St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-04-21
MISS FARNswORTH BEAT HELEN
BALDWIN IN THE FIRST NIGHTS
RACING
AT THE GREAT AUDITORIUM
HER STAR-SPANGLED BELT WAS
THE EMBLEM OF VICTORY
AGAIN.
1T SEEMED ALMOST A DEAD HEAT
But the Referee Decided That Miss
Farnsworth Had Shade the
Best of 1t.

II every nights racing is as exciting as
last nights, then the six-day bicycle race
which started at the Auditorium last night
will be four-time winner in point of pop
ular enthusiasm.
The last lap was a whirlwind Of excite
ment Dottie Farnsworth, the Minneapolis
girl, who had taken the lead ten minutes be-
fore, was closely pushed by the California
beauty, Helen Baldwin, and as they came up
the course, they were almost neck and neck.
Baldwin, however, being further up the slop-
ing track. was at a disadvantage, and as
they came to the tape, it was declared by the
referee, John King, that Miss Farnsworth
was ahead. although many in the crowd
believed that it was Miss Baldwin, who dart
| ed to the front just as soon as the tape was
crossed and on the curve showed well in
| front.
There was little delay in starting the race,
| partly due to the trouble Of seating the
| thousands who came to see the first night of
an exciting race.
Considerable local interest was stirred by
! the appearance of local bicyclist, in the per-
son Of Miss leila Villarde. a handsome
blonde, who became at once upon her ap-
pearance a strong favorite. The pace set
was too hot for Miss Villarde, however, and
| al er fourteen laps she dropped out.
The other contestants were Miss Helen
Baldwin, of San Francisco, the winner of the
recent race in MINNEAPOLIS; Miss Dottie
| Farnsworth, Of Minneapolis; Miss Ida Peter
son, of Minneapolis; Miss May Allen, of New
| York, and Miss Minnie Hokenson.
AZ for he
riders threw off their wraps and were bunch
ed at the tape for a mammoth flash light
picture.
| Miss Baldwin had costume of dainty blue,
Miss Allen was in green and Miss Farms
| worth had an American flag draped about
her waist over a loose pair Of sprinting
pants. Misses Peterson and Hokenson were
in black, with maroon sweaters, and Miss
| Villarde's trim figure was entirely in black,
which set off her trim figure and clear blonde
crown to a decided advantage
| After the picture was taken, the riders
| were given a few minutes to warm I'D, and
1t was about S:45 when they were started by
| H. o. Messier, Misses Allen, Farnsworth
and Baldwin taking the front positions. Miss
Allen took the lead, with Miss Baldwin Sec
| ond, Miss Farnsworth third, and Misses
Pearson, Hokanson and Villarde in the order
named. This position was held for some time.
with the exception that Miss Villarde soon
dropped out. Almost like flash the women
went around the eighteen-lap track, now one
and now another setting the pace, but this
unwelcome task, in some respects, being left
usually to Miss Allen. who was conceded
third place by the sport loving element
around the ringside. For a time Miss Farms
worth trailed the California wonders wheel,
and then Miss Baldwin dropped back behind
her Dottie and returned the compliment. The
pace set was eventually too hot for Misses
Peterson and Hokanson and they lost several
laps on the first three, who kept within the
length of their wheels from the beginning to
the end Of the nights race. About quarter
of an hour before the close, however, Miss
Hokanson took new squirt and closed UP
little of the distance, stepping from first the
rear of the bench to the front, but it was in
vain that she tried to make UP the lost lap,
as the others were going at too hot gait.
Farnsworth was trailing Baldwin then, but
she tired Of that, and at 1920 she made a
magnificent squirt for several laps Try as
she would however, she could not get away
from the relentless little girl in blue, who
! followed her wheel in the midst of 1t all so
closely that fouling seemed inevitable, and
the crowd was in frenzy Of excitement
| Now, the Minneapolis contingent would cheer
luo 4 lily Delle 10 the eCn0, ana a
| moment later a whoop would be heard from
a crowd Of friends who made Miss Baldwin
a favorite during the race at Aurora park
| last fall. Nor were the other girls without
| friends, either, and ever and anon there
would be fired In a volley from one quarter
| or another, to give fresh life to the seemingly
| tagging spirits Of the flying riders.
Then came the final struggle. Farnsworth
was first, with Baldwin, Allen, Peterson and
| Hokanson, just as named, all in a string, a
| few inches between the successive wheels
| The band struck lively air. the last inspira-
| ton of the night. The blue knees flew I'D and
| down just a. little faster, and the American
| flag at Miss Farnsworth's waist fluttered with
| the nvelier movement that responded Up the
| rim Of the saucer, like, went the wheel of
Miss Baldwin, slowly but surely gaining little
by little on the girl from Minneapolis One
lap more was all. The girls were almost neck
| and neck. The others were not in the inter-
est at all. Nearer and nearer came Miss
Baldwin, now seeming to have the lead in the
| curves, only to lose it as she came down into
| the stretch. Down to the tape for the last
| time they came, each straining every muscle
with the bitterness Of a vindictive battle add
| ed to the yearning for more material gain. AS
| they passed the referees box few in that
| throng could tell which had won, and the
| crowd restrained its pent-up outburst for few
minutes until the formal announcement was
made that Miss Farnsworth had the lead
Nh Miles. Laps.
| MISS Farnsworth ................. 38 IL
MISS 6aidWln .....s.s.............3 S IL
0 Nliss 6iien .'..'.'s.ss''........5 IL