New Britain herald., 1915-07-27
BICYCLE RACERS
 OF YEARS AGO
City Was Hotbed for Sport Ar
 hold and Lydall Speed Kings

hair raising bicycle races with their l hair-raising finishes that caused thousands of lovers of the game to arise enmasse and cheer for their favorites until the tape had been
 passed Withing the past few years, the game has fallen away steadily
 until the present time when no events of the kind are ever held in this vicinity.
 The sport was one of the masses and the classes. It was an event where the rich and the poor rubbed
 elbows together at the Walnut Hill
 half mile track, at the New Britain
 Driving Park at the foot of Win
 throp street and in later years at the H Berlin Driving Park.
 Twenty years ago there were a
 number of riders in this city that
 were famed throughout the state for.
 their speed and many parlor is adorned today with prizes and en-
 blems that these speed kings gar.
 nered
 Among the most prominent riders
 of these days was Harry S. Arnold
 now superintendent of the National Spring Bed company who after beat
 ing everything in these parts, trav-
 eled from coast to coast, where he
 established the reputation of being
 one of the fastest sprint riders in America. This was during the days that Zimmerman, Sanger and Titus were astonishing the bicycle world by their sensational riding. In tan dem racing Arnold was teamed with Sanger. and they were regarded as
 the fastest two in the country.
 William H. Lydall, now a foreman at Russell & Erwin company, was also wonderful speedy boy aboard a bike. i Lydall first came into prominence when the old New Britain Wheel club was formed. The members of l the club used to go out for long runs | and the favorite pastime indulged in ] thse days was pulling corks." Tn 1 this respect it may be said that it l was seldom that the members suc- l ceeded in getting Billy's cork. Ly- dall afterward entered into the racing l game, and succeeded in copping sev- eral important races about the state. l An incident that showed Billy to have. a keen sense of the bicycle game, oc- cured during the progress of road race in Southington nineteen years ago Lydall was not acquainted with l the course very thoroughly and at fork turn, he took the wrong course. Hldlng like mad for several miles he encountered farmer with load of hay of whom he inquired if he was on the right road. On being informed to the contrary he turned back and made for the finish. Before reaching
 It however Billy stopped and took
 several rolls in the dust which gave
 him the appearance of having sus- tained fall On reaching the finish he so informed the judges who in mediately awarded him a prize for best time and the ganeness displayed.
 Other fast boys were Leon J. Clad ding, Dick Wood, son of S. IF wood who held the city championship for i number of years, Fred c. Hartman. Eddie Coates, George +. Lynch, the musician, Mortimer Lyman, Bert
 Thayer, Harry Thompson. the Ma guire brothers, w. c. Hart, now member of the police department, Patsy Brannigan and Joe Moore. MT. Diggs, who now resides in Hanna's armory, was also one of the fast boys of the state. Diggs and his
 brother rode a number of races at the Velodrone track in Hartford, and was regarded as among the best There were many arguments among lesser lights throughout the city on many occasions and the outcome of one of these nerly terminated in ar rests of the principals. It happened in this way. A crowd that at one time hung around the gateman's shanty on Main street was discussing speed one evening when two fellows by the name of O'Dell and Wheeler, got into a dispute over their abilities. The boys egged the disputants on un- til they agreed to race the following evening from the railroad crossing Ito Corbin's corners and return. At the appointed hour, the riders ap- peared on the scene augmented by a number of riders who were to act as pacers for them The race was soon under way and everything was serene until on the return trip, when as the s"mob" swung into Main street with the riders riding neck and neck. 8 shout of lookout was raised as the two madly flashing cyclists con- I tinued on their way. Several hair
 raising escapes of pedestrians from accident occurred, but no serious
 damage was done. The police took up the matter and things were kept quiet about the rendezvous for many nish4.