THE WHEELMEN. - The San Francisco Call, 21 Sep 1895

From Wooljersey

THE WHEELMEN.

The Bay City Wheelmen's Five-Mile Road Race To-Morrow.

CLUB EVENTS TO-MORROW.

Acme Club Wheelmen - To Park.
Bay City Wheelmen - Road race Haywards.
California Cycling Club - To Bolinas.
"Call" Bicycle Club - To Park.
Diamond Cycling Club - To Park.
Golden Gate Cycling Club - To Park.
Imperial Cycling Club - Blind run.
Liberty Cycling Club - To Park.
Outing Road Club - To Haywards. Pacific Cycling Club - To Camp Taylor.
Petaluma Wheelmen - To Park.
San Francisco Road Club - To Park.

Road racing still continues popular with the cycling clubs, and while there is not much to see at the finish of one except a dozen or more men riding through a gauntlet of wheelmen, usually in Indian file, separated anywhere by from one to 100 yards, still the riders like to be there and talk it over and make up amateur Paris mutuals on the possible winners. There were two road races last Sunday, both finishing at Haywards. This afternoon, at 3 o'clock, the cyclers of the Young Men's Christian Association will hold a five-mile event from San Mateo to San Carlos, for which there are ten entries, who, with their handicaps, are: J. E. Edwards, scratch; J. Sims, 1 min.; F. Hancock, 1-1/2 min.; J. Keller, 1-1/2 min.; F. Stackpole, 1-3/4 min.; P. Burr, 1-3/4 min.; F. Crowell, 2 min.; B. Waterman, 2 min.; J. D. Cardinell, 2-1/4 min; F. Kahn, 2 min. Of these riders, Edwards, the scratch man, is by far the best, and should make fast time, as he is a very speedy man both on track and road. Sims, Hancock and Burr may be looked to for fast riding, while the others are all well trained and with the handicapping should stand about an even chance. The time prizes will be gold and silver medals, and there are four valuable place prizes as well.

The Bay City Wheelmen will hold a five-mile handicap road race to-morrow over the San Leandro-Haywards course. There are twenty-five entries, whose names were exclusively published in THE CALL last Monday. The handicaps have not yet been announced, but will be made up to-night. A club run has been called to witness the race, leaving on the 9 A. M. creek-route boat. In announcing this run by postal, the secretary facetiously says: "This will be the first run under command of our newly elected captain, Sanford Plummer, and it is the duty of all Bay Citys to turn out and show him that we appreciate a good thing," a somewhat questionable compliment to Mr. Plummer.

Harry Larkin of the Bay Citys, whose terrible fall was mentioned in THE CALL Thursday, is still unconscious, and but little hope is entertained for his recovery. Should he pass away at any hour before the road race, it will be immediately called off, as will several other contemplated trips and entertainments the club had in prospect.

The date of the proposed theater party for the benefit of the California Associated Cycling Clubs is announced for Thursday evening, October 3. The Columbia Theater has been secured and the play will be "The Magistrate," a light comedy, thoroughly suited to the occasion. It will be presented by the Dixey-Barrymore-Stockwell-Coghlan troupe of players, whose names are a sufficient guarantee of the excellence of the performance. All of the prominent clubs will take blocks of seats, the Olympics and Bay Citys alone requiring over 300, San Jose and Oakland will be well represented, particularly the latter city, whence the Acme and Reliance clubs will come over in a body. The box-office will be open for the sale of tickets next Monday. Full particulars may be had of Secretary J. F. Hancock, at his office in the Nucleus building. The profits from the sale of tickets will go toward the purchase of valuable prizes for the association's annual ten-mile road race around the San Leandro triangle on October 13, which will be the greatest cycling road event since the 100-mile relay race in April.

To-morrow the Pacific Cycling Club will ride to Camp Taylor, taking the 8 A. M. boat.

THE CALL Bicycle Club will meet tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock at Trueworthy's cyclery, on Fulton street, near D. After the meeting, at which uniforms, clubrooms, etc., are to be discussed, the club will have a run through the park, and if only half of the seventy-four members turn out, they will make a big showing.

To-morrow the Golden Gate Cycling Club of this city and the Diamond Cycling Club of Alameda will have a joint run through the park. A large attendance from both clubs is expected.

Captain Maass and Lieutenant Quadt of the Golden Gates have just returned from a trip through the San Joaquin Valley. The recent rains made_the roads in some instances very bad. From Stockton to Sacramento it was impossible to ride the road, so for a distance of thirty miles they were compelled to ride the narrow path alongside the railroad track. Nevertheless they both declare they had a jolly time and an interesting trip.

The Outing Road Club will hold a run to Haywards to-morrow to witness the finish of the Bay City Wheelmen's road race. Last night the club held a smoker for members only at the clubrooms on O'Farrell street. N. Brown of this club, who was thrown in the road race last Sunday, had his left shoulder dislocated and will not be able to ride again for some little time.

Henry L. Day, George Dyer and George H. Newman of the Bay City Wheelmen, who went East with California Commandery, Knights Templar, of which they are members, have returned after a most delightful trip. They did some little wheeling while in New England and New York.

The Liberty Cycling Club has a run called for the park to-morrow, while the ladies' annex will ride to Camp Taylor. The latter body is composed of some of the best riders in the City, and their appearance together awheel is particularly interesting. The Libertys have moved into their new quarters on Folsom street, and a house-warming is proposed for the near future.

Next Friday evening, at Metropolitan Temple Charles Albert Adams, president of the Camera Club cyclists, will deliver an interesting lecture in his inimitable style, entitled "With Wheel and Camera Through the Switzerland of America," illustrated by a great many slides made from snapshots taken by himself, Professor J. J. B. Argenti, H. C. Owens and Byron D. Bent during their recent trip through that section. A few of the slides were shown at the Camera Club rooms last evening by Mr. Adams, and as a forerunner of what is to be expected at the big lecture, they promise exceedingly well. Tickets for Mr. Adams' lecture may be obtained from any member of the Camera Club, admission being free, as is invariably the case with all the club's entertainments. The Bay City Wheelmen will attend the lecture in a body, to applaud vociferously when any pictures by their fellow-member, Bent, are shown. The Californias will be there to do the same for Argenti, and Mr. Adams may depend upon the Olympics and the Camera Club for his enthusiasm. He is a particularly interesting speaker, and a very pleasant evening's entertainment is in store for those fortunate enough to secure tickets.

Al Jarman of the Garden City Cyclers went East last Monday night. He will go on the National circuit for a few weeks, joining his clubmate, J. E. Alexander, and Charles S. Wells and the Terrill brothers of the Bay City Wheelmen. Later on he will go to Ann Arbor, Mich., where he proposes to attend college for a few terms.

Captain Burke will lead the members of the California Cycling Club to Bolinas tomorrow, starting on the 8 o'clock Sausalito boat and taking the train to Ross station. A week from to-morrow there will be a run to Centerville.

Horace B. Sperry of the Bay City Wheelmen was married last evening to Miss Mitschler of Oakland. They have gone to Coronado for their honeymoon, and upon their return will reside on Pacific Heights. Mr. Sperry was secretary and a director of the Bay Citys for several years, and became very popular with the members. He is connected with the Sperry Flour Company. The bride is a charming brunette resident across the bay and has many friends.

The racing board of the league has issued its bulletin, No. 21, dated September 19, 1895, as follows:

SANCTIONS GRANTED.

September 14, Lowell High School Cycling Club, San Francisco.
September 17, San Bernardino Wheelmen, San Bernardino,
September 19, 20 and 21, Napa Cycling Club, Napa City.
October 1, 3 and 4, Fresno Trotting Association, Fresno,
October 12, Young Men's Christian Association, Los Angeles.

PACIFIC COAST RECORDS ACCEPTED.

One-quarter mile, flying start, paced, class A, E. A. Moody, Eureka, Cal., July 20, 1895, :27.
Half-mile, flying start, paced, class A, B. L. Waite, Eureka, Cal., July 20, 1895, 1:03 3-5.
Half-mile, competition, unpaced, class A, E. A. Moody, Eureka, Cal., July 20, 1895, 1:07 4-5.
Half-mile, competition, paced, class A, F. M. Byrne, San Jose, Cal., September 9, 1895, 1:01.
Two-thirds of a mile, competition, unpaced, class B, W. F. Foster, San Jose, Cal., September 9, 1895, 1:28 1-5.
One-mile tandem, flying start, unpaced, class A, D. E. Whitman and F. A. McFarland, Eureka, Cal., July 22, 1895, 2:12.
One-mile tandem, competition, class A, R. E. Dow and C. M. Smith, San Jose, Cal., September 9, 1895, 2:11 4-5.

SUSPENDED.

For pacing a female rider at unsanctioned races, 17th inst., W. Jamison and Joseph Macabee of San Jose are suspended for an indefinite period at the pleasure of the board.
The attention of race promoters is called to the recent ruling of the board, that orders for merchandise to be selected by the winners will not be allowed as prizes. The articles offered as prizes must be distinctly specified, on programmes and the identical articles so specified, and nothing in their stead, delivered to the winners.

Representative National Racing Board.

Captain Humphreys, the newly elected captain of the Acme Wheelmen, has called a run of his club to the park to-morrow, and the Acmes, noted for their propensity to turn out en masse on all runs, will probably be spread out all over the people's pleasure ground before the day is over. You will know them by the emblem of a winged acorn, usually in white on a black sweater. They'll all be out there except ex-Captain Kitchen, who goes to Haywards to referee the Bay Citys' road race.

The San Francisco Road Club has a run called to the beach to-morrow, when they will be accompanied by the Petaluma Wheelmen. All will assemble at the clubhouse, 720 Golden Gate avenue, at 10 A. M. The members are actively training for the club road race next Sunday, and expect to make fast time.

The present cycling season, which is now more than two-thirds completed, has demonstrated more conclusively than any of its predecessors that the simpler the construction of the bicycle and its equipment the more practical is its utility. This feature is particularly noticeable with pneumatic tires, and where a comparison is made between the light, resilient single-tube products of to-day, which are without a doubt the most practical of all tires, and the heavy, complicated tires of previous seasons, the progress made in the manufacture of these indispensable features of the cyclist's comfort is shown with startling distinctness. The simpler the tire the better, and the single tube idea is the living embodiment of this axiom.

One hears some funny things occasionally when riding by or behind other wheelmen. I was going out the avenue Thursday night toward one of the clubs, and as it was windy I tacked on behind two riders who were going at a pretty fast clip, so they might pull me through. They were talking and I could not help overhearing the following: Say, Bill, did you hear about Foster's new half-mile mark at Napa to-day?" "No," replied William, "what was it?" "Fifty and four-fifths." "My, but that's fast; who were the timers?" "Oh, Varney and Dick Aylward, I guess." "I thought as much. Did they 'sight' him from scratch at the half-mile pole?" "I reckon yes." "Well, what I'm surprised at is that they didn't give out his time as ten seconds faster." At this point I rode ahead to see who they were, and will you believe me, they were Olympics. I nearly fell off my wheel from astonishment. Truly they were wise beyond my expectations.

Captain Catanich will lead the Imperial Cycling Club on a blind run to-morrow for which he promises some new features, but that old-time and popular feature established by years of precedent of a hearty well-prepared dinner at the end of ride will positively not be overlooked. The club's new quarters at 614 Van Ness avenue are very homelike and the club is adding new members at every meeting, H. C. Henning, W. J. Strange, A. Windt, P. Morrin, H. N. Sessions, E. Leglise, D. J. Williamson, F. A. Bidemann and F. J. Driscoll being the latest additions to the roll.

Floyd A. McFarland of the San Jose Road Club, who has been appropriately dubbed the “California Zimmerman," is known as one of the greatest handicap class A racers on the coast. He is very tall and sinewy and rides at a speed which soon brings him up with the limit men, for he is always placed on the scratch with Byrne, Terrill, Whitman and the other class A cracks. He suffered a bad fall at Petaluma some weeks ago, but soon recovered and has been riding this week at Napa. With a little more training and experience he will be eligible to class B and will easily hold his own with the best of them.