St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-02
Mccormick, the New Bruns-
wick Man, Falls on the
Last Lap,
Thus Giving the Norwegian
Flyer an Unexpectedly
Easy Victory.
The Two Men Are to Meet
For Their Second Race in
q Week.
Results Of the Races Yestep-
day--Base Ball and Other
Sports.

Fully 5000 people witnessed the
skating lace between Axel Paulsen, Of
Minneapolis, and Hugh j. Mccormick,
OF st. Johns, n. B., at the Palace ice
rink yesterday. The race was the first
OF series of three for the champions
ship of the world. The distance
skated yesterday was fifteen miles, and
the stakes $3.50 side and % and 35 per
cent of the gate receipts. Considerable
bad blood is said to have existed be-
tween the two men Tor several years,
and last winter, after PauIsen defeated
Getz for the alleged championship OF
the world, Mccormick entered vigor-
Gus protest against Paulsen assuming
the title, and repeatedly challenged
him. Paulsen, however. paid 10 atten-
tion to the challenge. and it was
not until Mccormick came to
Minneapolis and publicly and
personally challenged Paulsen that he
could obtain any recognition. After con-
siderable newspaper buster the match
which was skated yesterday was ar
ranged. Tie track was small
One-seven and a half laps to the
mile-and this handicapped both
men and prevented faster time being
made. The record for fTteen miles,
which is held by f. Dowd, who covered
that distance in February. 1887, at
this Was not broken. As an
amateur Pauisen had made a record for
fifteen miles of 55.9 minutes. In tebru-
airy, 1854, he won the twenty-tive- mile
professional race in Brooklyn in hr 50
min 2S 2 5 sec. Mccormick Skated four
teen miles at Montreal i'll February. 1857,
in 50.45 min, and he also had beaten
PaulSen's time for shorter distances.
The men agreed upon w. w. Wettle-
son. of the fines. for referee. The
Judges were l. NJ. Rand and Ole
Brown; Win Rocktield and Grant
Bell, tmekeeperS; John Jugers
and Charles Swanberg. sceIers,
and Tom w. Eek, Starter.
The men got away together at the
crack of the pistol, Mccormick taking
the lead and setting tie pace
for the first few laps, with
PauIsen close behind him. Paul
sen forged ahead and set an easy
pace and there was only one seconds
difference in the time of the men as
they completed the first five miles,
The ten-mile mari! was reached
10y both ale II in 4O:53 min, and neither
CT the contestants was pushed. Now
and then one OF the H,en would squirt
on the last five miles. but the rally was
quickly answered by the other until
a pistol shot told them that
the last lap had been reached. On the
first quarter Mccormick spurted and
forged ahead of Paulsrn. Tue pace set
was terrific, and he was rapidly drawing
away from theMinneapoiis man, when an
accident happened which prevented
him by any possibility from winning.
The course had not been rUped off, but
four chairs set OIL the ice marked
the track the men were to take.
In making short turn McCor-
mick ran into one Jf the
chairs and went down all IN a heap.
Before he could recover himself PauIsen
had swept past him and had gained half
lap. and crossed the line winner in l
minute and 80 seconds. MeCOr-
mick took his defeat philosophcally
and says it was due to an unavoidable
accident. He also says he now knows
his man and confidently expects to win
the other two races. The next race will
he on Jan. 8. distance of five miles,
and the final go will be tor ten miles on
Feb. l.