Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-03
JACKIE CLARK'S FAIR CONSORTI
BIG FACTOR in HIS SUCCESS
Rockets" Charming Better
Half Will Cheer Him in,
Six-Day Grind.
is A "DYED-IN-WOOL" FAN
Pretty Romance Woven Round
Australian Speedster and
Diana of West.

If you are bike fan. probably You
have noticed a stylishly dressed, at
tractive little woman with pair OF
big blue eyes and dark brown hair
sitting just back of the rail seats in
section at the Velodrome. The So
clety editor would call her beautiful,
and no doubt she is, although, judy
ing the attractiveness of the fair sex
Is beyond the pale of the contributors
of this page Well, the little lady in
question is Mrs. A. Jackie Clark, wife
of the famous Australian cyclist, and
our reason for bringing her into this
story Is the fact that she has played
an important part In his success, and
next week she will play a still mors
important part In the New York six
day race.
A six-day race IL q mighty big az
fair, and there Is much In connection
with the big grind that the public is
not aware of, and that to which we
refer occurs in the big. gloomy base
ment OF the famous old Garden. 1t
Is there that the riders are cared for
and groomed throughout the six days
or until the race reaches tho stage
"nere 1t is dangerous for the riders
to leave the trackside. It is there
that the riders sleep, eat, are bathed.
and 1t is there that the effects of the
strain. the torture and sufferings OF
the riders are shown. These quarters :
In the basement are open to but few,
and among the few who enter are tho
wives Of the riders. a
Wives Arc Best Tonic.
There is rarely six-day race In
which any rider goes through with e
out reaching the point at some stage
of the contest In which he wants to
quit. Last year both Eddie Root
and Jackie Clark, two of the greatest
six-day riders the game has ever
produced. were on the verge of re-
firing shortly after the fortieth hour. 8
They did not quit, however. But that
Is the stage when the wives of the
riders are most welcome. A word OF
encouragement, caress, will work
wonders with the tired riders. and
they go on the track again refreshed
as II by magic. Even the gentler sex
abhor that word quit" To the lay-
man IL may appear unwomanly and
mercenary for wife to encouraEeis
her rider husband to continue a race
Wheh ne Is exhausted and would like
10 retire. But 1t Is there that the
WiIe OF rider who understands her
husband Is OF great value. She knows Z
what 1t means to him to win, not
solely for the money remuneration.ls e
Dut Tor the honor as WELL Staid old i
professionals, hardened by years OF
racing, never get over the quest for
glory. That hankering for the plau-
dlts ana the praise of the mob is
thoroughly and permanently imbued
IN the cash prize rider, just as if ia {
in the veriest novice, and thew never, 5
get over 1t.
VIII Supervise Jackies God.
Mrs. Clark knows her husband bet-
ter than anyone else, and her on.
enlargement and advice, especially In
six-day race, will benefit THE
ROCKER more than all the careeof
J FREDDY Diver, his faithful trainer.
when Jackie moves his quarters to
Madison Square Garden on Saturday
MRS. Jackie will take up quarters at
the st. George Hotel, just across the
street, In Madison avenue there Id
answer the call of her husband In
any emergency. During the week all
the little dainties of which she knows
} best, and which will please him and
help to drive away the monotone Of. :
eating the more sustaining foods, will
be brought In each day by her. She
viii also be the supervisor of the com
mfssary department and will pass
upon the quality of the steaks and
chops that will be consumed in the
Clark camp. And she will do aIlzof
this without ever reaching the lime-
light or meeting the gaze OF the hlase
New York mob which attends the an
nual grind 1aa9
Is Diana of West.
Mrs Clark Is q Diana of the west
and her knowledge of athletics was
not gained entirely through the as
ISOLATION with her famous husband il.
The first safety lady's bike in Salt
Lake City was hers and she has been Z
an enthusiast of the bike since her
early girlhood. Hunting is her favor 2
lite sport, however, and she has wing
ed the teal and mallard of the west
and shot pheasants and kangaroos In
Australia. Motoring is another pas
time that has attracted the fair girl
of the west and she Is an expert
driver. Mrs. Clark accompanied
Jackie on his last trip to Australia,
and they spent days together in the
widest parts of Victoria motoring and
, hunting in the bush country where
the aborigines, like the American In s
dams, are fast becoming passing
race. A courageous woman is Mrs
Jackie and it is her courage that will .
act as stimulant when Jackie may
falter.
Couldn't Withstand Jackie.
There is much of the romance in J
connection with the marriage of Jackie
and his bride of three years ago. 1t
was romance of the bike track. At
that time Jackie was the hero of the
track at Salt Lake City. He was win
ming every race in which he started,
and in addition he was creating new
competition records in almost every
start. Miss Bray, the daughter of
Western millionaire, was attracted to-
the races through her own fondneS&
for cycling. The races were interest ~
ing in themselves, but there was AM
other and stronger magnet, and 1t was
not long before she became "regp e
lar" and attended every meet Her
girl friends in her own set were the
first to discover that there was sone IS
thing more than the mere bike races
that caused her to arrange the little
parties that would motor to the Salt
Palace track every Tuesday and
Thursday night Finally she met the*
famous Jackie and the secret was outss
There was no concealing the fact that
the little well-mannered, clean-cpE
lathlete was the attraction. An engages
Iment was rumored and then IL was
that Papa Bray stepped into the ro+
nance. The father of the petite ME&
Bray was a lover of sport and athr5
| l., FOR a xafe1.E