4 86 



RECREA TIOJST. 



the owners of the principal cycle race tracks 

 of the country. Then, professional racing 

 men are no longer employed for advertis- 

 ing purposes, by the bicycle manufacturers, 

 except in a few cases, the track associations 

 having formed large teams of their own. 

 There are 3 principal associations of this 

 kind, respectively known as the National 

 Cycle Track Association, the American 

 Cycle Racing Association, and the Inter- 

 national Cycle Track Association, each of 

 which has secured a number of stars of the 

 first magnitude in the cycling firmament, 

 to represent it on the track. Each man ex- 

 cels in some particular style of racing, such 

 as sprint events, middle distance match 

 races, or long distance competition work. 



Until little Jimmy Michael, the middle 

 distance champion of America, came to the 

 United States last year and awakened the 

 public here to the beauties and excitement 

 of paced match races of 15 to 33 miles, the 

 most popular events run in this country 

 were sprint races of a quarter mile to one 

 mile, and handicaps of one, 2 and 5 miles. 

 But this is all changed now, and a meet 

 promoter knows that if he wants to attract 

 a big crowd he must advertise a middle 

 distance match race, between 2 world-fa- 

 mous riders, to be paced by triplets, quads, 

 and quintuplets. So popular has this kind 

 of racing become that one of the above as- 

 sociations has arranged a special circuit to 

 be followed by its team in such events, and 

 a number of our own best short distance 

 racing men began training last fall for mid- 

 dle distance work — notably, John S. John- 

 son, Arthur Gardiner, E. A. McDuffie, 

 Fred Titus, and others. Now we have a 

 large aggregation of such talent including, 

 in addition to the above, Tom Linton, Karl 

 Kaser, Henri Cissac, Lartigue and other 

 foreigners, so that this is sure to be the 

 prominent feature of cycle racing in '98. 



Another striking point about cycle rac- 

 ing, this season, is the immigration of so 

 many foreign crackajacks who have given 

 good accounts of themselves in their native 

 lands. Through the efforts of special repre- 

 sentatives of American tracks some of the 

 best riders of England, and the continental 

 countries of Europe, were secured. The 

 list includes such well known names asf 

 Chinn, Chase, Fulford and Wheelock, of 

 England; Tom Linton and W. Michael, of 

 Wales; O'Connor, of Ireland; the Jallu 

 brothers, Gougoltz and Lamberjack, E. 

 Taylore, Piette, Cissac and Lartigue, of 

 France; Pontecchi, Tomasseli, and Pas- 

 sim, of Italy; Jaap Eden, of Holland, Lehr, 

 of Germany, Kaser of Switzerland, and 

 others. 



The coming of these men constitutes the 

 greatest invasion of a country, by foreign 

 racing men, that has ever occurred in the 

 history of the sport, with the possible ex- 



ception of the assembling of the champions 

 of Europe at the international champion- 

 ships run every year. Their presence will 

 add an international flavor to race meets 

 this summer that will greatly increase the 

 attractions of the track. 



Filler — I suppose you think war is a sort 

 of a picnic? 



Bowles — Oh, dear, no; not that horrible. 

 — Cincinnati Enquirer. 



The Excelsior Cycle Club of New York, 

 will give a Century Run, on June 19th. 

 The course selected is to Oakdale, Long 

 Island, and return. 



A prize valued at $20 is offered to the 

 Club entering the greatest number of riders 

 over 25. This prize will be left to the se- 

 lection of the winners. 



There will be a fast and a slow division. 

 The slow will be divided into 2 sections, 

 and among the pace makers, will be 4 

 ladies, members of the Club. It is hoped 

 this feature will be the means of inducing a 

 large number of ladies to enter the run.* 



The Captain of the Excelsior Cycle Club 

 is Count A. de Julio. 



Entry blanks for the run can be obtained 

 from Dr. J. P. Burke, 157 Lexington 

 Avenue. Entrance fee $1. 



Senior Partner — We must discharge that 

 traveller of ours. He told one of our cus- 

 tomers I was a fool. 



_ Junior Ditto — I'll see him at once and in- 

 sist upon his keeping the firm's secrets. — 

 Boston Traveller. 



It is said that a strong solution of potash 

 is good to remove enamel from a bicycle 

 frame. It should be left in about 12 hours 

 and then washed. Another rider recom- 

 mends soda, and still another advises put- 

 ting the frame in a boiling solution of 

 caustic soda, letting it stand over night, and 

 heating it up again in the morning, before 

 taking it out. The enamel wi41 then rub 

 off. Keep hands and tires away from these 

 solutions'. 



Harlie — That's a wonderful doctor. 

 Herbie — You bet he is. I swallowed a 

 nickel an' he made me cough up $2. 



Secretary Bassett's report for 1897 shows 

 an increase in the membership of the L. A. 

 W. from 72,879 to 102,636. 



There are still in the League 21 (over 16 

 per cent.) of those who founded the organi- 

 zation, at Newport in 1880. 



*The Editor would be glad if no lady will enter this or 

 any other century run, this season or at any future time. 



