The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-02-26
In New York
By GEORGE ROSS

New York, Feb. 26.--When the bike racers begin to go round and around at the Garden, @ number of our otherwise normal citizens are not expected home. Because the six- day race enthusiasts happen to be the most fanatical fans ct large, to the disnay of deserted wives and families.
 They were going to picket the Garden at one time with signs reading, "Why Can't I Be Tn Your Lap2" and "No Pedallers Allow ed" They also recall that couple of long. sought heirs have been found at the big races instead of in the Public Notices columns. They just shook out . couple of drowsy spectators and got the heir.
 They also have found some sec ond-hand flnancers, movie stars cfooners and knuckle-knockers a-sltimber in the upper tiers on the 5th day around while an inter- national search for them was be- ing conducted outside.
 James Barton, the hoot' man hoofer, earned his letter for bike- race flaming when he once broke ID a show in Cleveland in order to hop Q train for the sprints in Chi- cago. He returned to Cleveland six days later and resumed per- formarces. At the Garden merry. go-round now, he sleeps in an arena box, has his meals sent in and communicates with his family by an occasional letter or phone call.
 They say that Leon Errol is just as berserk about bicycles and that he transfers residence to the ring side for the six-day marathon when he Is in town. Jimmy Savo, the baggy-pants clown, not only pays his way In for e week but gets sufficiently excited to put on regular, free shows. During each sprint, 1t is his custom to ride the rail and arnuse the crowd. No charge.
 Harriet Hector, the ballerina, comes in often and explains her penchant for pedals by pointing out that her toe-dancing Is pain- ful exercise and that 1t is e pleas- ure to see others suffering for dough.
 An old Institution
 As Q matter of fact, the six-day | grind has been fin VoRtiA since 1901 when in the first gruellina "go-as- -you-please" race, Plugger Bill Martin, riding an ordinary high wheel, pedalled away ld hours e day and won. And thus became the hero of the day with such gentlemen about town as
 Harry Payne Whitney, Diamond Jim Brady, George M. Cohail, Her. man Rosenthal (who was later murdered at the Metropole) ant Bob Vernon, the wine king. 2
 After that first race, the bike olympics became society's gather. ing place. But the sport wen, "softie" in 1899 when the Legisla. ture ruled that no rider coult pedal lawfully more than 12 houri c day. It was this ruling thai started the team set.up which fa. been in practice since the turn oi the century.
 And which, incidentally, intro. duced the lower.berth idea, on ( Grand Hotel scale, into the sport One of the grind's major attrac' tions is the opportunity 1t affordi the public to see how the Qthel side lives. Cooped up alongsid, the track, the riders have less pri vacy than . goldfish when they arO catching their breath or grabbinl off Q silooze.
 Rounding Out . Meal
 The six-day bike racer, by tn way, is no slouch about food Babe Ruth has been accused Q possessing c ravenous font an boxing writers speak of Prim Carnera's appetite with their hat
 off, but the six-day grinders q pretty well by themselves. The
 take from 10 to 12 meals per dal
 in relays of from 3 to 6 cotirsel each with coffee, milk or tea [ wash them down. Their grub sent up from the Gardens base ment kitchen which attends
 nothing else except feeding tn boys. They get paper napkin
 with every round of chow, but n finger bowls. The spectators. iil ] cidentally, are lirofncially request ed not to feed the cannibal When the participants retire int
 their cubbyhoIes for . thirtysiIiiil
 uto nap, they pull q curtain, Pull . man style. Usually, some mem bcrs of the congregation yells Cu at this point, Pleasant dream Butct." or the band eoftens int \ UFfsllnhW If tfim I.AaVNN.gs