Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-02-05
THE BICYCLE ENTERTAINMENT.

| No more chaste or pleasing athletic enter
tainment has been given in this city in years
than that which was opened last night st the
old Pavilion Skating Rink, Thomas Allen,
proprietor, by the "Lesgue Of Champions.
in bicycle riding The "Lesgue" is now
managing its own business, and last nights
exhibition was its first since lis retirscy from
the Engelhardt management. There are five
persons in the troupe John S. Prince, cham
pion short.distance rider CT America, with a
record OF mile in 2:46 and 4S6 I'll miles in
Sc hours in three days; Fred. S. Robinson.
ex.champion of America and champion fancy
rider, with record of l mile in 574 and 90
miles in 81. 3n; Henry w. Highsm, of
England, champion long. distance rider of the
werld, with record of 100 miles in Oh. 51m.,
256 miles in Is hours, without dismounting,
and l 040 miles in Y hours Louise Armain-
do, Ct Canada long distance champion woman
bicyclist of the continent, with a record of
miles in 1851, 30 miles in Oh. Sim. 144',,
outdoors, and S43.13 miles il y hours, the
best long. distance time in America, and
Thomas w. Eek. Canadian athlete, bicycle
expert and trainer The wheels used wera
"racers" of 80 and "a inches and trick |
wheels" of Al and 46 inches. TIE performers |
are modest, unassuming people, who are |
faithful to their programme, and are, without |
exception, splendidly developed specimens of |
physical culture. AS riders of the "silent |
steed, they surpsss in ease. grace, speed and |
daring anything in that line ever attempted
here. Their fast riding, trick riding, |
balancing, fancy riding, scientific riding and |
double and triple combination riding, are all |
so apparently effortleas IS to give the nom
expert no idea of the physical strength and |
wonderful skill demanded. From the begin |
ming to the end of long and varied pro-
gramme there was not made single mistake, |
nor was there manifest any of those purpose
full slips prscticed by some athletes in order |
to impress the spectator with the difficulties |
of the performance. One of the best evidences |
of the graceful and easy methods Of the |
League" was the expressed delight Of the |
lady spectators. The five first rode in pro-
cession and in varied difficult combinations /;
next Miss Armando Higham and Robinson |
gave some daring and fancy riding; then |
came a two-mile race ~ laps to the |
mile) between the lady and Eek, |
which she won in 100; then followed |
Higham and Robinson in scientific and trick |
riding and athletic posturiog. A two-mile !
race between Prince and Miss ArmaiDdo fol- |
lowed, won by the former in seven minutes. |
Next was given fancy riding by Higham, one |
of the wonderful feats being riding on ore |
wheel. He next exenplitied the control a
skIiltul llder has over the wheel by repld |
riding back and forth and in and out and be- /
tween twenty eight bottles placed irregularly |
in ! space Of about fifteen by twenty feet. !
The entertainment closed with comicai riding !
by Robinson, showing how dude" at |
tempted to learn to ride. 1t was an irresista.
bly, laughable Performance, aud fully came |
up in tablesux to the comic pictures in illus |
trsted journals representing the adventures Of /
bicycle beginners. The wonder is how, with |
the falls, and headers and back-falls be had, |
with the machine on top of him, or he |
sprawled on the wheel, or shot into the wall !
or fired over benches like bullet, he came
out of the performance with whole bones, |
and the wheel with uDbrCken spokes. la no
brief space may any detailed description of
the fine and varied riding of these champions
be given. i is sufficient for the present to
say that they fully come up to tie measure
of all the laudatiOns of the Eastern press
concerning them, which is more than can be
said for the most of the combinations of per.
formers that come here thus Endorsed. Prior
to, and after the entertainment, the specta-
tors had the privilege Of free roller skating,
and some sLillful exhibitions in that lie
were given. full brass band played during
the entire evening. There will be a matinee
performance at o'clock this afternoon and
another entertainment this evening" and
judged by that of last nisht, both will be
well worth attending.