1890s Hamilton

In the aftermath of the Barnes disqualification, the Times was besieged by questions as to whether the disqualification decision was appropriate and what was going to happen as to a declaration as to the Trophy Race winner : “The Times’ office received numerous enquiries about race ending – says race run under rules of Canadian Road Club, Times has no say in decisions of referees. Times says Broomfield’s decision is final.” 3 The man in the hot seat was the referee of the race was Mr. R.A, Broomfield, the District Chairman of the Canadian Wheelman’s Association. His stayed with his disqualification ruling but other ramifications of that decision took some time to work out : ““Mr. R.A. Broomfield, District Chairman of the C.W.A., Brantford, came to the city last evening, and met the members of the committee which had charge of the race for the Times Team Trophy on Aug. 19 th . The meeting was held in a parlor in the New Royal Hotel, and each club had an extra representative pres...

“Tomorrow will see the third annual running of the Times team and track races. This event has grown in public favor, and there will no doubt be a record-breaking crowd at the Hamilton Jockey Club tomorrow, if the weather is fine. There will be a large field in the track races; the XIII Regiment Band will play a good programme of music, and the cheapest afternoon’s sport ever provided by any committee will be provided.” Hamilton Times. August 18, 1899. The publisher of the Hamilton Times, Reginald Kennedy, had in 1897 donated a trophy to be competed for by Hamilton Bicycle groups. The event to be held annually was to be called the Times Trophy Race, and the Times newspaper would promote the event heavily.   As the date for the third running of the Times Trophy Race approached, it was noted that the event to begin and end at the Hamilton Jockey Club would take place between 2:30 and 5:30, Saturday August 17, 1899. The article announcing the race to take place noted that it ...

 On August 10, 1898, the Hamilton Times carried an extensive, and well-illustrated look at the history of the game of golf in Hamilton, adding a detailed look at the then state of the golf course in the west end of the city between Aberdeen avenue and the Niagara Escarpment. Following is the article in whole : “A writer in a recent number of the Metropolitan Magazine offers the opinion that ‘all things considered – golf is the most popular game in the united States today.’ By those whose only knowledge of the ancient and royal game has been gained from the ‘Lady Slavey’ description ‘you hit the ball, and whoever finds it the same day wins’ the Metropolitan writers’ opinion will be taken with a large-sized pinch of salt, yet certain it is that golf has, within a very few years, firmly established itself as a popular game. A few years ago it was unknown in this country, but today it is played by hundreds of thousands and is daily securing new devotees. Four and a half centuries ago, ...

    As he was in his 96 th year on earth, his passing was not unexpected, and the Times already had most of an obituary written for Dr. William Ira Case died early in the morning of December 2, 1899. For the afternoon of the Times, accompanied by a drawing by Times artist, J. Thompson, the following informed Hamiltonians of the death of one of its best known, and arguably oldest citizens :     “Old Dr. Case is dead. In his passing away, Hamilton loses its oldest citizen, and at the same time a gentleman who more than any other man of the century, was prominently identified with the first half century of the city’s existence. His death, which occurred at 6:30 this morning , at the old Case homestead in East Hamilton, ended a long period of invalidism and a life which for length of days and usefulness may never be duplicated in the history of the city. William Ira Allen Case was in his ninety-sixth year, having been born on February 29 th 1804. His father, wh...