Montreal Bicycle Club
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        • Rev Dreams
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        • 2-3 July 2019 Prince Edward County / Kingston
        • 18-23 July 2019 Saguenay & Charlevoix Tour
      • August 2019 >
        • 2-4 August 2019 Tout Le P'tit Train du Nord
      • September 2019 >
        • 1-2 September 2019 Simcoe County Loop (Wendat Trail)
        • 11-13 September 2019 Rivière-à-Pierre to Quebec City
      • October 2019
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    • 2018 Annual Report >
      • March 2018
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        • Pittsburgh to Washington DC Excursion
      • May 2018
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        • Park(ing) Day in Westmount 2018
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    • 2017 Annual Report >
      • 4 March 2017, Nuit Blanche
      • 21 March 2017, Re-Founders Meeting
      • 25 March - Earth Hour / Turcot Bicycle Overpass
      • 02 April - Fixture Ride highligthing Issues
      • 18 May Atwater Library Lunchtime Series
      • June - Fixture rides
      • July - Fixture rides
      • August - Fixture rides
      • September - Fixture rides
      • October - Fixture rides
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      • December - Fixture Rides
    • Club Minute Book 1878-1904
    • 2 Dec 1878 Meeting
  • Poppies
    • Sobriquets A-D >
      • F.E. Adams
      • Susan B. Anthony
      • Louise Armaindo
      • E.W. Barlow
      • A.G. Batchelder
      • Daisy Bell
      • Ernestine Bernard
      • G. T. Bishop
      • Amelia Bloomer
      • Elsa von Blumen
      • Claud Butler
      • Dorothy Coles
      • Phylis Cole & Joan Cole
      • Disreali
      • Dr. Parry E. Doolittle
      • Joseph Drury
    • Sobriquets E-L >
      • Miss M.J. Frothingham
      • Arhur Edward George
      • Forest Gnome
      • Daisy Greville
      • Arthur Harris
      • G. Harries
      • Alice Hawkins
      • Edmond Jacquelin
      • F.M.S. Jenkins
      • G. Kingan
      • Kittie Knox
      • Karolina Kocięcka
      • Karl Kron
      • Pierre Lallement
      • A.T. Lane
      • Exilda Lachapelle
      • G.S Low
      • Annie Londonderry
      • D. S. Louson
    • Sobriquets M-U >
      • Kirkpatrick Macmillan
      • Susan McCormick
      • Birdie Munger
      • Mile A Minute Murphy
      • W.G. Ross
      • Louis Rubenstein
      • Alfred Wesley Sherritt
      • S. Saxe
      • C.J. Sidey
      • The Snowball Sisters
      • James Starley
      • Henry Sturmey
      • Helena Swanwick
      • W. Tately
      • Major Taylor
      • Doreen Thomas
      • H.S. Tibbs
    • Sobriquets W-Z >
      • Vélocio
      • Queen Victoria
      • J.E. Walsh
      • Maria E. Ward
      • W.S. Weldon
      • The Royal Worcester
    • Places >
      • Velocipede Era 1867-1874 >
        • Drill Hall
        • Nordheimer's Hall
        • Crystal Palace
      • High Wheel Era 1874-1891 >
        • 33 Chomedey Street
        • Lacrosse Grounds
        • MAAA Clubhouse (Montreal Gymnasium)
        • Blue Bonnets
        • MAAA Grounds
      • Bicycle Craze of the 1890's >
        • The Wanderers Bicycle Club
        • YMCA Building Dominion Square
        • Queens Park Velodrome
    • Things
  • History
    • 1817-1867 Dandy Horse Era
    • 1867-1874 Velocipede era
    • Birth of the High Wheel Bicycle
    • The High Wheel Bicycle comes to North America
    • Founding of the Montreal Bicycle Club >
      • MBC Uniforms and Symbols
    • The High Wheel Era in Montreal >
      • Canadian Wheelmen's Association (CWA) Annual Meets
    • The MAAA grounds and the transition to the Safety Bicycle
    • The Bicycle Craze of the 1890's
    • The 1899 International Cycling Association World Championship in Montreal
    • Collapse of 19th Century Bicycle Organizations
    • Conclusion >
      • 1900-1918 Everyday transportation
    • Records >
      • Online Sources
      • Books and papers on subject
      • Where to find Artifacts
      • detailed references
      • Historical maps of Montreal
      • 1894 CWA Meet Montreal Map
  • Scrapbook
    • 1870's Ice Velocipede >
      • 1878 MBC By Laws
    • 1880 MBC Meeting to join LAW >
      • 1882 Louise Armaindo 100 mile race in Montreal
      • 1882 Group Photo and early race
      • 1883 MBC History from CWA The Bicycle
      • 1884 Mr Jenkins Ottawa-Matane tour >
        • 1884 CWA Meet in Toronto
        • 1884 CWA request for funds by Karl Kron
      • 1885 Notman Composite Photograph >
        • 1885 Fixtures and race reports
        • 1885 CWA Meet in Woodstock
        • 1885 kangaroos and tricycles
        • 1885 W.G. Ross, early champion
      • 1886 Fixtures, race and CWA parade reports
      • 1887 Bertie Lane & CDN hill >
        • Toast to Bertie Lane
      • 1888 Ottawa Meet >
        • 1888 CWA Belleville Meet
        • 1888 Gnaedinger Cup
      • 1889 CWA St Catherines Meet
    • 1890 MAAA grounds & road racing >
      • 1890 CWA Ottawa Meet >
        • 1891 Road Race, Safeties vs Ordinaries
      • 1891 Arrival of Safety Bicycle >
        • 1891 CWA Hamilton Meet
        • 1891 MAAA grounds racing
        • 1891 Annual Report
    • 1892 Springtime News >
      • 1892 Composite Photo
      • 1892 Racing News
      • 1892 Kingston Meet
      • 1892 Century Run
    • 1893 Annual Report
    • 1894 Sarnia to Montreal Relay Ride >
      • 1894 CWA Meet Montreal
      • 1894 CWA Racing Rules
    • 1895 Annual Report
    • 1896 Annual Report >
      • 1896 Montreal Star Bicycle Issue
      • 1896 Wheel and Cycling Review article on Montreal
    • 1897 Annual Report >
      • 1897 Notman Composite Photograph
      • 1897 Bicycle Map of Montreal
    • 1898 Annual Report >
      • 1898 Montreal Park and Island Railway
      • 1898 Queens Park Velodrome Verdun
    • 1899 World Championship Speculation >
      • 1899 Major Taylor sets World record
      • 1899 World Championship Report
      • 1899 Montreal Gazette 10 Aug
    • 1900 CWA & CCA
    • 1901 Annual Report
  • Cycling Without Age
    • Go Fund Me
    • Cycling Without Age in Westmount
    • The Sociable tricycle
    • 27 Nov 2020 CWA Kick Off Meeting
    • 15 Jan 2021 CWA Progress Meeting
Back

Montreal Cycling History
The 1899 International Cycling Association World Championship in Montreal

       The Victoria Skating rink was also the home rink of another important member of the Montreal Bicycle Club, Louis Rubenstein. His parents were Polish Jews who had immigrated to Canada in the 1850’s. He took up figure skating (or fancy skating as it was then called) as a child, inspired by a show given by American Jackson Haines, the father of modern figure skating.  Louis saw him perform in Montreal when he was just 3 years old. As a teenager Louis went to Vienna to train under Jackson, and then went on to be the US champion fancy skater in 1888 & 89. With a letter of introduction from Canadian Governor General Lord Stanley he travelled to St Petersburg, Russia for the figure skating world championship in 1890.  St Petersburg at that time was a city “beyond the Pale” and it was forbidden for Jews to travel there. However, with a special request from the British embassy in St Petersburg he was permitted to compete, and became the world champion. He retired from fancy skating shortly thereafter and after the 1894 CWA meet in Montreal he became president of the Canadian Wheelmens Association, a post he held for 18 years.

     In 1897 Glasgow, Scotland held the cycling world championship for both professional and amateur categories.  Louis Rubenstein had the Canadian Wheelmens Association send a delegation to Glasgow in a to bid to hold the following year’s ICA World Championship in Canada.  After the first World Championship in Chicago, (concurrent with the  World's Columbian Exposition which featured the first Ferris Wheel) all others had been held in Europe. The Canadians lost the bid to Austria, but Sturmey agreed that if Canada sent a cycling team to compete in Vienna in 1898, (to be held at Prater Park beside the newly built Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel) the 99 world championship would be held in this country.  Louis Rubenstein then took on the job of selecting a team, and choosing a venue between Toronto and Montreal, cities that both wanted the event.


Picture
    Unfortunately, the cycling world’s organizations which had boomed in the early part of the 1890s’ began to unravel in the later half of that decade.

    In the United States disagreements arose between racing promoters and the overall LAW over how professional racing should be handled. Racing interests founded a rival National Cycling Association in 1898. Both organizations had a racing circuit and professional racers had to choose which circuit to join.  Major Taylor, chose the LAW circuit despite the fact he was barred, due to his colour, from actual membership, within that organization.

    In Canada, Montreal’s case for the world championship was strengthened when a new outdoor wood Velodrome that could hold approx 12,000 spectators was constructed in Verdun by Ucal Henri Dandurand.  Interestingly, Dandurand later became the first man in Montreal to own an automobile, something for which he is today best known for.
Picture
      In contrast, even the location of  the Queens Park Velodrome which he built was forgotten and became a subject of debate a few years ago.
Picture

    In Europe disputes developed between France and Sturmey’s ICA over how many votes should be allocated to the various British Empire countries vs the single vote given to France and its empire.

   All these forces came to a head when the 1899 Cycling Worlds Championship were held at Queen’s Park in Verdun.  Would France send a team? Which American racers would be permitted to compete, the LAW or the NCA?

      France did send a team and Sturmey, who had travelled to Montreal for the event, held a meeting in the Windsor Hotel, a few days before the championship to choose which American organization he would recognise. He decided in favor of the League of American Wheelmen.  This meant that Major Taylor, who had just set a new world motor-paced one-mile speed record was the favorite

Picture
along with the Butler brothers of Boston  for the highly contested 1 mile professional sprint  They had all previously been members of America’s first racially integrated professional sports team.  Floyd “The Human Engine” McFarland , Taylor’s pugnacious, bigoted, chief rival was a star rider in the NCA circuit and as such was not permitted to compete in Montreal.

Picture
    The races at Queens park were held before a capacity audience of 12,000.  In the half mile championship race it was widely felt that Major Taylor had won and yet the judges ruled against him. This  caused a large uproar in the crowd. However Taylor accepted the judge's decision like a gentleman, earning him much praise. Taylor went on to win the sprint 1 mile professional title becoming only the second black man in history to be a world champion in any sport.  (The first was Canadian Black Boxer George Dixon). However, the praise he had earlier received soon turned to scorn from Sturmey. Taylor refused to compete in the traditional match race between the champions of the professional and amateur divisions. He felt that he had much to lose and nothing to gain from competing.  
Picture
Also, because the NCA racers had not been permitted to compete, his world title was open to dispute.

Picture
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  • About
    • TV Series Montreal's Cycling Ghosts >
      • S1 E1 Pilot
      • S1 E2 Ghostly Commands
      • S1 E3 Running with the Bulls
      • S2 E1 Lessons from the Pandemic
    • MBC Historical Bike Tour >
      • Tour Starting Point Shaika Cafe
      • Stop #1 MAAA Grounds
      • Stop #2 Founding of Club at 33 Chomedey
      • Stop #3 Bertie Lane's CDN Hill Climb
      • Stop #4 Lacrosse Grounds
      • Stop #10 Queens park Velodrome Verdun
      • Tour Lunch Break: Lachine Rapids
      • Stop # 11 Fleming Windmill
    • How to join
    • Contact us
    • Issues >
      • Sherbrooke Street Bike Path
  • Minute Book
    • Fixtures Calendar >
      • Instructions on Adding Fixtures to personal Google Calendar
    • MBC Blog
    • Falaise Birder's Blog
    • 2023 Annual Report >
      • January 2023
      • February 2023
      • March 2023
    • 2022 Annual Report >
      • January 2022
      • February 2022
      • March 2022
      • May 2022
      • June 2022
      • July 2022
      • August 2022
      • September 2022
      • October 2022
      • November 2022 >
        • November 2022 (Google Slide)
      • December 2022
    • 2021 Annual Report >
      • January 2021
      • February 2021
      • March 2021
      • April 2021
      • May 2021
      • June 2021
      • July 2021
      • August 2021
      • September 2021
      • October 2021
      • November 2021
      • December 2021
    • 2020 Annual Report >
      • 2020 Composite Photo
      • January 2020
      • February 2020
      • March 2020
      • April 2020
      • May 2020
      • June 2020
      • July 2020
      • August 2020
      • September 2020
      • October 2020
      • November 2020 >
        • Rev Dreams
      • December 2020
    • 2019 Annual Report >
      • January 2019
      • February 2019
      • March 2019
      • April 2019
      • May 2019
      • June 2019
      • July 2019 >
        • 2-3 July 2019 Prince Edward County / Kingston
        • 18-23 July 2019 Saguenay & Charlevoix Tour
      • August 2019 >
        • 2-4 August 2019 Tout Le P'tit Train du Nord
      • September 2019 >
        • 1-2 September 2019 Simcoe County Loop (Wendat Trail)
        • 11-13 September 2019 Rivière-à-Pierre to Quebec City
      • October 2019
      • November 2019
      • December 2019
    • 2018 Annual Report >
      • March 2018
      • April 2018 >
        • Pittsburgh to Washington DC Excursion
      • May 2018
      • June 2018
      • July 2018
      • August 2018
      • September 2018 >
        • Park(ing) Day in Westmount 2018
      • October 2018
      • November 2018
    • 2017 Annual Report >
      • 4 March 2017, Nuit Blanche
      • 21 March 2017, Re-Founders Meeting
      • 25 March - Earth Hour / Turcot Bicycle Overpass
      • 02 April - Fixture Ride highligthing Issues
      • 18 May Atwater Library Lunchtime Series
      • June - Fixture rides
      • July - Fixture rides
      • August - Fixture rides
      • September - Fixture rides
      • October - Fixture rides
      • November - Fixture Rides
      • December - Fixture Rides
    • Club Minute Book 1878-1904
    • 2 Dec 1878 Meeting
  • Poppies
    • Sobriquets A-D >
      • F.E. Adams
      • Susan B. Anthony
      • Louise Armaindo
      • E.W. Barlow
      • A.G. Batchelder
      • Daisy Bell
      • Ernestine Bernard
      • G. T. Bishop
      • Amelia Bloomer
      • Elsa von Blumen
      • Claud Butler
      • Dorothy Coles
      • Phylis Cole & Joan Cole
      • Disreali
      • Dr. Parry E. Doolittle
      • Joseph Drury
    • Sobriquets E-L >
      • Miss M.J. Frothingham
      • Arhur Edward George
      • Forest Gnome
      • Daisy Greville
      • Arthur Harris
      • G. Harries
      • Alice Hawkins
      • Edmond Jacquelin
      • F.M.S. Jenkins
      • G. Kingan
      • Kittie Knox
      • Karolina Kocięcka
      • Karl Kron
      • Pierre Lallement
      • A.T. Lane
      • Exilda Lachapelle
      • G.S Low
      • Annie Londonderry
      • D. S. Louson
    • Sobriquets M-U >
      • Kirkpatrick Macmillan
      • Susan McCormick
      • Birdie Munger
      • Mile A Minute Murphy
      • W.G. Ross
      • Louis Rubenstein
      • Alfred Wesley Sherritt
      • S. Saxe
      • C.J. Sidey
      • The Snowball Sisters
      • James Starley
      • Henry Sturmey
      • Helena Swanwick
      • W. Tately
      • Major Taylor
      • Doreen Thomas
      • H.S. Tibbs
    • Sobriquets W-Z >
      • Vélocio
      • Queen Victoria
      • J.E. Walsh
      • Maria E. Ward
      • W.S. Weldon
      • The Royal Worcester
    • Places >
      • Velocipede Era 1867-1874 >
        • Drill Hall
        • Nordheimer's Hall
        • Crystal Palace
      • High Wheel Era 1874-1891 >
        • 33 Chomedey Street
        • Lacrosse Grounds
        • MAAA Clubhouse (Montreal Gymnasium)
        • Blue Bonnets
        • MAAA Grounds
      • Bicycle Craze of the 1890's >
        • The Wanderers Bicycle Club
        • YMCA Building Dominion Square
        • Queens Park Velodrome
    • Things
  • History
    • 1817-1867 Dandy Horse Era
    • 1867-1874 Velocipede era
    • Birth of the High Wheel Bicycle
    • The High Wheel Bicycle comes to North America
    • Founding of the Montreal Bicycle Club >
      • MBC Uniforms and Symbols
    • The High Wheel Era in Montreal >
      • Canadian Wheelmen's Association (CWA) Annual Meets
    • The MAAA grounds and the transition to the Safety Bicycle
    • The Bicycle Craze of the 1890's
    • The 1899 International Cycling Association World Championship in Montreal
    • Collapse of 19th Century Bicycle Organizations
    • Conclusion >
      • 1900-1918 Everyday transportation
    • Records >
      • Online Sources
      • Books and papers on subject
      • Where to find Artifacts
      • detailed references
      • Historical maps of Montreal
      • 1894 CWA Meet Montreal Map
  • Scrapbook
    • 1870's Ice Velocipede >
      • 1878 MBC By Laws
    • 1880 MBC Meeting to join LAW >
      • 1882 Louise Armaindo 100 mile race in Montreal
      • 1882 Group Photo and early race
      • 1883 MBC History from CWA The Bicycle
      • 1884 Mr Jenkins Ottawa-Matane tour >
        • 1884 CWA Meet in Toronto
        • 1884 CWA request for funds by Karl Kron
      • 1885 Notman Composite Photograph >
        • 1885 Fixtures and race reports
        • 1885 CWA Meet in Woodstock
        • 1885 kangaroos and tricycles
        • 1885 W.G. Ross, early champion
      • 1886 Fixtures, race and CWA parade reports
      • 1887 Bertie Lane & CDN hill >
        • Toast to Bertie Lane
      • 1888 Ottawa Meet >
        • 1888 CWA Belleville Meet
        • 1888 Gnaedinger Cup
      • 1889 CWA St Catherines Meet
    • 1890 MAAA grounds & road racing >
      • 1890 CWA Ottawa Meet >
        • 1891 Road Race, Safeties vs Ordinaries
      • 1891 Arrival of Safety Bicycle >
        • 1891 CWA Hamilton Meet
        • 1891 MAAA grounds racing
        • 1891 Annual Report
    • 1892 Springtime News >
      • 1892 Composite Photo
      • 1892 Racing News
      • 1892 Kingston Meet
      • 1892 Century Run
    • 1893 Annual Report
    • 1894 Sarnia to Montreal Relay Ride >
      • 1894 CWA Meet Montreal
      • 1894 CWA Racing Rules
    • 1895 Annual Report
    • 1896 Annual Report >
      • 1896 Montreal Star Bicycle Issue
      • 1896 Wheel and Cycling Review article on Montreal
    • 1897 Annual Report >
      • 1897 Notman Composite Photograph
      • 1897 Bicycle Map of Montreal
    • 1898 Annual Report >
      • 1898 Montreal Park and Island Railway
      • 1898 Queens Park Velodrome Verdun
    • 1899 World Championship Speculation >
      • 1899 Major Taylor sets World record
      • 1899 World Championship Report
      • 1899 Montreal Gazette 10 Aug
    • 1900 CWA & CCA
    • 1901 Annual Report
  • Cycling Without Age
    • Go Fund Me
    • Cycling Without Age in Westmount
    • The Sociable tricycle
    • 27 Nov 2020 CWA Kick Off Meeting
    • 15 Jan 2021 CWA Progress Meeting