Page:The fastest bicycle rider in the world - 1928 - Taylor.djvu/48

 but there is not one of them who has not at one time or another expressed the hope that Major Taylor will be kept from winning the Championship honors. They have pocketed him at every opportunity and ran him wide on the turns, and used other foul tactics in order to defeat him, but as yet not one of them has been punished. The L. A. W. recognized Taylor when Chairman Mott accepted his registration fee and the League should give him all the protection necessary.

"St. Louis cannot have the Circuit sanction until it promises to accept the entry of Major Taylor, and the National Circuit date of October 9th, originally granted to Berkeley Oval, N.nbsp;Y.nbsp;C., has been transferred to this city. The sanction covers the National Five-Mile Championship and 60-point score. Bearing in mind the fact that the race-meet promoters have refused Major Taylor's entry for the last Circuit meeting, Chairman Mott granted the sanction on the condition that Major Taylor's entry should be accepted."

With the closing days of the cycle racing season of 1898 rapidly drawing near the newspapers of the East gave a lot of space to the discussion as to who should be declared the National Champion. Some of them frankly declared it was a case of black or white. It was pointed out that two men stood out head and shoulders above the field. for the honors-Eddie Bald, the three times winner of the title, and myself.