Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-03-12
PREP GAMES MARK
OPENING OF Maine TOURNAMENT
SIX DAY RIDERS
RACING SECOND
WEEK, new YORK

New York. Marchm 11.-(By the
Associated Press).-Six-day bicycle
race fans are having their second
"sleepless week" of the winter at
Madison Square Garden while the
riders who maintain the dizzy whirl
live off the "fat of the land"
1t costs approximately 100000 alto
gether to put on this unique sporting
spectacle, with the payroll of the ped
alters mounting to $4,000, but the
item of principal interest is the food
bill. 1t amounts to $4,000 for tho
week, an average of more than 500
for each Of the 80 riders who started
the race last Sunday night.
Nothing is spared in providing
these wheeled athletes the utmost in
nourtshment. No thoroughbred IS
cared for with more attention to de-
tail. Charts are kept of the amoung
of food, water and sleep they get.
/ Their digestion, pulse and general
condition is carefully watched; their
gain or loss in weight registered.
Three shifts of French and Ger
man chefs prepare the menus. There
is an abundance of expertly prepared
fod, especially selected to provide en-
ergy, but in spite of the unusual
amount most riders eat the average
pounds during the week.
Our greatest danger is that the
boys will overeat," according to Char
az f@, .-s.
national amateur champion, who has
served as chief steward since 1915
for the Madison Square Garden races.
Stein lists the following as a sample
of weeks food order: $50 dozen
eggs, 500 steaks, AZ braces of lamb, 62
| beef roasts, AGO pounds of chicken, 10
crates of grapefruit, six crates of or
anges, As pounds of rice. IS pounds
| of coffee. $50 quarts of milk. 40 quarts
| of cream, 80 loaves of bread, 10
i pounds of butter and 600 individual
bags of tea.
| Such vegetables as spinach, celery,
onions, peas and asparagus also form
part of the menus but few potatoes
are used and only two pounds of flour
are required for the week.
Stein recalls many startling feats
at the training tables he has directed
oNCI the past dcCduS, puL lie Ildlluo
| the palm to Alphonse Goosens, the
Belgian Bearcat," and Pete Van
Kempen. Hollands great sprint man
"Goosens once ate 365 eggs during
| the week of a race" Stein said.
THAT, | believe, is a worlds recond.
| Van kempen used to consume six full
meals during "a hours of riding, in
Guiding almost two pounds of meat to
meal. In between he would take a
! little hot soup, bread and coffee"
Sharing STEMS task in keeping
the riders in condition is Jack New
lille. the head trainer.
"These boys drink 10 plain water
during a race" Neville explained.
1--WE have mineral water by the
case and they can have all of this
they want. 1t aids their digestion"
"The rules of the race provide that
each rider must pedal the same num-
, Der of hours as his partner" Neville
went on. They work in shifts and
in some cases we provide alarm
, clocks to notify riders when they are
due to take the track. This elimin-
! ates arguments which used to be a
| problem for the trainer in the old
f., days wren riders tired and became
/ irritable toward the close of the
grind.
Each team has three helpers to
watch the condition of the riders and
determine the shifts. One is me-
chanic, who keeps the wheels in re-
pair, another the trainer and the
third a general helper.
"The, riders are paid by the day
and it is to the advantage of each
one to keep in the best physical con-
dition. Only in case of serious ac-
cident is a rider who quits the track
before the end of the race paid in
full. When ALT Grenda suffered a
broken collarbone on the last night
of the race two years ago. he was
paid in full and he would have been
treated just the same had the acct
dent happened on the opSning night.
The management is fair. but strict
in its rules to combat the loafer."
In addition to about $4,000, which
is paid for salaries, guarantees and
prime money during a race, all the
care necessary to keep the perform
ers in good riding condition is pro-
vided free by the promoters of the
race. Tires also are furnished.