Difference between revisions of "Wilbur J. Edwards"
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https:// | [https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L85L-R34 Wilbur James Edwards 6 November 1872 – 1 June 1951] | ||
[[File:Screen Shot 2023-01-01 at 8.39.56 PM.png|thumb|center|500px|from [https://archive.org/details/bearings111895cycl/page/n127/mode/2up The Bearings, Vol XI, No. 3, February 15, 1895]]] | |||
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yet derived some pleasure from it in seeing all the Eastern men defeated by Ziegler at Denver after they had joked him for weeks about California riders not being able to ride fast enough to keep warm. Later in the year, when he won first from Ziegler in the twenty-five mile race at Los Angeles, his friends began to think he would be up to his old form again. | yet derived some pleasure from it in seeing all the Eastern men defeated by Ziegler at Denver after they had joked him for weeks about California riders not being able to ride fast enough to keep warm. Later in the year, when he won first from Ziegler in the twenty-five mile race at Los Angeles, his friends began to think he would be up to his old form again. | ||
At Sacramento, while the Rambler team was going for records, Edwards tied the world's quarter-mile record, and a few days later at San Jose he rode a mile inside of two minutes, paced by tandems and horses. | At Sacramento, while the [[Rambler team]] was going for records, Edwards tied the world's quarter-mile record, and a few days later at San Jose he rode a mile inside of two minutes, paced by tandems and horses. | ||
Whether Wilber J. Edwards is as speedy as Otto Ziegler, the amateur champion, is a much mooted question. Ziegler rode a mile in 1:50, with poor pacing on a mile horsetrack at Sacramento, where the wind was against him part of the way. With better pacing he could have done seconds better. To-day Edwards will try to make a mile, flying start, on a straightaway course at Livermore, paced by four good men on a quadruplet. There is a little down grade and wind in favor of the rider, and this kind of a ride was done at Buffalo over a better course by John S. Johnson in 1:35 2-5 and later over a similar course paced by a "quad" by Eddie Leonart of the Buffalo Press Cycle Club in 1:35. Richard P. Aylward, who trained Ziegler last year and who is training Edwards and his pacemakers, is confident that Edwards can do it in 1:30 or better. | Whether Wilber J. Edwards is as speedy as Otto Ziegler, the amateur champion, is a much mooted question. Ziegler rode a mile in 1:50, with poor pacing on a mile horsetrack at Sacramento, where the wind was against him part of the way. With better pacing he could have done seconds better. To-day Edwards will try to make a mile, flying start, on a straightaway course at Livermore, paced by four good men on a [[quadruplet]]. ''See also [[Rambler quad]].'' There is a little down grade and wind in favor of the rider, and this kind of a ride was done at Buffalo over a better course by John S. Johnson in 1:35 2-5 and later over a similar course paced by a "quad" by Eddie Leonart of the Buffalo Press Cycle Club in 1:35. Richard P. Aylward, who trained Ziegler last year and who is training Edwards and his pacemakers, is confident that Edwards can do it in 1:30 or better. | ||
Edwards will have good training and the best of wheels to ride this year, and will probably go East in the fall for the great Springfield meet, and we shall see what he can do. He may show up as well as Ziegler did last year. Let us hope so. | Edwards will have good training and the best of wheels to ride this year, and will probably go East in the fall for the great Springfield meet, and we shall see what he can do. He may show up as well as Ziegler did last year. Let us hope so. | ||
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[[ | [[The Wheel in California - Overland Monthly Vol. XXII July - December 1893]] | ||
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[[Category:Garden City Cyclers]] | [[Category:Garden City Cyclers]] | ||
[[Category:Palo Alto Wheelmen]] | [[Category:Palo Alto Wheelmen]] |
Latest revision as of 16:33, 29 July 2023
Wilbur James Edwards 6 November 1872 – 1 June 1951
Clubs
Wilber J. Edwards, the star rider of the Garden City cyclers, is pretty well known all over the Coast, but as yet no full history of his racing work has ever been printed. His first race was in 1890 at the field day of the University of the Pacific at San Jose. He won that race and in 1891 he won the race again. In 1892 Edwards got second in the mile State championship, riding against such mon ag Foster, Bell, Waller and Needham, who were crackerjacks at that time. This was on the old Alameda track, and Grant Bell finished in first position.
On Admission Day, 1892, at the Garden City, Wilber Edwards got first in the mile open and won first place twice in the five-mile open, it having been run over on account of the time limit. At another meet at San Jose that year - November 28th - he won the five-mile scratch and also got the half-mile championship.
With 1893 Edwards became the foremost rider on this side of the Rockies, and after falling in the final of a two-mile championship he immediately started in another race and broke the then Coast mile record, doing a mile in 2:28 2-5. At the intercollegiate championships at Stanford University that summer the pride of the Garden City Cyclers captured the two-mile bicycle race.
Edwards' most meritorious work for 1893 was lowering the Coast record for the mile to 2:15. This was in competition at Sacramento, and still stands for competition. On December 12th of the same year he tried for the eighths of a mile standing start record against time, at the Alameda track, and easily made 16 3-5, which was a world's record for that time.
The past year was a poor one for Wilber Edwards. Several falls while training and a lack of a thorough course of training had considerable to do with it. He went East and rode in the National circuit, but had no luck, and after the Denver meet returned home. He saw his local rival, Otto Ziegler Jr., go up to the top and become the American champion, but
yet derived some pleasure from it in seeing all the Eastern men defeated by Ziegler at Denver after they had joked him for weeks about California riders not being able to ride fast enough to keep warm. Later in the year, when he won first from Ziegler in the twenty-five mile race at Los Angeles, his friends began to think he would be up to his old form again.
At Sacramento, while the Rambler team was going for records, Edwards tied the world's quarter-mile record, and a few days later at San Jose he rode a mile inside of two minutes, paced by tandems and horses.
Whether Wilber J. Edwards is as speedy as Otto Ziegler, the amateur champion, is a much mooted question. Ziegler rode a mile in 1:50, with poor pacing on a mile horsetrack at Sacramento, where the wind was against him part of the way. With better pacing he could have done seconds better. To-day Edwards will try to make a mile, flying start, on a straightaway course at Livermore, paced by four good men on a quadruplet. See also Rambler quad. There is a little down grade and wind in favor of the rider, and this kind of a ride was done at Buffalo over a better course by John S. Johnson in 1:35 2-5 and later over a similar course paced by a "quad" by Eddie Leonart of the Buffalo Press Cycle Club in 1:35. Richard P. Aylward, who trained Ziegler last year and who is training Edwards and his pacemakers, is confident that Edwards can do it in 1:30 or better.
Edwards will have good training and the best of wheels to ride this year, and will probably go East in the fall for the great Springfield meet, and we shall see what he can do. He may show up as well as Ziegler did last year. Let us hope so.
George Osen, San Jose's big boy, won the third heat with ease, in 2:37 1-5, F. Kenna of the Alameda County Wheelmen being a far-away second. The fourth heat was a walkover for W. J. Edwards of the Palo Alto Wheelmen, none of the other men entered caring to compete with the diminutive Hercules. However, he went over the course and. with E. Maillot as a pacemaker, attempted to beat the half-mile record. In this he did not succeed, his time being 1:17 1-5. Then he slowed down and finished the mile in 2:52 1-5.
The final heat of this race was extremely exciting. Bell, Foster, Osen and Edwards started from scratch, their first object being to overtake Van Wyck, who had a 75-yard handicap. This they soon succeeded in doing, and then the battle of the giants began in earnest. Each led by turns until the last lap, when Osen got to the front and on the lower turn led Foster. who seemed to be in a pocket, by 20 feet. Then the Alameda champion let out a link and showed how he could ride when he felt that way. It was only a short distance to the lane, but the way he overhauled Osen was a caution. He gained with every push of the pedal and In a moment was lapping the San Jose giant's hind wheel. Ten yardmore and Osen would not have been in it, but there was not that distance to go, and the pride of the Garden Citys crossed the line two feet ahead of the Alameda boy. Edwards was third and Bell fourth. Van Wyck dropped out of sight somewhere near the clubhouse. The time was 2:37 3-5.
...
Last of all, but by no means least interesting, was the five-mile safety scratch race. The starters were: Osen. Edwards, Bell and Schleuter, the latter making the pace, and a snail-like pace at that, for about four miles. The others were riding in a bunch at their ease. On the fifth mile they all limbered up a bit, and when the last half-mile was begun Bell made one of his phenomenal spurts, quickly moving up from last place to the front. But he made his final effort a little too soon. Big George Osen didn't want to follow anybody's procession, so he just shook a few flies off his broad shoulders and began to pedal as though he had a license to do nothing else. Then Edwards of Palo Alto breathed a prayer to his alma mater and moved up as though he wished to whisper a word in Osen's ear. Both passed Bell, and Osen may consider himself lucky that he got to the finish before Edwards was quite close enough to reveal his secret, otherwise he might have reflected less glory on the Garden City cyclers. The time was 16:32 2-5, not fast, but, as Captain Ravlin said, it was enough glory for San Jose to win the two chief events of the day without minding a few seconds more or less. Nevertheless, Walter Foster is happy, for he still holds the time championship for the Pacific Coast.
San Francisco Call, Volume 72, Number 35, 5 July 1892 - Bicycle Races in Various Parts of the State
Wilbur Edwards, of the Garden City Cyclers, is one of the crack riders of the Coast, and although he is always close to the top, has never been able to hold a Coast record. When in condition he is able to hold his own against either Foster or Fox, for any distance up to five miles.
The Wheel in California - Overland Monthly Vol. XXII July - December 1893
Pages which link here:
- Garden City Cyclers (← links)
- File:Quadruplet The San Francisco Examiner Mon Feb.jpeg (← links)
- Allan N. Jones (← links)
- Clarence Leslie Davis (← links)
- Palo Alto Wheelmen (← links)
- THE WHEELMEN. - The San Francisco Call, 27 Apr 1895 (← links)
- File:Wilber J. Edwards The San Francisco Examiner S.jpeg (← links)
- File:Img - 2021-10-11T194352.550.jpeg (← links)
- File:WILBUR J. EDWARDS - RAMBLER - THOMAS B. VARNEY.jpeg (← links)
- Cyclists of San Jose (← links)
- CHAT ABOUT THE CYCLE. - The San Francisco Call, May 30, 1892 (← links)
- BUZZING WHEELS. - The Alameda Bicycle and Athletic Club Meet. - The San Francisco Call, 31 May 1893 (← links)
- San Francisco Call, Volume 72, Number 35, 5 July 1892 - Bicycle Races in Various Parts of the State (← links)
- HIS RACING CAREER - Walter Foster Gets Favorable Mention. - Alameda Daily Argus, 19 Oct 1895 (← links)
- CHAT ABOUT THE CYCLE. - A Brief Sketch of the Garden City Cyclers. - Frank Waller Makes a New World's Record. - The Coming Century Run - Straight Spokes. - The San Francisco Call, Jun 13, 1892 (← links)
- ON TWO WHEELS. - San Francisco Chronicle, 05 Jul 1890 (← links)
- San Jose Merchants as Cyclists - San Jose Mercury-news, Volume LXXIV, Number 70, 10 March 1908 (← links)
- File:Wilbur Edwards San Francisco Chronicle Sat Apr 29 1893 .jpeg (← links)
- OUR CYCLE CHAMPIONS. - The Fastest Riders in the State. - San Francisco Chronicle, 29 Apr 1893 (← links)
- WHEN SAN JOSE’S BUSINESSMEN WERE CYCLISTS - San Jose Mercury-news, Volume LXXIV, Number 72, 12 March 1908 (← links)
- CYCLING UP TO DATE. - Farewell Banquet Tendered Wilbur J. Edwards at San Jose. - The San Francisco Examiner, 27 Jun 1894 (← links)
- CYCLERS' NEW TRACK. - Matinee at the San Jose Course. - San Francisco Chronicle, 25 Mar 1895 (← links)
- THE WHEELMEN. - The San Francisco Call, 06 Jul 1895 (← links)
- Dick Moody (← links)
- W. J. Edwards (redirect page) (← links)
- San Leandro triangle (← links)
- THE WHEELMEN. - All Ready for the Great San Jose Meet on Friday and Saturday. - The San Francisco Call, 13 Apr 1895 (← links)
- THE WHEELMEN. - The San Francisco Call, 31 Aug 1895 (← links)
- THE WHEELMEN. - The San Francisco Call, 07 Sep 1895 (← links)
- File:THE ALL CONQUERING RELAY TEAM OF THE GARDEN CITY CYCLERS. - The San Francisco Examiner Sat Apr 14 1894 .jpeg (← links)
- ECHOES OF THE RELAY RACE. - The Victorious Garden Citys and Their Speedy Men. - MIDWINTER FAIR TRACK. - San Francisco Examiner, 14 Apr 1894 (← links)
- SPEEDING WHEELMEN. - San Francisco Chronicle, 29 Apr 1894 (← links)
- THE WHEEL. - Enthusiasts Who Are Keeping in Trim for Near Future Events. - The San Francisco Call, 06 May 1894 (← links)
- BICYCLE RECORDS BROKEN. - The Annual Meet of the Capital City Wheelmen. - The San Francisco Examiner, 03 Oct 1893 (← links)
- ONE RECORD BROKEN. - Byrne Went a Half Mile at San Jose in 1:01. - The San Francisco Call - September 10, 1895 (← links)
- BYRNE MAKES A NEW RECORD. - San Francisco Examiner. September 10, 1895 (← links)
- File:Screen Shot 2023-01-01 at 8.39.56 PM.png (← links)
- THE CYCLER'S DAY - Entries for the Great Race Meeting. - RIDERS FROM INLAND TOWNS - San Francisco Call, May 21, 1893 (← links)
- AMONG THE WHEELMEN - J. B. Carey Rides the First Century. - The Question of Race Meet Dates. - San Francisco Chronicle, 26 Jan 1895 (← links)
- Wilbur Edwards (redirect page) (← links)
- CYCLERS ARE AROUSED - San Francisco Chronicle, 01 Sep 1894 (← links)
- The Wheelmen. - San Francisco Chronicle, 09 Nov 1891 (← links)
- THE WHEELMEN. - The San Francisco Call, 31 Aug 1895 (← links)
- RECORDS IN DANGER. - The Big Wheelmen's Meet To-Day. - San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Apr 1894 (← links)
- BENSON WINS THE SILVER CUP. - The San Francisco Examiner, 20 Aug 1894 (← links)
- CYCLISTS FILL THE STREETS - GATHERING FOR THE BIG MEET AT SAN JOSE - San Francisco Chronicle - September 09, 1895 (← links)
- ONE RECORD BROKEN. - Byrne Went a Half Mile at San Jose in 1:01. - The San Francisco Call - September 10, 1895 (← links)
- EVENTS AMONG THE LOCAL WHEELMEN. - San Francisco Chronicle, September 14, 1895 (← links)
- CHAT ABOUT THE CYCLE. - Growth of the Alameda Bicycle and Athletic Club. - Century Run of the Orientals - A New Club. - End of the Thousand-Mile Relay Race. - The San Francisco Call, May 23, 1892 (← links)
- WHEELMEN AT SAN JOSE. - The San Francisco Examiner - September 10, 1892 (← links)
- CYCLERS ARE AROUSED - San Francisco Chronicle, 01 Sep 1894 (← links)
- R. L. Long (← links)
- CHAT ABOUT THE CYCLE. - Organization and Growth of the Pacific Road Club. - The San Francisco Call, 27 Jun 1892 (← links)
- The Wheelmen. - San Francisco Chronicle, 09 Nov 1891 (← links)
- Wilber J. Edwards (redirect page) (← links)
- THE SPEEDY CYCLERS. - Coast Records Sure to Be Lowered. - Eastern Cracks Now on the Road. - San Francisco Chronicle, 21 Apr 1894 (← links)
- A LOS ANGELES WHEELMAN. - Fox Will Represent Southern California at the Fair Races. - The San Francisco Examiner, 28 Apr 1894 (← links)
- L. W. Fox (← links)
- THE WHEEL. - Enthusiasts Who Are Keeping in Trim for Near Future Events. - The San Francisco Call, 06 May 1894 (← links)
- CYCLING NEWS UP TO DATE. - California Champions Who Start To-Day for Denver. - The San Francisco Examiner, 28 Jul 1894 (← links)
- WITH THE WHEELMEN. - San Francisco Chronicle, 08 Jun 1895 (← links)
- OUT AMONG THE WHEELMEN. - Reliance Races Coming This Afternoon. - LIBERTY'S LADIES' ANNEX. - San Francisco Chronicle, September 07, 1895 (← links)
- CHAT ABOUT THE CYCLE. - The San Jose Road Club and Its Members. - General Interest in the Race Meets to Be Held To-Day - High Jinks in the Redwoods. - The San Francisco Call, Jul 4, 1892 (← links)
- FAST ROAD RACE. - San Jose herald, Volume LXIII, Number 105, 1 November 1897 (← links)
- H. A. Maxwell (← links)
- Rambler quad (← links)
- NEARING A MILE A MINUTE. - The San Francisco Examiner - February 11, 1895 (← links)
- THE CYCLERS. - San Jose Mercury-news, 19 June 1892 (← links)