Big Wheels - Fifty-Mile Bicycle Race - The Knave - Sun, Nov 18, 1951 - Page 73 - Oakland Tribune

Knave Sun, Nov 18, 1951 – Page 73 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) · Newspapers.com

Big Wheels

Alex Rosborough continues his story of early-day athletes. Last week he told of yachting and crew competition. In step with these, other athletic activities came; the old time velocipede had developed into the big wheel bicycle, with its little wheel following behind (and even a reverse of this principle, in one called the "Star") and its introduction so successful that many bicycle clubs were being organized, like the Bay City Wheelmen, of San Francisco, and the Highland Park Wheelmen, of Oakland, and competition between the best riders in these clubs was very keen, which resulted in the arrangement of a 50-mile race, between the two, from Gilroy through San Jose to Palo Alto to be ridden by four men picked from each club, and the club winning to be determined by the total points obtained, on the basis of eight points for first man to arrive in Palo Alto, seven points for second, etc.: the prize: a big dinner, at Palo Alto, at the close of the race. 

Fifty-Mile Bicycle Race

"There were no paved highways in those days, in some places the best to be had was a macadamized road, but the jump between these stretches was far. The members picked by the Highland Park Wheelmen were J. P. Churchill, who rode a 56-inch diameter wheel; Alex Ireland, with a 54; Alex J. Rosborough a 54 and Frank Blinn a 52; while the Bay City Wheelman had selected a big and powerful-legged rider named Elwell, who rode a 58-inch wheel, (and as I remember Cooke, [Cook] Zeigler and Davis), each riding a 54. The general opinion seemed to be that Elwell would capture first place, but the Oakland boys figured that even if he did they could win on points. So the riders went away from Los Gatos to a good start and humping over the handlebars, got into the long grind. All went well as the big wheels pinged over a rock or a rough spot, until approaching San Jose, when Churchill, who was pressing Elwell hard, hit a rough spot and grounded. He waved all on, calling out that he was not hurt, and made his way to a watering trough to wash the blood out of his eyes, and then, though out of the race, came on to join at the fine banquet. When the jolly fine banquet was finished, Churchill, Blinn and Rosborough rode back to San Jose and then back to Oakland, making it 120 miles for the day,"