Show Tip rip to Revolting Bike Riders From One Who Has Been Through Mill By H HARDY HARbY K Kj DOWNING Veteran bicycle rider who met all aU aUthe the good one ones ones' of ot America and foreign countries coun cotin- oun- oun tries in his day when he was considered one of the headiest riders who who ever ever rode rod a racing bike The cycle racing game which wasso was so popular Ir Iq this city for a number of years and which was was in my opinion killed by bythe tho system m of paying large bonuses bonuses bonuses bon bon- uses to certain riders has just received a jolt on the tho jaw in the East that threatens threat- threat ens to make the game take the final count in the only section of the country where this popular sport still holds the tho interest of the fans enough to make it a paying proposition The action of a number of the riders in breaking away from the N. N C. C A. A i and forming an organization of their heir own to control their end of the racing game looks like a suicidal movement to me and if they succeed overthrowing in-overthrowing the organization that has controlled the tho game game- for the past fifteen of sixteen years their success will be short lived and it will not be long before the boys who w o are making good flood money oner no now will m be e looking for other vocations From what information nas has drifted armea out this his way from the East it looks as I though the riders have broken away from th the N. N C. C A. A principally beca because s Manager John M. M Chapman for the Cycle Racing association at Newark has come out flat fiat footed and declared that there would be beno no more bonuses for Jor the very good re res reason reason s n that this system eye eye- tem tern has threatened to to kill the game there the same same as it did here and that the riders who were getting the big bonuses wen were making all the money but not giving the management or the public publican pub pub- lie lic lican an honest run for their money The Cycle Racing association said that It would put up Just as much money as ever I before but that instead of paying bonuses It would hang up the same amount of money as prizes and let the riders compete for It and the ones who were entitled to it would get the biggest part of It It This system system aye aye- tem tern would naturally be he objected to bythe by bythe bythe the boys who were getting the tho bonuses but Just why they were entitled to a bonus if It they were not riding goodenough good enough to win the money is Is' Is Ismore more than I I can figure and why a number of ridera riders riders rid rid- ers era who were not getting any bonuses could be led astray by these riders is also more than I can see The system of or putting up the money as prizes to be competed for tor would surely give the riders riders rid rid- ers era who were not drawing a bonus a better chance as they would have a 0 ashow ashow show to win it whereas before they had no possible chance at it it Another grievance or in my opinion an Imaginary one on that the riders have haveis is that they say the N. N C. C A. A IS 13 controlled controlled controlled con con- trolled by the Cycle Racing association and that the Cycle Racing association will not let the N No C C. A A A. give anyone a sanction to run races unless the Cycle Racing association runs them thereby depriving them of riding In a number of races that would be promoted b by others than th the Cycle Racing tion As I understand it this issue came cam toa to toa toa a head when the N. N C. C A. A refused to give certain Chicago promoters a sanction sane sanc tion to run a six day race there a a. hort time thus ago While I have not been closely closely close close- ly identified with the game for a few tew years and am not In a position to say whether the Cycle Racing asso association controls the N. N C. C A. A or not I do believe that the N. N C C. A A. was Justified in re refUsing refusing refusing re- re fusing to grant a a. sanction to the Chicago Chicago Chi Chi Chi- cago promoters for the six-day six races Ix in question The riders probably argue that In view of the tact fact that the Cycle Racing association or its as associates had been running races in Chicago all summer and one six-day six race this fall tall which I understand was a success financially but did not care to run another one until next fall fail there should not be any objection if It someone else wanted to promote a six-day six rape race there at this time time time-It it would be the means of dividing considerable money among them While the money that the te riders received re r re- re for tor the race Just finished there no no doubt came In handy the boys should also consider that the Cycle Racing Racin association and amI the N N. C. C A. A were the ones that made it possible for them to ride there all last summer and also opened the tho six day game there Tha ho g association Wf with the late Floyd McFarland as manager went to to Chicago two years ago and conducted a six day race at a considerable consid consid- enable erable loss financially but handled bandied the affair In such a a. manner that It looked as though the game could be made a paying venture there and succeeded in getting some local people interested These Chicago people invested a 0 great many thousand dollars i in the venture and conducted races there all last summer summer summer sum sum- mer at a heavy loss They also conducted conducted con con- ducted a six-day six race last fall which showed a a. profit of ot several thousand dollars but hut not not near as much as they had nod lost during the summer summer season season and It seems as though they were the best Judges as to whether It would be good business Judgment to run another six- six day race at this time They were the ones who took a a. chance with a a. s sum m of money that I would judge amounted to In the neighborhood of twenty ty-five ty thousand dollars t to build up up the game there Then why should some some outside promoter who has bas never Invested Invested In In- In- In vested a a. dollar In be allowed to step In at this time and promote a arace arace arace race for tor the simple reason that it if did not require the outlay y of any considerable considerable consider consider- able amount of money as all he had bad to do was to to build an indoor track which Is necessary for tor every six-day six race that is held These These promoters could have Invested their money before if they thought it was a a. good Investment but th they y waited until someone else had hod spent his time an and money to put out It on on a 0 paying basis ana anti then stepped In to re reap p the bene bane f zits fits According to the rules of the N. N C. C A. A It cannot give a sanction to but one one promoter In a city providing the parties parties par par ties who has the franchise lives up to the rules and promote a certain number num- num ben ber- berof r of races each y year H which the origInal original I inal Chicago promoters did The reason for tor this is very very apparent parent as where could a sensible business man man I be oe found who would Invest twenty or thirty thousand dollars donars In building a. a a a. I bicycle track sUch ch as was erected at I Chicago unless he was protected in some som way Every time some ing man has spent his money to put the game on a paying basis some newcomer new new- comer corner could secure o another location I build a track and open up for b siness and by offering a little more mon money y than the other fellow secure the best riders and reap the the other mans man's labor The riders would make more money for a short time but they would soon find that the goose that laid the golden egg had been trampled on The riders who have withdrawn from the N. N C. C A. A have formed a union i of f some kind and have taken the stand that the rest of or the riders will have to Join them theist or they will not be permitted to ride with them Now the Chicago race was run without the sanction of the N. N C. C A A. and the riders who competed competed competed com com- will undoubtedly be suspended by the N. N C. C A A. A so that they will not be bo permitted to ride against any of ot the boys who have remained loyal to the N. N C C. A A. This means that the riders rider are split up and unless some a agreement Is 18 reached it Is la doubtful If either cither the outlaw or r the li ones ho bo bYe havo i stood Oa byj the the- governing body will be De able to draw enough money to o keep the game going The outlaws claim they have people who will build bund tracks ina number of cities this summer summer and and run races they also threaten to build an opposition track In Newark but It It takes real money to build cycle racing plants and I 1 dont don't believe ther there are very many angels in the country who have bave twenty thousand dollars to invest in a proposition where there Is is no pr tec- tec tion other than the word of a bunch of riders who have banded together to overthrow the protection that is the very life Ute of ot the the- game If It this bunch of riders has broken away from the I N. N C. C A. A because It was trying to protect protect protect pro pro- pro pro- the men who have Invested the money in the game then where can the people who Invest their money now look for protection Of course if all the riders were to Join the outlaw movement the Cycle Racing association and the N. N C. C A A. would be put out of f Business business but would the riders find themselves any better of off S I am of the opinion that the outlaws have about all the riders that are are are- going to Jump and with Frank I L. L Kramer standing pat pat for tor the N. N N C. C A A. I can see nothing but sure failure for the boys who away as In my estimation estimation esti est mation matton that Frank L. L Kramer the greatest bicycle rider the world ever knew w Is Just Just- about the whole cycle racing game gams of America America- today Racing without him will be pretty slim pickIngs pickings pickings pick pick- ings and I ani am further convinced that Kramer will never bow bow- f to the will of this bunch of who are headed by a bunch of ot disgruntled Australian riders wh game in their own owa country and had bad to come over over here to I Iride ride or goto to work Kramer iamer amer is well fixed and can afford the g game me any time he sees fit while the majority of ot the boys who have bave bavec c cast st their lot with the outlaw movement would find themselves themselves themselves them them- selves looking for any kind of or a job to keep the wolf from the door if it they were compelled to lay idle for tor any length of time I predicted In these columns a few years ago that the bonus system would eventually kill the game In the East as it did here and was criticised by a number of ot the bonus riders for the stand I t tokI took tok o I am to say that my prediction prediction prediction pre pre- pre pre- diction Is about to come true and 1 I do donot donot donot not hesitate to predict now that while the tho outlaw m movement may win a temporary temporary tem tern victory the boys are doomed to certain defeat In the end as their success sue suc ces cess cess' at this time will mean the killing of the goose in the end It may not b be for tor a ye year r or two but I am Just jut as assure suro sure that It will eventually come as s I Iwas Iwas Iwas was about the bonus system While I am no longer Interested Inthe Inthe in inthe the cycle racing game from a financial standpoint I still have a soft spot in my heart for the game that was the them m means of ot taking me many thousands of miles over this country and Australia and giving me a a. practical education which has baa come II iri in mighty handy bandy since Father Time laid his heavy hand band on me meas meas as a cyclist and my advice to the boys is ts lo to give this matter some good hard thought before they go any farther and that they make malt amends before it is too lQ late |