CHAPTER XXI
I REFUSE TO RIDE THE WORLD’S AMATEUR CHAMPION
After I had won the world’s one-mile professional championship title I centered my thoughts on the next race, the two-mile open event. I had in mind winning this race in order to give me two first places for the day, which would have been the 10th time in my career, up to that moment, that I had won two first places on the same program. Incidentally, on four occasions I turned in three victories in as many meets, a feat seldom accomplished.
As I was preparing for the two-mile open event one of the track officials called me to the starting line to race Thomas Summersgill of London, England, who, on the preceding day had won the world’s amateur one-mile championship. I agreed until I found there was no purse hung up for the event. The officials told me that since Summersgill was an amateur he could not compete for a money prize. However, I reminded them that there was no rule in the professional riders’ code that provided for a professional riding a match with no purse attached to it, and that in a race between an amateur and a professional they could not very well be guided by amateur rules.
In the end I agreed that I would be delighted to ride Mr. Summersgill provided the management would put up a prize of $200 in addition to a side bet of $150 each, the winner to take all. I insisted that I would not ride for the mere glory of it, and no amount of persuasion could change my stand. I felt that it was a matter of principle with me, and on top of that I was somewhat peeved over the way that I had been “gypped” out of first place in the half-mile open race the preceding day, and the fact that the prizes for such important races were exceedingly low. Winning the world’s professional title at this meet netted me a paltry $200, despite the fact that there was a capacity attendance of 18,000 at the event.
I remained steadfast in my position and as a result there was no race between Summersgill and myself. Naturally considerable discussion centered about my decision there being a feeling of keen disappointment throughout the throng that attended the races as well as among the officials. One sporting writer on an American newspaper who was prejudiced against me on account of my color even went so far as to say that I was “yellow.” However, I discounted his attack because of the fact that on the preceding day he had aided to have me out of first place in the half-mile open event, therefore, he eagerly grasped this opportunity in an attempt to belittle me in the estimation of the sporting public because I had “side-stepped the engagement.”
His article read as follows:
“Major Taylor Backed Down. Colored Cycling Star refused to Ride an Amateur for Championship. Demanded big purse. De-
