|
Alfred Wesley Sherritt
Sobriquet used by Larry Paul Alfred is of special interest to the Montreal Bicycle Club because of his role in securing the 1899 International Cycling Association's World Championship in Montreal. 1892 International Cycling Association Created by Henry Strumey 1893 Chicago hosts the first ICA World Championship concurrent to World Fair 1894 Antwerp hosts ICA World Championship 1895 Cologne " " 1896 Copenhagen " " 1897 Glasgow " " 1898 Vienna " " 1899 Montreal hosts ICA World Championship at Queens Park in Verdun In 1897, the Canadian Wheelman Association decided to send a delegation to the International Cycling Association world championship, held in Glasgow that year, to make a request that Canada be chosen to host the 1898 championship. This was unsuccessful, Vienna was chosen. The assembly, however, promised the delegation that if Canada was represented at the Vienna tournament, Canada would be chosen to be the site of the 1899 convention. In the summer of 1898, Alfred Sherritt travelled to Toronto from Brantford with his locally built Red Bird Special bicycle to compete for a place on the Canadian team for in the World Cycling Championship in Vienna. The meet was held at the Rosedale Park Grounds with a crowd of about one thousand. Alfred raced in three races to qualify for his chance to represent Canada in the World Championship. In the half-mile race, Alfred placed first; in the one mile race, he placed second; and in the five mile race, he again placed first. Sherritt won the Toronto meet and went on to represent Canada in Vienna. It is unknown how he fared in Vienna. Because Sherritt competed for Canada at Vienna, Montreal was awarded the 1899 World Championship. |
The Wheel and Cycling Trade Review August 17 1899 records that Sherritt and a second Canadian, Boisvert qualified for the final in an amateur competition. After the Montreal 1899 World Championship 9-11 August, the first Canadian soldiers for the Boer War arrived in South Africa on 29 November 1899 which he was part of, so he must have have departed for the Boer War shortly after the Montreal races. He died in the battle of Kline Harts River 31 March 1902 during a second tour of the Boer war.
Many thanks to Evan Habkirk who wrote "In Search of Alfred W. Sherrit t"
Many thanks to Evan Habkirk who wrote "In Search of Alfred W. Sherrit t"