THE WHEELMEN. - The Napa Register, 25 Oct 1889
THE WHEELMEN.
A Big Time for Napa on Thanksgiving Day.
The official organ of California Division, L. A. W., has this to say concerning a coming event:
“The all-absorbing topic among local wheelmen just now, notwithstanding the fact that a professional race will take place here next week, is the tournament at Napa on Thanksgiving day, under the auspices of the Vineyard Valley Wheelmen of that city and the Bay City Wheelmen of San Francisco. The following is the list of events as arranged committee:
1. One-mile novice.
2. Quarter-mile dash.
3. One-mile safety novice.
4. Three-mile handicap.
5. One-mile safety scratch.
6. One-mile scratch.
7. Five-mile handicap.
8. Two-mile handicap.
The list is varied enough to suit all riders, and a large number has already begun training for the purpose of entering. Entries will close on Saturday night, November 23rd, at the Bay City Club-rooms at 230 Van Ness avenue.
There will be a parade of wheelmen through the streets of Napa in the morning, races at the Fair Grounds in the afternoon and an entertainment and dance at the pavilion in the evening. The Napa wheelmen are very enthusiastic in the sport and promise a good time to all visiting wheelmen.
The Garden City Wheelmen of San Jose, who have been very successful in carrying off prizes at all the tournaments given this year, will enter several new men besides Julius and Henry Smith and Al. Col, each of whom has won two or more prizes during the year.
The Oak Leaf Wheelmen of Stockton have Hickinbotham, Southworth and Wulff to sustain the honors of the green and gold.
Plummer, Hammer, Gilmour, Hodgkins, Doane, Langton, English, Richardson, Turner, Cox, Wetmore, Ray, Siebe, Rowell, and probably a number of others will represent the Bay City Wheelmen on the track.
Richardson will enter the three and the five-mile handicap, as will also Julius Smith of San Jose. It will be remembered that Smith beat Richardson in a three-mile race and Richardson beat Smith in a five-mile race last April. Considerable interest is felt as regards the comparative ability of the two men.
The Safety novice, will afford an opportunity for the many new riders of that style of machine.
Townsend, Haas and Lakeman of the University Wheelmen, will probably enter one or more events. Many consider Haas the fastest man on the coast. He is certainly a most promising one. Townsend and Lakemen have both won prizes during the year.
Oakland's newly organized club should be able to produce some good men on the track.
It is to be hoped that Davis and Wheaton, of the San Francisco Bicycle Club, will enter. Davis will never be satisfied until he holds the Coast record, which is now 2:47. The heat prevented his breaking it at Stockton on the Fourth of July. Everything will be in his favor, however, this time, and with such men as Hickinbotham, Haas, Southworth, Wheaton and Plummer in the race the record ought to fall considerably.
Unless Shockley returns from Nevada his safety records will probably be taken from him.
Taken altogether the races promise to be most interesting and successful, and the tournament a fitting wind-up for the year's events. Those who have won laurels will endeavor to maintain them and those who have not will endeavor to attain them.
