The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1911-06-02
LOOK At sH|LL|NGs
Why Eng|and's Big Race Track
Proved a Failure.
Those in Control Of srookIands, Auto
mobile Course, Have Experimental
for Years in Attempt to
Make Sports Pay.

Londou.-The problem of how to
make Brcoklands, Englands big au-
tomobile track, pay, or at least prove
self-suprorting, at last seems near So
luton. For four years, ever since this,
the largest racing track in the world.
was opened to the public, those in
control OF it have been experimenting
and out Of bitter experience and the
loss of much money they have slowly
but surely learned that its appeal is
not TO the man In the street, however
good sportsman he may be, but to
the rich and well-to'do.
When the track was first opened
only automobile races were held on
the great oval. Later on motorcycling
was introduced and finally aviation.
Now all three are combined at every
meet. But attempts to get popular
class crowd to witness the events
have been abandoned and the 1000 or
more men and women who gather to
see the races arc recruited almost en-.
tirely from the upper crust of Eng.
lish socicty-owners of motor cars
and flying machines Of their own. As
matter of fact many of the races
put on are arranged for amateur dri.
vers and airmen plotting their own
machines.
Motorcycling has become a popular
pastigle in England and interest in
racing is intense II Brooklands were
more accessible to London it is safe
to say that the motorcycle races
there would attract large crowds. But
it is a 60-cent train ride from Water.
loo station, there, is another charge
of 60 cents to enter the grounds and
by the time a man has paid for his
tea. a programme and few other in.
cidental expenses he has put the
equivalent of 81 bill out of commits
SIGN. The London sport can get 80
much for 81. or eight shillings, It is
not strange that he does not rush to
Brooklands on meet days no matter
how keen he may be on motorcycling.
These facts have their influence, of
course, on the incentives that are Of.
fered to the riders who compete In the
motorcycle races. In the United
States the men race for substantial
purses and hold out for them If they
are not forthcoming. In England they
are willing to race for a silver mug
Of little or no value or almost for a
sheet of paper stating that they won
such and such race on such and
such day at Brooklands. That, Of
course, has been the trouble in trying
to match De Rozier against Collier,
the English champion rider. Quite
naturally De Rozier wants to race for
a fair sized purse, not being in bust.
ness to collect mugs or diplomas of
merit, and efforts are being made to
get one Of the club in England to
put up bag Of sovereigns for a
match between the Englishman and
the American.
OF the three sports now In full
swing at Rfoeklands aviation undoubt
eddy draws the largest crowd. It still
possesses the elements Of novelty and
danger which have to q large extent
disappeared from automobile racing
and motorcycling. The flying contests
held at the big track are not what one
would call exciting. The flights made
at each meeting are added to the dis
lance covered by the same aviators al
previous meets and the one who com
piles the greatest total before thu
close Of the season Is to get the prize
Thus, unless one is keen enough t
follow the progress Of the several air
men from meet to meet the flying re