The sun., 1919-02-09
HIGH WHEEL RIDERS
LOYAL TO THE SPORT
Members Of Famous Boston
Bicycle Club Keep Together
for Forty-one Years.
MAINTAIN ANNUAL RUN
George B. Woodward, Who
Served as First President,
Reelected Last Month.
MAINTAIN ANNUAL RUN
NJ CHARLES r. MATBIsoN.

exemplifed by the forty-one years OF
loyal devotion to the sport by the men,
oers OF the Boston Bicycle Club. This
organization came into existence in 1879,
and Its first president was George b.
Woodward. now second vice-president Of
the Metropolitan Life Insurance Com
pany of this city. Mr.. Woodward was a
resident Of Boston at the time Of the
clubs inception. but has been in New
York for the greater part OF his sixty
six ysars. He has retained his MEM
bershp in the club which started with
his presidency OF the organization in
1878. and has Just been honored with a
reelection as the head OF the club.
The annual club dinner took place at
the Boston A. A. yesterday and the In
vttations contained the following:
In Eighteen seventy-Eight
The Boston club was started.
Whose srdor has departed.
Some few stll ride a wheel.
Thus honoring the club,
But AZ the rest display their best
There was nutrition and nonsense,
sustenance and satisfaction. In the
course OF which the treasurer comes
around and you unostentatiously part
with three.
Racing and rowing and rambling;
Hiking and hus,ling and hills;
ecooting and skimming and scramblins.
sprinting and squirting and spills.
That was the why In the Eighties.
Every one anxious to win.
Now all we do at this date Is
Chin. chin, chin.
At the annual meeting in January we
unanimously elected George 3. Wood
ward president, after a short and heated
discussion as to whether Bostonan's
moving to New York automatically con-
stituted him an enemy alien. Decided to
the contrary. George was our first presi-
dent forty-one years ago
The attention OF the universe is called
to the fact that this Is the first time that
any president Of bicycle club has ever
hold that office on two separate occa-
sions forty-one years apart. And We are
proud of 1t. we are chesty. we are stuck
up according.
The enclosed post card has its excuse
for existence. See that you do your
duty.
A. o. McGarrett w G. Kendall.
Quincy Kilby. dinner committee. You
are allowed three guesses az to which
one wrote this bally circular.
rorty-one years forty-one years
Quite long while. but how short II ap'
pears ~
Come TO the 0inner ana tHen you DC cSio
livery os.'s ready for forty-one more.
Indulges in "Reminiscences.
IN discussing the history OF the Ia
nous club Mr.. Woodward, previous 20
starting for Boston to attend the annual
dinner, INDUCED in some interesting
"reminiscences
zone feature OF the club that has been
maintained since the second year OF its
l,
About the Hub This consisted of
nifty mile run, and In the early years OF
the club nearly all rode the high wheels
The FIRST Of these runs took place on
September II and IL, 1879, and the last
one took place last September. thirty
members OF the club participating.
However, only three of them RODE
wheels. one of whom was Dr. Walter G.
Kendall, the captain OF the club VINO
never has missed the annual run. The
other score OF members who went over
the route did 30 by automobile, Most OF
them have got past the age FOR severe
athletic effort and could not endanser
themselves by two days bike run.
The country through which the run IS
made Is most picturesque, and we al
ways stopped at the halfway mark for
lunch In the Grove OF Pleasant Memo
rie,,' That is where the photograph on
This mage, showing Col. Albert Pope. IA
nous as the Father OF the Bicycle, and
other members OF the club, was taken
Grove Destroyed by Fire.
-rhs grove was destroyed by hre
few years ago, and the run thereby lost
some OF its sentimental Interest.
"I believe l was the first man IN bos,
ton to ride the high wheel. importer
one from England before they had be-
come general in this country, but owing
70 the terrifying effect the wheel had
on horses I had a difficult time TAMIL
iarizing myself with the machine
rode a forty EIGHT inch wheel ana soon
all the club memb,,s had them ana
could mount and dismount without the
aid of stepladders.
Three years ago Capt. kendal's
xoung son rode a high wheel in the run
With the veteran members OF the club
$50 far as bicycling is concerned as
a snort IL no doubt is practically dead.
However, the wheel Is stu prominent
as utility in the rural districts. work.
men employing It quite generally
High wheel Riders Proficient.
Another veteran OF high wheel days
called attention TO an incident that
marked the early days OF the sport
Every cycler In the country was hred
with feverish ambition 10 mount high
wheel and go careening through space.
and many Of them careened more than
they cared for.
A promoter who had a bicycle acad-
erny" on the second floor Of building
no, far distant from New York city
had a class of high wheel riders who
hecame so proficient that they engaged
IN tmpromptu races about the track In
the academy. During a brush between
two of the best OF the riders the wheel
OF one OF them jumped the track, and
wheel and rider went through an open
window and volplsned to the street
The others in the room rushed out
expecting to find the rider In small
pieces, but he had landed on his feet and
skipped up the stairs and gave the pro-
prietor a piece OF his mind FOR his
negligence in not having his windows
barred.
II would have won the sprint only
Tor that window" said the indignant
rider.
Ives . Champion.
One OF tho FIRST men TO become prof.
Client on tho high wheel was the late
Frank Ives. the billiard champion Ives,
who had natural aptitude for all
branches Of sport requiring skill and
quickness, soon mastered the high wheel
and became the champion OF Michigan
on the elevated steed lie competed
In races all over the Wolverine state
and was uniformly successful.
Ives also was a crack roller skater
and n crack baseball catcher previous