Evening star., 1951-01-14
Old Bicycling Days
Early Riders Did Their Rood Racing
Ruin or Shine and Mostly in Mud
By John CIoaett Proctor

BY John CIe
About 1891 was the period OF
the tandem bicycle, when every
fellow who could afford it took his
sweetie for q ride on a bicycle
built for two. It unquestionably
inspired the song that was 50
popular many years ago. The
chorus went something like this:
Daisy, Daisy. give me your dnstDer,
do; ..#
I'm halt crazy. all for the loue of
you;
1t can't be a stylish marriage.
/ can't afford a carriage.
But you'll look sUeet. upon the
seat
OF a bicycle built for too.
One thought the writer has al
ways had is, that the oldtime
bicycle rider should make the best
automobile driver. He more keen
ly understands just how to take
the turns. He himself has wiped
up the street many times and
broken out the knees Of his
trousers, especially when the
streets were wet and he happened
to get too far off Of his equilib-
rum.
OF course, the most interesting
things in the bicycling line in the
second half of the '90s were the
bicycle races at the International
Athletic Park and the road races
on the Conduit road.
The bicycle park was about a
block to the south of the Conduit
road tnow the Macarthur boule-
vard) and just this side of the
District line. Where the h-mile
track was once located now are
bungalows and cottages. and 1t
might be difficult to tell the exact
area included in the park prop
erty. but at least its approximate
location is still clear.
Had a Board Track -
International Athletic Park was
quite likely built and owned by
William c. Clark of Clark Bros,
real estate dealers OF this city,
who had their Offices at sos
Thirteenth street NV. a site now
occupied by the Homer Building.
Their home was on the Conduit
road, known as Castleview. From
the beginning the track was only
a dirt affair, very good when dry
and very bad when wet. Later on
it was turned into a board track
and races continued there day
and night before it was finally
given up.
The grandstand was a good
sized frame structure, and all
things considered, the park was
satisfactory for the time and pur-
pose, except possibly for the train
ing quarters, which were located
under the grandstand: These were
Of bare boards and might have
answered just as well for coal bins
as for training quarters. How
ever. no attention was ever paid
to this. as every ones mind was
on the races. Another thing
which seemed foremost in the
boys minds. rather than their
comfort or the surrounding condi-
tions. was the special kind of rub
down that was being used.
Each trainer had his own spe-
cial ointment or liniment, the
formula Of which was regarded
as a profound secret, and which
was deemed to have some magic
power If properly applied. The
muscles had to be kneaded just
so and the stroking done as scien-
tifically as if by a chiropractor,
otherwise, of course, the fellow
receiving the treatment would not
be at his best in the race to fol-
low. If the rider happened to
be in 10 different races, the same
rundown was administered each
time. and with the same amount
of care and dexterity.
The writer recalls a colored boy,
Dewey, who frequently gave q
helping hand to such racers as
needed his services, as well as
Pop" Ringgold. who was never
more delighted than when acting
as trainer for AL Moran.
Track and Bike Race
Naturally. the oldtimer will re-
member Fred Schade, the curly
haired, tow-headed boy who usu-
ally wore light blue racing togs
and to whom so many girls used
to send flowers. Well, Fred is liv-
.ng-very much alive. He is prac-
ticing law in Spokane, Wash.
Much of his early life was spent
in this city. where he was grad
uated from Columbian University,
now George Washington Univer-