ON THE WHEEL

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 468, 13 July 1899, Page 4

ON THE WHEEL

[_By

Cyolos.]

Harry Elkes, the holder of the American hour record and famous long-distance rider, recently beat McFarland and Freeman in a half-mile dash. He is said to be going in for short-distance racing. F. A. McFarland, the American rider, put up a two-mile world’s record, at Washington, on May 24, in his heat. He rode the distance in 4min 8 3-ssec, thus lowering Bald’s record of 4min 9sec. On the same day Fournier, the French cyclist, rode a mile on a motor cycle in Imin 31 l-ssec.

The other day an inciden t which caused much comment occurred at an American racing track. A colored rider who came out to take his place was requested to go back, as the American Racing Cyclists’ Union barred colored riders. Afterwards th.e Union officials allowed the darkies to ride, as they recognised that the men had spent time and money preparing for the races.

At Washington, on May 20, a performance was put up which will stand for some time as the fastest mile ever paced by three men only. Bald, Mertens, and Gardiner succeeded each other for this mile, and placed the figures at Imin 55sec, but two-fifths of a second slower than the mile which the six men rode at Louisville pacing and pacing about. The beauty of the ride was the fact that none of the men had prepared for such a performance, and it came in the regular course of training and after three miles had been ridden in 2min 1 Osec, 2min 6sec, and 2min 4sec respectively. Bald took the first lap of the last mile with a score of men hanging on behind him. He did 39sec, and there were fewer men left. Mertens succeeded Bald and demonstrated his fitness for warm competitive work by doing 38sec, and Gardiner, who has trained but a week, shot out to the lead in the final lap. When he did 38sec, the entire mile clocked up just Imin 55sec. The “Spirit of the Times” thus bewails over Bill Martin : —“Again and again have the racing men warned “Plugger Bill” Martin in pastyears, that the tying of his feet to the pedals so securely that they could not be loosened was suicidal and that one of these days would see him in the hospital. Poor Martin is now there. They t aid that his time would come, and it did come. He strapped his feet to the pedals over at Sydney, April 15, in the half-mile handicap. He was after his fourth win of the meet, and when Martin is out to win, it is a case of ride on the part of every man against him. The old man is forty if a day, and very strong. He rides a large gear, 107 last year, and pulls and shoves on the pedals. He was doing so at Sydney when two other riders clashed and threw him. He struck the fence and bounded from the board like a spring. His feet had been tied. He could not loosen them. When they picked him up unconscious three ribs broken, his hip frightfully gouged, the muscles of his back torn and his jaw fractured, they found he was also injured internally and now he lays in the hospital where he will probably be for months. His engagements for a lucrative season have been cancelled and four months mry be necessary to bring him round again. “I told him so” was what one-half the racing men said at Washington when

shown the report and all added, “Poor Plugger Bill; he was a good fellow/’ or words to that effect. Martin was popular the world round, for this was his third trip round the world, all on cycle racing bent. Martin returned to the L. A, W. down in South Africa, but wrote the Union men that his heart was still in the right place and would remain so until his return.” [lt will be cheering to New Yorkers to know that Martin got over those “fearfuf injuries,” and was riding again inside a month.] “ Major” Taylor, who at the close of last season in the States made such phenomenal times, and lowered classic records, upon a Sager chainless wheel, is again about to start to beat Time, and with the same gear. His salary as a record-breaker is £5OO a year, plus bonuses when he happens to beat the scythe-bearer. George B. Webber, a tourist rider, of Toledo, U.S.A., has secured the National American road record for ’9B by riding 38,278 miles during the year. Harry Reynolds, the amateur champion cyclist, who turned professional and raced in Australia last season, is again in trouble. Some time ago Reynolds secured a verdict against the Enfield Co. for £lB3 and costs in connection with his visit to Australia on their behalf. This verdict has been recently upset, and Reynolds will have to pay the piper. The Irish amateur cycling body, owing to recent disclosures, also threaten to sue him for the return of money paid for his expenses as an amateur when in reality Reynolds was a professional. W. Martin is at present in Charters Towers, where he raced on the 24th inst. His future movements are uncertain, as he will need to appear as a witness against Corbett when called upon by the Crown. Should the case be put off until the next session, Martin will race in Queensland for a while, and then run across to W.A. about September, returning to Melbourne for the Austral Wheel race.

In the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, there are eighty-four cycle dealers and repair men. Of these, no less than 73 have formed themselves into an association, having for its object the establishment of a schedule and price list for all kinds and conditions of repairs. A. Richardson, the W.A. cyclist whois now proceeding round the Australian coast line, starting from Perth and riding northwards towards Geraldton and Port Darwin, and then southwards via Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, to Perth, is a thorough mechanic, and has ridden a bicycle for some years. He reckons that the journey will take about six months His machine weighs 561bwith all on, and is a 24-inch frame Beeston Humber with cotter pin lugs. The machine is geared to 80in, the cranks 65 inches. The tyres are the new Dunlop Multiflex. Richardson is an old “ special” rider round the goldfields, and is accounted a good bushman. Porta did very well goldmining, and is now a full-blown bookmaker driving a roaring trade. Platt-Betts and Bouhours met at the Crystal Palace to decide their match for the Century Cup. About 40,000 people were present. Bouhours led at two miles, and went clean away, increasing his advantage to seven laps at the finish, and beating British record from 34 miles and world’s record from 90 kilos to the finish. Bouhours during the first hour covered 33 miles, the first 30 miles he did in Ih Imin 52sec, 50 miles in lh 31min 62 miles in lh 54min 20 2-ssec. New British records were established from 55 kilometres in lh 2min and world’s record from 90 kilometres, which distance was covered in lh 42min 57 3-ssec, and 100 kilometres in lh 54min 35sec, against Taylor’s lh 57min 10£sec. I notice, writes “ Prodigal” in the Sydney lleferee, that the Council of the N.Z A.A.A. has decided to meet a deputation from the League of N Z. Wheelmen “ to discuss the subject of the future government of amateur cycling in the colony.” The N.Z.AA.A. will be repre-

sented. by Dr. Jennings, Mr J F Grierson, and Mr P. Selig —three good and true amateurs. Presumably the N.Z.A.A.A. has consented to accede to the wishes of the League for a conference as a matter of courtesy. Still, I fancy the Association would have done more wisely had it declined to recognise the League in any way in connection with amateur cycling. Recognise the League as the governing body of professional cycling by all manner of means, and work amicably with them as such, but decline to discuss amateur cycling with them whilst the Alliance lives. This may appear an uncompromising attitude to take up, but I am convinced that it is the right one. This conference move on the part of the League is made with an object, and the N.Z.A. A.A. must remember that the latest scheme of forming mixed athletic and cycling clubs with cash the reward for winning instead of trophies, is just as much a move against the Association as against the' Alliance. In the game of check and checkmate now going on, the N.Z.A.A.A. should never forget that the avowed object of certain League wirepullers and Press partisans is to wipe the floor with the Alliance —and anyone who stands in the way, too, seemingly.

George Sutherland, New Zealand’s champion rider, has finally made up his mind to try his luck in Australia, and left for Melbourne on Thursday last. Since Sutherland came over from the West Coast over two years ago, and won the New Zealand Wheel Race at Christchurch, he has won more races and more stake money than any rider in New Zealand. After seeing him ride, I had no hesitation in saying that he was one of the very best in the land, and I was not slow in recommending him to leave New Zealand and meet the champion of Australia. “Suthy” has now left us, and cyclists throughout both islands will, I am sure, join me in wishing him many successes against the great riders now in Australia.

The League is still persisting in calling itself the governing body of cycling in New Zealand, and even goes so far as to announce this in the columns of its official organ. For misrepresentation, consummate cheek and underhand methods, the League certainly is entitled to take a high .position. Let me once more tell the League that it only governs cash cycling in New Zealand, and that the New Zealand Cyclists’ Alliance governs amateur cycling. I will persist in letting the cycling public know this until the mighty League drops calling itself the “ governing body of cycling in New Zealand.” The idea of the League even attempting to govern amateur cycling is all bunkum. What has the League done for amateur cycling in New Zealand ? Absolutely nothing. It has over 900 cash riders, and about 60 amateurs In Christchurch, where the League has its headquarters, there is not a single League Amateur. And yet the League has the audacity to style itself the governing body of cycling in New Zealand. It is about time sports bodies outside New Zealand were informed of the true state of affairs.

The Cyclists’ Alliance, one of the oldest sports bodies in the world, has always governed amateur cycling in New Zealand ; it has never disbanded; it has never attempted to cater for the cash rider in any shape or form ; it has always upheld and stuck to the principles of amateurism; it is recognised by the Australian unions as the governing body of cycling in this part of the world ; and although it has lost several of its clubs, it intends to still carry out the objects for which it was formed many years ago, i.e., the promotion of amateur cycling in New Zealand.

At the present time the Alliance has six clubs affiliated to it, including the Auckland Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club and the Pioneer Bicycle Club (Christchurch). These two clubs are the oldest, strongest (financially and otherwise), and most influential sports clubs in New Zealand. Before the next cycling season is far advanced it is expected that the Alliance will have added more clubs to its roll Lancaster Park (Christchurch), admittedly the finest sports ground in New Zealand, has been enlarged, and the company controlling it contemplates effecting several improvements as soon as the winter is over. At the annual meeting of the company the balance-sheet showed that the receipts for the year amounted to £874. The principal items of revenue

were: — Football £169, cycling £231, cricket £136, trotting £l6O, lawn tennis £52, athlatics £29. It will be seen that cycling is the sport that pays best.