6-day bicycle race expenses

In 1891, T.W. Eck promoted a 6-day race at Madison Square Garden with
a raft of second-rate bicycle "stars" from the US, the UK, and Europe.

His chief assistant was "Senator" Morgan, whose nickname was just as
illusionary as "Major" Taylor's:

"W.J. Morgan, known as 'Senator' Morgan (a title obtained at a
Pennsylvania fair through making a Republican speech, although himself
a Democrat, in favor of General Beaver in 1884) is a Welsh-Englishman
by birth, having been born in the mixed county of Monmouthshire,
England."

http://la84foundation.org/SportsLibr.../SL1802005.pdf

As a racer, "Senator" Morgan set distance records in 1886 and then
turned writer and promoter.

James Beaver, a repeatedly wounded one-legged Civil War veteran who
rose from lieutenant to brigadier general, was a lawyer in civilian
life and was elected governor of Pennsylvania 1886-1891.

Early scorn from the cycling press toward the proposed 6-day race soon
turned into praise, partly due to the $242.90 spent on refreshments
for the press, probably overseen by the $40.00 press agent, Hennessey.

The live band cost almost as much as building the board race track.

Advertising was the biggest expense, amounting to just over $4,000.

I love the $12.25 spent on starting pistol ammo and signal gongs.

***

"HEAVY EXPENSES.
The expenses exceeded the highest estimate previously made, $13,000,
by 1,324.53. Here are the several items as given out by Manager Eck:"

[sorted by amount--the original list is a hodge-podge]

$1,887.89 Advertising
1,539.51 Carpentry [building the race track]
1,400.00 Music [live band, of course]
1,292.80 Bill posting [tacking up posters all over New York]
1,200.00 Heating, lighting, and regular salaries
[ $7,320.20 ~55% ]

854.95 Steamship and railway fare [riders from US, UK, Europe]
635.40 Lithographs [poster ads]
623.00 Scorers
542.85 Hotel bills of riders and trainers
499.50 Ushers, doorkeepers, etc
475.00 Short distance riders [keep audience interested]
371.00 Judges and referees
242.90 Refreshments for press [liquor for flacks]
200.00 Services of W. J. Morgan [helped Eck, 2nd rate rider]
197.50 Fancy riders [trick riding entertainment]
191.28 Supplies for rlders, tights, &c
189.25 Printing Tickets and circulars
136.05 Badges, ribbons, numbers, &c
129.00 Rent of scoring machines [special displays]
126.75 Rent of tents and cots [where riders slept for days]
100.00 Expenses T. W. Eck. postage &c [suspiciously round figure]
[ $5,514.43 ~41% ]

98.00 Printing signs and transparencies
97.45 Cuts and photographs of riders
67.50 Ticket sellers
53.75 T. W. Eck's traveling expense
50.00 Decorations
43.95 Telegrams, messengers, ice &c
40.00 Press Agent Hennessy
27.00 Rent of clocks and wagons
12.25 Pistol cartridges & gongs [starting guns & signal gongs]
[ $489.90 ~4% ]

---------
$13,324.53 Total

"This amount [$13k expenses] deducted from the receipts left
$11,381.97 net receipts. The Garden people took one-half of this, or
$5691, which left $5691. Out of this was deducted $140.50 for Lawyer
Gannon, who represented the contestants. Then Manager T. C. Eck came
in for his 25 per cent., or $1,387.62. This left $4,162.88. Out of
this had to come $1360 for special prizes for riding a certain number
of miles and for covering 1300 miles. The amounts paid to the fancy
and short-distance riders being: Richard Howell,$200; Arthur Robb.
$125; Jack Prince, $50; Lumsden, $25; O'FIanagari, $25; Stage, $25;
Wood $25; Maltby, $110; Canary, $100."

"The remainder, $2,802.88, was divided pro rata among the first six
men [the six who finished the 6-day race]. The men received the
following amounts

Martin, $1221.84;
Ashinger, $929.89;
Lamb, $550.34;
Schock, $491.95;
Albert, $433.56,
and Boyst, $345.93."

"Total, $3,973.51."

--Sporting Life, Oct. 31, 1891, p. 5
http://la84foundation.org/SportsLibr.../SL1805005.pdf

One way to look at this was that first place won $1200 in an era with
no income tax, when $120 (one-tenth of the 1st place prize money)
would buy a high-quality bicycle or horse, roughly the equivalent of a
new car today--except that even at the height of the bike boom a few
years later, only one person in ten owned a bike and even fewer owned
a horse (which was much more popular, but much more expensive to
maintain).

If the other 8 starters were paid anything, it isn't mentioned, but
they didn't finish.

None of the 14 "pro" starters held any world records, nor were they
thought to be able to keep up with the famous "amateurs" like
Zimmerman, Windle, Osmonde, Ede, Berlo, Taxis, and so on, who raced
for pianos (Zimmerman won at least two pianos), men's suits (also a
strange but common wager), diamond jewelry, medals, bicycles,
cyclometers, and other prizes that included even rabbits, none of
which they were allowed to convert to cash.

Just as pros today face drug tests at the drop of a hat, so did the
"amateurs" of the early safety era face demands that they show
possession of pianos and other prizes whenever an L.A.W. official felt
like pestering them.

One good amateur tale involves a race in which the prize was a
check--which was not technically money unless cashed.

But the rabbit story is the best:

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive...9C946096D 6CF

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

well done. good flow. holds inter....uh attention.
sounds familiar.

say Carl, the Times Archives, when is 'bicycle' first mentioned ?
bicycle racing ?
and off course, the automobile ?

BENZ ONE:

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive...619C946097D6CF

no heralding the new epoch ?

Great Ford !

und Herr Otto, nicht Var !
eeyeyahhaha but do they ever run Otto's into the ground as drunken
oafs, ax killers, rapists...

are we connecting the dots here or what ?

OHHHH HENRY ?
not yet but here's.....

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstrac...0&sq=FORD&st=p