THE WHEEL.
Probable Contestants for the District Championships.
The decision arrived at by the division at its annual meeting last Saturday night to send the winners of the one and three mile division championships to the national meet at Niagara Falls will have the effect of greatly increasing the interest in racing, which, it must be confessed, has rather languished of late. Already there are a dozen men who have their minds made up to go East at the division's expense, and members of the league on this Coast may be very sure of witnessing two exciting races on the 4th of next July at San Jose.
The San Francisco Club has in Davis and Charlie Wheaton, if they decide to enter, two likely candidates for the coveted honors. There is not a man in the division who has a license to beat either of them at the above distances, provided they are a condition. These are about the only entries that the San Francisco Club will have.
This organization has not developed as many riders during recent years as its rival, the Bay City Wheelmen, which club will place hosts of men in the contest. Or these, Elwell is the most likely to carry off one of the races. There is little doubt but that he can win either if he conscientiously trains, and if he is sent East Windle, Campbell and some of the other fliers will have to pedal remarkably fast to beat him, for he is a magnificent spurter and does not know what quitting means. Plummer and Hammer will also ride and are good men for second choice, although young Turner is likely to surprise people in the three-mile race.
But in picking the winners the men from the country should not be overlooked. If one of the races were for five miles there is little doubt but that Julius Smith of the Garden City Wheelmen could win easily. He has a very good chance at the lesser distance, but is hardly in it with Davis, Elwell and Wheaton.
There are two riders in Los Angeles who, by their performances at Stockton in '88, showed what they could do. Allen and Wing are the men referred to, and if they come up here this year may be looked upon as being decidedly in it. Phil Percival, also of Los Angeles, did some good riding last year, and should at least make a showing
Besides these, there are some dark horses, so that to put the finger on one racer's name and say that he will win it is almost an impossibility. One thing is certain, the value of the prizes to be contested for will cause every rider to train faithfully, so that he will be in a condition to do his best.
The San Francisco Club, under command of First Lieutenant W. G. Lowry, will ride to Haywards to-day.
S. H. Von Schmidt, O. J. Trot and another member of the Palm Leaf Wheelmen have successfully completed their tour a wheel from Fresno to this city and return. They made the run to this city in twenty-seven actual riding hours. From here they went to Napa, a distance of forty-two miles, in four hours and fifteen minutes.
They left Napa on Wednesday at 1 o'clock and eached Elmira, forty-eight miles, at 4:45 o'clock. Further travel on the bicycles was stopped on account of the impassable wagon road to this city, and the wheelmen took the train for Sacramento, whence they rode to Fresno.
W.G. Lowry won the Kodak camera raffled by Captain Manning of the San Francisco Club.
Doane, Plummer, Hammer and Wetmore, of the B. C. W., went to Haywards on Sunday, and from there started for Niles, but on account of the bad condition of the road they were compelled to turn back. They returned to the city, had dinner, and spent the afternoon in the Golden Gate Park.
The Oakland Bicycle Club will hold its fourth run of the season to-day, the start being from Twelfth and Broadway, at 8:30 in the morning. Breakfast will be taken at San Leandro, alter which the run will be dismissed.
Henry Schneier, L. Deveny [Devany?] and George Gruenhagen attended the G. A. R. encampment at San Jose, making the entire distance on their wheels.
Frank Smith and Daniel Mariana are making arrangements for a trip to San Jose on their safeties next week.
Frank Richardson of the Bay City Club says he would have enjoyed his ride through the park on a tandem the other day were it not for having been interrupted by one of the mounted officers. Frank wasn't going very fast either.
C. N. Langton and companion started for Mount Tamalpais on Sunday, but owing to the muddy conditions of the roads had to abandon the trip.
Messrs. McKenna, Colonel Wagner, Drake and Hill have been appointed a Committee of Arrangements for the tournament at San Jose, The Garden City Wheelmen have promised to have a new four-lap track built by the 4th of July.
The fine mornings of the past week brought a large number of riders to the park, not a few ladies being among the list.
J. J. Vidy, the champion of Strawberry Hill, made the ruu to San Leandro and return last Wednesday afternoon.
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