THE WHEELMEN. - The San Francisco Call, 27 Apr 1895
THE WHEELMEN.
Training for the Mayday Fete in Oakland.
Latest News of Interest.
The race meet at San Jose last Friday proved to be all that had been expected of it. The races were the best ever witnessed in California; the track was exceptionally fast, in that two world's records were considerably lowered; the management was excellent - in fact, there was but one thing in that regard to mar the affair, and that was the poor accommodations accorded the press representatives. It is unsatisfactory to travel fifty miles to report a bicycle race
and have to do your writing on a single pine board full of slivers, which sagged in the middle, according to the number of people leaning or standing on it to get a better view of the races. However, the meek scribes did not object; everything else was going so smoothly they felt they had no right to complain.
The impression prevails that in the one and two mile scratch races, class B, wherein the records were lowered, whoever was first behind the tandem which did the pacemaking had the race practically won, and this is borne out by the facts, in that Bald won both events. Could he have done the same had he been in second or third place up to the time of the final sprint? Some say he was not entirely ridden out, and could have done a mite better had some one given him a harder finish. Coulter and Foster were right on top of him, almost, and he didn't win by very much to spare as it was. There it no doubt, though, that Bald is the greatest racer we have ever seen in California. I use the word "racer" advisedly, because, though others have made better time in speed trials, his record of a mile in competition at 2:04 stands as the greatest performance ever made on a wheel, and all credit should be given the plucky Buffalo lad for his wonderful speed and headwork.
There will be some excellent racing at the Mayday fete to be given for the benefit of the Fabiola Hospital Association at Oakland Trotting Park next Wednesday. With the exception of Ziegler, Harbottle and Coulter, who have gone East, and Edwards, who has retired from the track, all the cracks who rode at San Jose last week will compete. Those who could not attend the races at the latter place will have a chance to see Bald's wonderful spurt and Allan Jones' pretty riding if they witness the Oakland races. Bald may also ride at Santa Rosa on May 9.
C. S. Wells has left the Rambler team and may go East on the national circuit with the Columbia or Syracuse people, though nothing definite has yet been decided on.
The retirement of Wilbur J. Edwards has occasioned some little comment among club men, as he was a noted rider and very popular with both competitors and spectators. Joseph B. Carey, who is considered the highest cycling authority in San Jose, has the following to say about Edwards' retirement in the Mercury:
"As the case now stands, it will certainly take some strong inducement to bring about a change of his mind in this regard. Edwards announced several days before the meet that, win or lose, he would ride no more. Whether or not his love for the wheel will permit him to give up track riding altogether, is a matter of uncertainty. Edwards is noted as a rider whose fairness in a race cannot be questioned. He has never in any way resorted to trickery to win a race, although he has been defeated by such means many times. Edwards retires with the world's record for the fastest mile ever ridden on a bicycle. and the coast record for the half mile and mile."
Mr. Robert A. Smyth, the official handicapper, has announced the following as the allowances to be made the various men in next Wednesday's races at Oakland. Mr. Smyth's work at the San Jose meet was very good, and showed him to be fully in touch with the abilities of the riders. In the final heat of the one-mile handicap, class, A this was particularly apparent, when the thirteen riders who had qualified were all bunched on the back stretch; yet the track is so safe they all finished close together, at a racing speed, and not a slip occurred. Here are the handicaps for the Mayday races:
Two-mile handicap (class B) - E. C. Bald, P. C. C., scratch; W. F. Foster, O. C. W., 40 yards: W. A. Burke, A. C. W., 50; G. Osen, G. C. C., 60; C. M. Castleman, A. C. W., 70; C. S. Wells, B. C. W., 90; W. A. Terrill, B. C. W., 100; Allan Jones, G. C. C., 100; J. C. Smith, G. C. C., 160; H. C. Smith, 180; G. A. Nissen, A. C. W. 180; T. S. Hall, B. C. W., 200: R. Cushing, 225; U. W. Harvey, C. C. C., 250.
Two-mile handicap (class A) - H. F. Terrill and A. Reid, B. C. W., scratch; E. Languetin, B. C. W., M. F. Rose, A. C. W., and F. M. Byrne, I. C. C., 50 yards; J. R. Sampson, A. C. W., 55; F. A. McFarland, S. J. R. C., 90; E. W. Decker, A. C. W., 95; F. L. Day, B. C. W., and J. H. Dieckmann Jr., R. A. C., 115; C. R. Griffith, R. A. C., P. Metcalf, I. C. C., C. M. Smith, G. C. C., C. F. Lemmon, O. C. W., and S. J. McKnight, Y. M. C. A., 150.; C. D. Bates Jr., R. A. C., 155 ; W. J. Rogers, A. C. W., and P. R. Mott, A. C. W., 170; G. Navlet, S. J. R. C., 175; F. C. Heinemann, C. C. C., F. L. Cotton, R. A. C., M. Quimby, unattached, B. E. Clark, G. C. C., and S. B. Vincent, B. C. W., 190; A. M. Boyden Jr., R. A. C., and William Greaves, A. C. W., 200; G. W. Thomas, C. C. C., and F. Dieckmann, R. A. C., 225; G. F. Ames, R. A. C., and R. S. Collins, R. A. C., 250; A. H. Agnew, A. C. W., and J. J. Carroll, S. J. R. C., 270, O. B. Smith, G. C. C., 275.
One-mile handicap (class A) - H. F. Terrill and A. Reid, B. C. W., scratch; E. Languetin, B. C. W., M. F. Rose, A. C. W., and F. M. Byrne, I. C. C., 25 yards; J. R. Sampson, A. C. W., 30; E. W. Decker, A. C. W., and F. A. McFarland, S. J. R. C., 50; F. L. Day, B. C. W., and J. H. Dieckmann Jr., R. A. C., 60; S. J. McKnight, Y. M. C. A., 75; C. F. Lemmon, O. A. C., and P. Metcalf, I. C. C., C. R. Griffith, R. A. C., C. D. Bates Jr., R. A. C., and C. M. Smith, G. C. C. 80; E. V. Navlet, A. C. W., H. L. Day, B. C. W., W. J. Rogers, A. C. W., P. R. Mott, A. C. W., and G. Navlet, S. J. R. C., 90; B. E. Clark, G. C. C., F. C. Heineman, G. C. C., F. L. Cotton, R. A. C., J. C. Williamson, A. C. W., A. M. Boyden Jr., R. A. C., W. T. Blakeley, R. A. C., G. J. Dinwiddie, unattached, M. Quimby, unattached, S. B. Vincent, B. C. W., A. L. Bedbury, A. C. W., A. R. Pickard, A. C. W., and Percy Deacon, Y. M. C. A., 100; B. H. Elford, A. C. W., 110; A. W. Kitchen, O. H. S., G. W. Brouillet, A. C. W., and C. D. Gooch, Y. M. C. A., 120: G. W. Thomas, C. C, C., A. Kanzee, B. C. W., and F. Dieckmann, R. A. C., 125; G. H. Hansen, A. C. W., and R. S. Collins, R. A. C., 130; B. F. Belden, unattached, A. H. Agnew, A. C. W., and J. J. Carroll, S. J. R. C., 140; A. K. Belden, U. C., and O. B. Smith, G. G. C., 150.
The Outing Road Club have placed the limit of their members at twenty-five. They received three new members at their meeting last Monday night, and will soon be up to the limit. The next regular run, which will be on Sunday, April 28, will be to Centerville.
Charles Frazier, the crack rider from Oregon, will try for class A records at Stanford next week.
A ladies' cycling club has been organized at Petaluma, which modestly commences with a membership of nine, but will doubtless flourish to much greater proportions shortly. The charter members are: Misses Florence Mauzy, Georgie Graves, Anna L, Codding, Lena Hall, Jennie Pierce, Lizzie Camm, Daisy and May Gray.
The Channel City Bicycle Club of Santa Barbara had intended to hold races this month, but have abandoned the idea, as there are too many events hereabouts for the local riders to travel that far.
Tom W. Winder, editor of the Warsaw (Ind.) Wasp, who is endeavoring to ride around the coast and border line of the United States on a wheel in 300 consecutive days, a daily average of 72 miles, crossing 33 States and Territories, 220 counties, visiting 2984 cities, towns and villages en route, will arrive at San Jose to-day, and will no doubt be with us Sunday or Monday. He started from New Orleans March 14 last. He is acting as a correspondent for a syndicate of papers on his ride. This trip is the longest ever undertaken in this country, and Mr. Winder seems to be getting along finely and well within schedule time.
The California Cycling Club will hold another club mile race at Central Park at 9 A. M. to-morrow. The club will also turn out in full force in the parade to be held in Oakland next Tuesday night. Captain Burke has called a club run to Santa Cruz, leaving the clubrooms next Saturday afternoon, May 4, at 5:80 P. M.
The San Jose Road Club will hold another of its five-mile road races over the course in East San Jose to-morrow morning for the silver cup trophy. McFarland and Belloli will endeavor to lower Edwards' coast record of 13 min. 10 sec., made April 18, from San Mateo to San Carlos.
The following are the officers and members of the Redwood City Wheelmen: President, Frank P. Wentworth; vice-president, W. J. Kelting: treasurer, L. P. Behrens; secretary, Dan R. Stafford; captain, Dr. J. L. Ross; lieutenant, W. J. Lovie.
The following have signed the roll:
Dr. J. L. Ross, C. Peterson, A. D. Walsh. George Hansen, Frank Granger, Carl Beeger, L. P. Behrens, J. J. Ley, W. J. Thatcher, C. Madsen, W. J. Plump, W. J. Kelting, C. B. Barton, D. H. Ross, J. Small, M. Praeder, Dan R. Stafford, Charles Kreiss, Frank Wentworth, A. Torres, Will J. Lovie, A. W. Picken, W. H. V. King, Merton F. Hughes, Charles Eckart, John W. Poole, C. D. Robertson, F. S. Cooley, Carl Allen, W. H. Lipp Jr., M. Wohlenberg, W. Jamieson.
The crack clay pigeon shots of the Garden City Cyclers will meet those of the Gilroy Sportsmen's Protective Association today at the latter place, in a contest for a trophy.
As already announced, the Olympics go to Mill Valley to-morrow on the 9 o'clock Sausalito ferry.
The Imperials will bold a ten-mile road race probably the second Sunday in May.
The Camera Club Cyclists will hold their regular meeting next Thursday evening at their rooms in the Academy of Sciences building. This club bids fair to be one of the strongest in this City, as it will have a large membership and many attractions for the members.
Pictures of two very prominent and popular cyclists are this week produced, George P. Wetmore and Edwin E. Stoddard. Mr. Wetmore has been associated with cycling since 1889, and has taken an active interest in its development. He is full of good ideas, has opinions of his own which he is not afraid to express, and is looked upon as an authority in all matters pertaining to the sport. He is noted as the most accurate timer of a race in California. Mr. Stoddard is now engaged in the cycle trade, representing a large Eastern house. He was at one time quite prominent as a racer here and held several coast records, both on the track and the road. He is popular with every one, and can talk bicycling from any standpoint.
To-day, if the weather permits, Casey M. Castleman and W. A. Burke, the racers from Southern California, will try for records on the San Jose track. Burke is after short distance records, while Castleman will go for the American record for twenty-five miles and also for the one hour record. If the pacing is good he should succeed, as he is known to be a splendid long-distance racer.
