SAN JOSE COLORED CYCLERS. World's Record for Wheelwomen Lowered by
Rebecca Downs.
30 Sep 1895, Mon
The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, California)
Newspapers.com
This is the third in a series of articles, in chronological order, where
I've found evidence of Black cyclists riding and racing in the Bay Area.
Here, Rebecca Downs lowers the "world's record,"
set by Idella Allen just 12 days earlier by 1-5 of a second. I've found no other mention of Rebecca Downs in
newspapers of the era, but the 1880 census shows a
Rebecca H. Downs, 2 years old, "Mulatto" in Oakland, CA, same city in which
Idella
grew up. Idella was born in 1877 and Rebecca was born in 1878, making them
18 and 17, respectively on this race day. I've looked into some of the other
names, but so far I don't have anything interesting to share about them. I'd
love to know to which clubs they belonged, but that isn't recorded. I do
know that at least these two clubs were involved;
Oakland Cycling Club
and
San Jose Cyclers. It seems the newspaper editors variable insert the word "Colored" into
their names, to differentiate them I guess.
SAN JOSE COLORED CYCLERS.
World's Record for Wheelwomen Lowered by Rebecca Downs.
SAN JOSE, CAL., Sept. 29. - The race meet of the
San Jose Colored Cyclers
this afternoon proved an interesting event.
There was not a very large attendance, but the races were all hotly contested.
The feature of the meet was the ladies' mile race, which was won by Miss
Rebecca Downs in 2:59, lowering the world's record, formerly held by
Miss Idella Allen
of Oakland 1-5 of a second. Miss Allen fell from her wheel in a faint after
crossing the finishing line.
The events were as follows: One mile, handicap, class A - George Whiting
scratch; E. D. Wallace, scratch; R. L. Allen, 40 yards; J. Jacobs, 45 yards;
c. Butler, 45 yards; George Levell, 45 yards. Whiting won, Allen second,
Bevell third, Time, 2:42.
Half mile, scratch, class A, best two in three, heats - First heat, F.
Woodson, M. P. Parker, J. Harris, J. Mast. Parker came in first, Woodson
second, but the race was given to Woodson on a foul. Time, 1:14 1-5. NI
Second heat, Parker won, Woodson second. Time, 1:15 1-5.
Final, Parker won, Woodson second. Time. 1:11.
Two-thirds of a mile, scratch, class A - R. L. Allen, George Whiting, George
Bevelle. Whiting won, Bevelle second. Time, 1:47.
One-mile scratch, ladies' race - Miss Idella Allen of Oakland, Miss Rebecca
Downs, Miss Emma Hill. Miss Downs won, Miss Allen second. Time, 2:59.
Two-mile handicap, class A - George Whiting, W. H. Bolds, R. L. Allen. Whiting
won, Allen second. Time, 5:57.
One-mile handicap, class B - F. Woodson, M. P. Perker, J. Mast. Woodson won
,Parker second. Time, 2:35.
The day previous, same newspaper, in an article titled YACHT, WHEEL AND GUN., with a sub-heading The Colored Wheelmen of San Jose Will Hold a Race Meeting To-Day. listed entrants. We get some full names. I'll see if I can find more
about these people. The spelling is highly variable. I've seen Idella's name
spelled "Idla," "Idelia" and Rebecca becomes "Rebekah." I like how Idella is
referred to as "Pride of Oakland."
The
San Jose Colored Cyclers
will hold their second meet Sunday. An interesting programme of events has
been prepared, among them a ladies' one-mile scratch race. The other events
are: One-mile handicap, class A; one-half-mile handicap, class B;
two-thirds-mile handicap, class A; one-mile handicap, class B; two-mile
handicap, class A; two-mile lap race, class B. The entries are as follows:
One-mile handicap, class A - Scratch, George Whiting; scratch, C. Smith;
scratch, E. D. Wallace; 25 yards, William H. Bolds: 30 yards, J. H.
Williams; 40 yards, R. L. Allen; 40 yards, O. Houston; 45 yards, J. Jacobs:
50 yards, George Sevell; 100 yards, G. W. Henriques; 150 yards, A. L.
Weters.
Half-mile scratch, class B - F. Woodson, M. P. Parker, Charles Butler, J.
Harris, Ed Weston, C. Overton, J. Mast and William McDonald.
Two-thirds mile scratch, class A - C. Smith, E. D. Wallace, G. W. Henriques,
R. L. Allen, J. H. Williams, George Whiting, William Bolds, O. Houston, J.
Jacobs, George Sevell and A. L. Waters.
One mile handicap, class B - F. Woodson scratch, Charles Butler scratch, M.
P. Parker scratch, J. Mast 25 yards, C. Overton 30, J. Harris 35, Ed Weston
75.
One mile scratch, ladies' race - Miss Idelia Allen, "Pride of Oakland," Miss
Rebekah Downs, Miss Emma Hill.
Two-mile handicap, class A - C. Smith scratch, E. D. Wallace scratch, George
Whiting scratch, William H. Bolds 50 yards, R. L. Allen 60, J. Jacobs 65, O.
Houston 75, G. W. Houston 150, George Sevell 150, A. L. Waters 300.
Two-mile lap race, class B, six laps in two miles - F. Woodson, Ed Weston, J.
Mast, Charles Butler, M. P. Parker, C. Overton, J. Harris.
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