Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-13
sport Copies If Che Jour :
GpTI z 1[N@h

the rules OF the dSSOCldNAoA So AA-%-7
this sport, practically eliminated I'M
der certain conditions. | refer, nat
urally, to the championship race
fiasco of Wednesday night wherein
first Fogler and then Clark were
eliminated from competing IN the
final contest because of punctured
tires that necessitated their stopping
before they had ridden three laps
in a twelve lap (two-mile) contest.
This left but Kramer and Grenda TO
finish the race and if there was one
person in the whole audience VINO
felt any uncertainty as to VINO OF
the two would win the race. then,
such person is not acquainted with
the relative merits of the riders.
Personally, l cannot enthuse over
contest, the result of which Is prac-
tically a foregone conclusion. In
this l in no wise differ from those
whose interest in sport is of the
unbiased variety
Therefore, when I attend the races
al the Velodrome it is with the in
| tention and purpose of witnessing
keen competition among the most
| skillful and speedy group of riders
been brought together. And what do
I actually witness? Keen and skill
| full competition among the judges and
referee in rendering decisions that
make the viewing of real competition
among the most skilful of the riders
impossible.
Now, If my purpose in journeying
| to the Velodrome were to applaud
the correctness of the decisions
handed down by the judges and
referee instead of for the purpose of
enjoying the competition in sport
] in which 1 have great interest, my
dissatisfaction would not prove we'll
founded. But, | assure you, gentle
men of the Velodrome management,
that great as is my respect for the
Impartial ruling and the we'll bal
anced Judgment of Mr.. Ross, the
referee. It is not Mr.. Ross ability
to properly interpret and apply the
rules that brings me to the Velo-
drome. l repeat, again, it is the
competition, or rather, the implied
promise of competition, that results
when YOU announce that Kramer,
Clark and all the other stars will
compete in a championship event.
| That is what you promise-it is what
l pay to sect does not develop and
you point to the correctness of your
| rulesi
! Gentlemen of the Velodrome,
change those rules-I say it with all
the earnestness at my command.
| Change those rules and any other
rules that prevent your patrons
! from viewing what they have paid
to see and what they would not have
come there to see if they were not
| very seriously interested and anx-
icus to see.
If YOU wish to kill all interest in
stead of only partially destroying it,
as your present methods have sue
ceeded in accomplishing, then con-
tinue to stifle competition and in
stead, when complaint is made
quote rules-show by page-and rule
that the intent of the body govern
ing the sport is at least to have
complete set of rules, whether the
lsport thrives or not.
Then, in a few years more, when
some one asks how it has happened
that bicycle racing has died out
you can refer him to page 70 ana
show him a rule fully covering the
subject.
That ought to satisfy him-don't
YOU think so, gentlemen of the Velo-
drome management? But how will it
satisfy you?
Respectfully yours,
AMERICUS.
| June u, 1913.
j. p. N:
Is there such day as Boxing
Day? Did Bob Fitzsimmons fight for
the championship of Australia?
l.. b.
Boxing Day in Australia is OBJ
served on December q. for on De-
cember 81, 1909. Bill Lang knocked
out Bob Fitzsimmons for the title OF
that day.