Evening star., 1895-05-30
Interesting Cycle Races on Columbia
Field.
PRELIMINARY HEATS RUN OFF
Some Crack Amateur WheeImen
Met>This Morning.
FIN AIS THIS AFTERNOON

of those who may never have been there,
at the southwest corner of the White Lot,
and Is famed by the breeZes from the
river Sometimes, when the wind is in a
certain direction, the breezes come lazily
over the flats and are not so refreshing.
But all moving air was welcome today to
the warm young men in knfckerbockers
who bent their backs over their handle
bars and literally "scorched'' their way
along the wretched pavement Of 18th
street to the old-fashioned porter's lodge
that stu guards the entrance to the park.
AS early as o'clock they began to arrive,
young men on black wheels, red wheels,
pink wheels, yellow wheels, silver wheels,
copper-colored wheels-wheels of every
sort and style, except the old style high
wheels A bicycle meet today is nightly
different from such an event ter years ago,
or even less than that. The stature of the
machines-if the word may SO be used
has shrunk. No longer are the sixty-inch
uprights to be seen on the cinder track.
No more are the desperate headers such a
distinguishing feature of the wheelmen's
contest.
The event at Columbia field today was a
bicycle race meet Of the new sort. 1t drew
large gathering of interested spectators.
most of them bicyclsts themselves. with
all the Zest and interest in the occasion
that amateur sports feel
The track is Eew and green" in the
language of the field. 1t is short and stout,
to be f1gurative once more. and consists
principally of turns and banks. Owing to
the shape of the lot, a long, compressed
track, the best and safest for good racing,
is impracticable. Workmen have been busy
for some time getting the track in form
smoothing the turns and reducing the dan
ger of an accident 1t was feared that
some over-zealous and careless wheelman
might take plunge from one of the high
banks that are made necessary to pre-
stones
qulred to prevent a rider from losing his
line of gravity at the turns.
During the morning The track officials
were busy getting the handicap stakes in
position and putting the final touches on
the surface Of the track. The club house
was filled with contestants, who were be-
ing rubbed down by their friends. and
making the final preparations for the
struggle for honors. The heat was intense,
and it was not the best sort of bicycle
weather.
officials of the Day.
The officials Of the day were: George W.
Cook. c. A. c., referee; Alex. Grant, C. A
c.. Joseph B. McGirr. G. C. c.. and Chas
A. Cabrera, C. A. c., judges; Prof. J. w.
Sims. Y. NJ C. A., w. E. Pierce, C. A. c.,
and B. T. Larcombe, A W.. timers; L. s:
Wells. jr.; c. A. c., clerk of course: ]. NJ.
Ober P. W., W. E. Bowie. w. r. c., and
w. Tappan, assistants; Maurice Joyce c.
l., Frank P. Libbey, c. A. c.. Eugene Har-
man, C. A. c.. and Royce Hough, c. A. c.,
umpires; Prof, John T. Crossley. C. A c.,
starter; ]. R. Murray. G. c. c., R. j. Beall,
c. A. c.. and j. R. Elder, C. A. c., scorers;
]. Hart Britain, c. A. c., announcer; S. w.
Stinemetz, c. A. c., chief marshal.
For The Evening Star Medal.
The first heat of the first race was run
off at $50. This was the one-mile novice
for The Evening Star gold medal There
were five riders assigned to this heat but
only three started, Geo. E. Smith, Wash
ington Road Club; r. H. Wheeler, unat-
taehed, and H. NJ. Whitaker. Baltimore
Athletic Club. -
The heat was won easily by Smith, with
twenty yards to spare. Young Wheeler
made gallant fight for two laps, but
pressed him on the third and passed to
place. Wheeler spurted on the last lap
and lost a place in the finals by bare
yard. Time 2.29.
hugh. unattached; VIM. P. Walker, Arl-
ington Wheelmen; Robert L. REGISTER,
Rugby Athletic Club; Richard kiester,
Georgetown Cycle Club; VIM. R. Moulden.
more Athletic Club.
Fitzhugh led from the start, and the race
was procession until the last lap. when
Kiester rushed to the front and overlook
by half a length. The first three men quail
flied fer the finals as follows: Kiester, Fitz-
hugh and REGISTER. Time. 2.37 Is.
This concluded the preliminary heats of
the one-mile novice, and gave Smith, Whit
taker, Fitzhugh, REGISTER and Kiester the
right to try for The Star medal in the final
heat.
Half-Mile Open.
The next event was the half-mile open,
class A, for banquet lamp and a cycle
suit. The first heat was run by C.. E.
Wood, Washington Road Club; W. L. Eek
z
Schade, Washington Road Club, and H A.
Rhine Potomac Wheelmen.
1t was close bunch at the finish, with
the three qualifying men almost together.
Eckhardt won in 1.12, followed by Schade
and Wood, both of whom thus became eli
gible for the finals.
The second heat was run by Claud Leath-
erbury, unattached; Jas. S. Joes. Clifton
A. c., end Geo. E. Smith, W. r. c.
Smith won nicely, though he came near
losing his head at the southeast turn on
the last lap The second place was won by
Leatherbury, who was hard-presSed by
Joes. The time was LII. This left Smith,
Leatherbury, Eckhardt, Schade and Wood
for the finals.
Quarter-Mile Open.
The third race was a quarter-mile open,
class A, for a gold medal offered by the
Georgetown Cycle Club. and cycle suit.
The first heat brought out Claud Leather
DuTy, uhdltdCuSO, l. "A. II. oCAduc, w. N.
c., and Chas. T. Cabrera, c. A. c.
Schade won by taking the southeast turn
very cleverly and so gaining several yards.
He led by four yards at the finish, followed
next by Leatherbury. Time, 81 1-5.
The second heat was run by j. S. Joes,
Clifton A. c., and w. E. Ferguson, Y. NJ.
c.. A. Joes won by three yards. but both
men qualified, as there was no competition.
Time 80 2-5 Thus the finals of this race
were to be settled by u heat between
Schade. Leatherbury, Joes and Ferguson.
One-Mfle Handicap.
There were five heats of the one-mile
handicap, class A, scheduled. The first
heat was run by T. W. Hutchins, D. c. c.,
40 yards; Geo. E. Ball, G. c. c., 20 yards;
Thos. N. Mudd. jr., A. W.. 50 yards; F. w.
Cissell, unattached, 100 yards, and Bayard
T. Wrtrn, G. c. c., 40 yards
Ball took the lead, and kept 1t for the
first three laps, hard pressed by Mudd.
Wrenn's starter fumbled and threw him
out of the race. On the last lap Mudd
sprinted and overlook Ball on the stretch,
winning by length and half Time, 22l.
Mudd and Ball qualified for the finals.
C. E. Wood. w. R. c., 90 yards; H. NJ.
Whitaker, B. A. c., 50 yards: H. A. Rhine,
p. W., 60 yards, and Geo. E. Smith, w. r.
c., 50 yards, started in the second heat of
the race. The men punched well on the
first lap, with Wood leading. He lost