The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-07-12
Struggles OF the Crack Cyclers Wit,
messed by 5000 People, Despite
Threatening Weather.
A DARK HORSE CHAMPION
THE TwO-MILE RACE WON BY NAT
BUTLER, OF BOSTON.
Half-Mile Open Event Captured by A
Gardiner, of Chicago-Cabanne
and Other Riders Injured.
Special TO the indianapolis Journal.

Special 10 the Indianapolis journal.
ASBURY PARK, n. j., July 1.-THE
first day of the sixteenth national race
meet of the League of American Wheelmen
was partially spoiled by the cloudy day
and the continued rain during the late
morning and early afternoon hours The
racing was carried on nevertheless. The
heats of the morning were marked by sew
eral serious falls. Cabanne. who had been
reported training in Erie and in good con-
dition, fell in his heat of the half mile
open and was badly cut. Just before start
ing in this race lie said that his recent
illness was no story. and that he was not
feeling like racing. Otto Ziegler, the "lit-
tie California Demon" also fell in a heat
of half open, together with Brown and
Will n. Coburn, of st. Louis. The latter
probably suffered more than any of the
riders. as he had several very bad gashes in
both shoulders and in the face. Ziegler held
the two-mile national championship. which
to-day was taken by Nat Butler. of Bos-
ton, the darkest kind of dark horse But
Ter defeated both Coulter and Gardner on
the stretch. the three finishing close to-
gether that small table cover would have
covered all of them. The mile open was
undoubtedly the race of the day and the
closest finish, Bald winning by so narrow
a margin from Titus that the grand stand
would have it no other way than a win for
Titus.
No records were broken in the contests,
nor can it be said that any were expected
to be broken, as the track is exceedingly
dangerous and probably far from record
breaker. The surface is of clay and gravel.
and as the gravel has sifted to the top, on
this the wheel dips and slides as the
riders round the corners. The attendance
was probably 5000. The number was
greatly decreased by the rain which fell
during the early contests of the afternoon.
Among the spectators at the races was
James J. Corbett the pugilist, who occu-
pied the box with Colonel Pope Mr. Cor
hett was the cynosure of all eyes. The
races were competed in by a larger num-
Der than have competed at any contests of
this season. The prizes were hardly up to
the value Of pprizes offered at less important
National Circuit meets than this. The rae
ing was closer than any previous days
racing of the season. This applies to every
contest Surprise parties occurred in the
results of many races. 1t is hardly prob
able that Bald is riding in as good form
now as he has ridden during the season.
In his heat of two miles. national champ
the last turn. B. b. Baird, of ST. Paul,
was to-day transferred from Glass A to
Glass b by his own request.
THE RACE IN DETAIL.
The mile novice race had eight starters.
In the entry list were two men with his
toric names, Zimmerman and Drnberger.
The former did not start and the latter
qualified, as did all the starters without
m he rae he'll M
for while, when three men took ii from
him, and rounding the last turn. he was
fourth in position and swung wide down the
stretch The brother of King Michael rode
like a streak, and, jumping again and
again, captured the contest by six inches,
Denver, who is here as a captain of the
great Denver '95 meet club. The time was
2:37 1-5 without pacemakers.
The final of the half-mile open Glass b,
had eight men at the start, but Kennedy,
of Chicago was disqualified for using i'm
pace in the race and suffered the usual
consequences, being beaten out by five men
in the stretch. Fred Allen. of Syracuse.
went up with rush at the turn and down
the stretch and was leading by a length
when Gardiner came forward like a streak
of lightning and shot by Allen almost on
of Utica, beat out Sims for the third post
tion, and Helfert, Murphy and c. H. Gala
han ran In the order named, strung out
l.
was probably third in this contest, but the
judges transferred the position to Jenny.
The first heat of the mile. open, Class B.
with pacemakers, resulted I'm dead heat
between Titus and Macdonald This was
one Of the most exciting finishes of the day.
stretch and gained a length in the last
For the two-mile national championship
chicawos ca % PRIDE ~ Nat e0P Butler nu the Boston
F. B. Stowe, OF Springfield. Mass: Henry
e. aerr Of q san Fnaeesco fseed ada the
starter in the order named from the pole.
Mayo and Saunders paced the arst mile
paced the second. In the rush for the tan
dem little Kiser gained the lead and held
place, e,S Coulter Butler Caldwell well and Stowe Stowe
following In order. On the turn there was
fall and Terrill was out of it Stowe
well on the third. these being the only two
Glass men who qualified. Kiser. Gardi-
ner, Coulter and Butler maintained their
position. The first mile was done In 2:09 1-5,
and the Johnson brothers picked up the
men in splendid style In the second lap
of the last mile the Johnson brothers pulled
away from the men and started a loaf.
with Coulter in the lead. At the pole Kiser
had dropped to the rear position and a
record was lost for the track. Coulter at
Gardiner. and around the corner Butler
shot his bolt and came into the stretch like
Closed a IL and fhs
and Gardiner, The latter shot upon Coul-
ter's rear wheel and gained second by an
inch. The time was 4:20.
For the mile open, Class B. the heats of
which were run during the afternoon. Ray
Macdonald. Titus Fred Allen G.. A. Church
of Philadelphia, Gardiner of Chicago and
Bald Of Buffalo. faced the starter in the
order named from the pole. Mayo and
Saunders paced on tandem In the rush
for the tandem, Gardiner and Bald locked
In side by side and Bald went by the tam
inside he forced Gardiner from the posi-
ton. Titus, Allen. Macdonald. Gardiner
and Church was then the order back of the
tandem. The tandem dropped at the three
quarters and Church sprang from behind
and led around the lower turn. Gardiner
closed up and was out of il. Titus closed
with Bald on the stretch and a game fight
ensued. Titus pushed up closer and closer
all the way down the stretch and lost the
race by but six inches, Fred b. Allen rum
fourth and fifth. The time 2:07 3-5. So
close was the finish the crowd yelled vo-
ciferously for Titus.
Summaries of finals only:
One-mle novice-C. G. Dirnberger. Buffa-
10: first; Donald Mckay. Denver. second.
Time, 2:37 is.
Two-mile handicap. Glass A, eighteen
starters-W. Gs Douglas. New York Ath-
letic Club. % yards first: 1: a; W Abel.
shaw. Greenwich, 200 yards, third. Time.
one-half mile open. Class B-A. Gardiner.
Chicago. nrst; +. II. Allen. Syracuse. SEQ.