The herald., 1893-07-05
RECORDS SMASHED TO PIECES
The Annual Road Race to Santa
Monica q Success.
The Distance Covered in Less Than
an Hour.
Favorites Not In II = The Scratch Men
Were All Afraid OF Zach Other
ana Would Set No Pace
Notes.

good people all, and learn OF the down
fall of the men with the sure things,
the relegation of the straight tip to OBJ.
scurity and the total annihilation Of the
fsyorites in the road race to Santa Mon
lea yesterday. Arise too. the I-told d-you-
SOS and let your clarion notes ring.
The third annual bicycle race Of the
Los Angeles wheelmsn from this city to
the sea was run yesterday morning from
Second and Hill streets to Utah avenue
and Third street at Santa Monica and
resulted in great deal OF record break
ing not to speak of great and even dis
asterous surprises. The two places of
honor, that of first in at Santa Monica
and best riding time fell to II. E. Nc.
Crea Of Riverside and William NJ.
Jenkins of this city respectively. Both
were considered as rank outsiders. The
bicycle fraternity had begun to regard
Jenkins a. back number, and ridicul-
ed the idea of his crossing the tape be-
fore any of the scratch men
while scarcely thought was
given to McCrea. However, Jenkins
has again asserted his right to be class cd
among the best riders in this section
and his performance yesterday was most
creditable and the amount Of grit and
bulldog tenacity which he displayed
was remarkable. Shortly before reach
ing The Palms his saddle broke and
from there on to the tape at Utah
avenue and Third street, he did his rid
ing with almost his entire weight upon
the pedals and handlers only letting
down upon the saddle at intervals for q
moment. He rode the entire distance
in 5S minutes, 10 As seconds, in spite Of
being handicapped with the broken sad
die and had he had firm seat he could
have made the time a couple of minutes
lower. He laid low this time and
showed the kind of grit and nerve there
was in him. He rode the Keating
wheel that is handled by Hawley, King
& Co. in this city.
McCres has bounded from the ranks
of obscurity into tae bright and ecruti-
nizing light Of notoriety. His perform.
ances, while unexpected, were highly
creditable.
1t is always difficult to pick the win
ner in handicap event and it is in this
kind OF race that the dark horses Craze
galore. The condition OF the road yes
terday was in many places very poor
and there was scarcely q rider but fell
during the race.
There were IA different classes Of
starters, II minutes being the largest
handicap.
The race was like the day-hot. The
riders that started at lively pace and
generally kept it up throughout the en-
tire run. They were out for glory with
an incidental view to the Sterling
wheel for first prize. While many OF
them came a long way from getting
either the wheel or the glory, they rode
just as hard and it was continually pass
and repass all along the route.
1t will be noted that the scratch men
made poor showing. In fact the
talent Jared badly. The reason they
did nothing was because each seemed to
be afraid OF the others and would not
set any pace. Cromwell, Shoemaker.
Kitchen and Burke kept we'll together
all through. except when the latter's 8
wheel broke. Each did not care to set
pace and act as the wind break for the
7eet, SO they layed back and waited
with the result that they got nothing.
There was scarcely 20 seconds differ
ence in their time. They wanted to
beat each other, and apparently made
no great effort to pass the field.
While almost every starter finished,
and as whole in good time, many were
in poor shape. as the various cases OF
cramps reported after the race will cor
roborate.
The previous records were smashed
to pieces. and the performance of the
riders of yesterdays race was on q par
with similar events in the east. A time
limit of hour and 80 minutes had been
placed, but this was entirely needless.
THE PREPARATION.
Everybody connected with the race
was up bright and early yesterday morn
ing. and repaired to the Athletic club in
good time. The riders were among the
first to put in an appearance, and at once
proceeded to dress for the race. About
O'Clock the crowd proceeded to the
corner of Hill and Second streets, from
which place the start was to be made.
By the time the riders put in an appear
ance both streets were fairly packed
with an eager crowd that extended al
most to Third on Hill. The services of
several policemen were necessary to
keep paesageway.
THE START.
The riders were grouped according to
their various handicaps until the line
extended back on Hill street, beyond
Second. As each class would leave, the
next class moved up to the tape, and go
on until the entire field was under wav.
Paul Flammer was the first man to start
and the only one in the 11-minute class.
He was given good shove, and away he
went down Hill street at sure winning
pace.
"If he keeps that up he'll win sure, T"
was remarked. YES" rejoined rider,
"if?" In fact, everybody started lively
and kept it up as far as could be seen.
Flammer had gotten a lead of several
blocks before the 10.minute men were
pushed off.
THE SECOND STARTERS.
These riders, inspired by Planners @
frst-place and time-start, let loose, too,
and soon had good lead when the nine
minute class toed the tape.
THE RIDERS DISAPPEAR.
There was house in the middle Of
the course down about Seventh street
that compelled the riders to turn out
into the gutter to get by. After passing
the house they were lost to view, go the