
believe hat thousands of miles had
been reeled off by these professionals
were quickly made acquainted with the
fact that all this was pure taking.
That did the bicycle game more harm
than anything else. and It has not re-
covered from the blow.
Then Came Systematizing.
Then a bicycle trust was formed and
certain riders were barred. The mar
ket of professional riders was pretty
full then, but when bans were placed
on some the others, and the best
of them at that, took to the woods, and
the result was that many tracks began
springing up through the country,
owned and managed by a couple of
riders themselves, who found that they
were in bad favor with the trust.
Some of these tracks paid for a time,
but the majority of them closed up
shop, and the professional rider hiked 1t
for another job. Today there is on foot
a movement of which I spoke the other
day, the establishing of more tracks.
] ais AlCoil liz / OiANC AAlRAN
to this exciting game,
Promoters Lack wisdom.
1t is the want of keen foresight or
else the promoters are going at things
~blindfolded, that has resulted in the
building of more tracks. I can cite one
example on this point. Jack Prince is
erecting a track at Clifton, between
Paterson and Passaic cities. A good
spot. But there is slim chance of any
one being allowed to run off races there
on a Sunday. Just as soon as racing
starts there the baseball people of that
vicinity will want to have Sunday
games played there, and if they are no
permitted. why there will be a row and
the whole shooting match will go XII
bosh.
Another sample Right Here.
THAT is one, but l could give more tc
bear out my contention. but one more
will suffice. They are building a bicycle
track at Asbury Park. and it is In
tended to run professional races of
there on the Fourth of July. The pro.
moters behind this know the scarcity
of professional riders and they are try
ing to get the professionals from Walls
ouI6 10 80 LilSlc' NipiS iiioiiSS va ~
offered and what will happen to Walls
burg If the riders from there go owe
to the new concern? Do o see tn,
point? Bike riders are not organized
and like disorganized baseball player
these riders will go where the mos
money is given them. This is anothe
reason why I say that the cycle gam
will have to go into decay and be bori
anew under new blood and with differ
ent management at the head Of tn
sport.