The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-01-21
B J.. l. !

(By j. J.. Hervey.)
Chicago. Jan. 21.--For years past it
has been the annual custom of the
stewards of the grand circuit to hold
a conclave in January at which the
makeup of the organization for the
coming season is arranged and the
policies which. supposedly at least.
will govern 1t, are promulgated. For
this purpose the body referred to me
at Pittsburg last Tuesday, and the re-
suits Of their deliberations were
among the most interesting that they
have ever given out.
The line of march down the line"
for 1919, as decided upon by these Of
ticials. was made public in last We'd
nesday's Record-Herald, but it will
bear republication. Sc here it is:
Windsor. Ont. June so. July 4.
Cleveland, Ohio. July 7-12.
Pittsburg, Pa, July 14-19.
Buffalo, n. Y. July 21.26.
Grand Rapids. Mich, July 20. Aug.
Detroit Mich, Aug. 11-1G.
Salem, n. H.. Aug. 1928.
New York City. Aug. $3.50.
Hartford, Conn.,. Sept. 1-6.
Syracuse, N. V, Sept. 8-13.
Detroit. Mich. Estate fair). Sept. 1920.
Columbus. Ohio. Sept. %. Oct. 4.
Lexington. Ky. Oct. 6-1s.
The Veteran "%circuiters" who have
been used to going down the line year
after year for nearly two generations
along toward it's fortieth anniversary
must have rubbed their eyes with
amazement when they first gazed upon
this schedule. And, not improbably,
some of them must have removed
their. spectacles and wiped them care
fully. then turned the paper upside
down. and finally requested some OBJ
liging bystander to kindly read it
aloud. in order to be sure that no opti.
cal illusion or mental alteration had
s~upervened to confuse their intellectu-
ais.
Never before. SO far as the present
writer can recall (and he has been
familiar with the makeup of the Big
Ring almost ever since it became
one), has there been such a shaking
up of its schedule and so revolutionary
q Encouragement thereof been adopt
ed. Last years chain of meetings
will afford a good criterion where
from to judge of this. 1t was as fol-
lows:
Grand Rapids. Mich. July Sis.
Kalamazoo. Mich. July 1890.
Detroit, Mich. July 1921.
Cleveland. Ohio. July 20. August 3.
P%ittsburg. Pa. August S, IL.
Buffalo. y. Y, Aug. 12-17.
Salem. n. H.. Aug. 1924.
Readville. Mass. Aug. 26-31.
Hartford, Conn. Sept. 20.
Syracuse. n. V. Sept. 9-14.
Detrait. Mich. Sept. 1921.
Columbus, Ohio. Sept. 90. Oct. 4.
1t will be observed that the last
five meetings are the only ones which
have preserved their former positions
in the circuit. and in point of time
approximately the same dates. AS for
the remainder the changes are on the
Kaleidoscope order.
In the early days of the big ring
it almost invariably opened at either
Cleveland or Pittsburg. Later OH the
Michigan wing vas added Cat first
consisting only of Detroit) and then 1t
became the established thing for De-
troit to be the Opener" Still later
came ill.," and then. for geographical
reasons. Detroit yielded her premier
ship. which for "A long term of years
h guarded jealousy as one of her
most valuable racing assets. in order
to reduce the shipping expenses of the
campaigning owners who raced 'alonE
the line" Eventually the Grand
Rapids-Kalamazoo-Detroit = Cleveland
arrangement became the settled thing.
During man of these years Wind.
sor would have been a member and
opened the circuit. but for the fact
that Detroit refused to retire to Sec
n place under the persistent fallacy
that by so doing her prestige would
be badly diminished. In
the Canadian city used to give a meet
Ing the week before that at Detroit,
which. while of a grand circuit calibre
In everything but name. remained out
side the fold.
How great is the change an analysis
of this years circuit reveals at a
glance. Windsor has been admitted
to membership and will lead off. But
then the s%quadrons will trek imme-
dintely to Cleveland. then go on to
Pittsburg and Buffalo. from the Bison