The San Francisco call., 1896-11-22
WALTER FOSTER
IS THE CHAMPION
He Defeats Wells in the
Match Races at the
Velodrome.
The Terrill Brothers Invincible
in the Professional
Events.
Kenna Is the Amateur Champion.
Broken Records Prove the New
Track Fast-Mile in I:57.

The new velodrome bicycle track was
opened to the public yesterday afternoon.
The threatening weather did not deter an
immense crowd from attending, and the
people we're well repaid, for they wit
messed one of the best cycle meets ever
held in the State.
Before the days racing was finished the
people saw several coast records broken,
mile made behind a quadruplet pacing
machine in 1:57, professional competi-
tion mile in 2:0S, an amateur com petition
mile in 2:07f and altogether as fine days
sport of its kind as has ever been seen
here.
The stands are we'll protected from the
wind and rain, being covered at the sides
and overhead, and the seating accommo-
dations are altogether quite comfortable.
1t is intended Shortly to roof the entire
track and grounds, and give night meets
during the winter.
The track is situated on the block
bounded by Hayes, Fell, Baker and Lyon
streets, at the beginning Of the panhandle
entrance to the park.
The meet was handled by the officials of
the League of American Wheelmen, prom
inent in all local cycling affairs. The Of
uOClS VI VIC Qdy WSIt. IlS1GT06, II. III.
Welch; judges-H. H. White, E. B.
Jerome, f. H. Kerrigan; timers-G. P.
Wetmore, G. II. Stratton, A. P. Swain;
scorer-Sol Peiser, George Brouillet, II.
d. Hadenfeldt; mpires-Douglas White,
]. s. Egan, G. E. Gritfiths, r. s. Duncan;
clerk of course, R. P. Aylward; assistants
Charles d. Petre, David Marshall, A. W.
Wehe; starter, r. c. Lennie; announcer.
| George E. Dixon; marshal, R. L. Long;
| Handicapped, r. A. Smythe.
The drawing card of the meet was the
| matching of Walter f. Foster of the Olym-
| pic Club Wheelmen and Charles S. Wells
of the Bay City Wheelmen for three races
ct one, two and five miles, paced. The
men have long been rivals for the cham
| pionsbip honors of the coast and in the
| professional class are probably tue fastest
men on the coast.
| The first race, at one mile, was a COM
| paratively easy victory for Foster, as pre-
dicted in The CALL yesterday. R. E. Dow
| OF San Jose was the pacemaker and set a
hot clip for four laps. On the fifth Wells
took the lead and started on his long
| sprint. Foster could not be shaken off,
however, and rounding into the home
stretch gradually gained on Wells, cross
ing the tape couple OF inches ahead of
him amid the greatest enthusiasm, The
time was 2:17 3-5.
The two mile was 'tcorker." Boyden
paced the first six laps and Dow the next
tve. Foster seemed satisfied to stay back
all the way, giving Wells the pole. This
was an advantage he made the most of.
As they rounded the first turn of the last
lap Wells led by wneePs length, which
gap Foster was not slow to close up ON
the backstretch. Coming into the straight
they were neck and neck all the way,
fighting like mad for bit of lead, but
neither gained an inch and they crossed
the line even up, as dead heat as was
every run. 1t was magnificent ride, and
the people thoroughly appreciated it. The
time was 4: :37 3-5.
AfIer long rest the men again came
out, this time for the five mile run. They
were paced by Dow and Boyden on tam
dem, and the pace was fast enough to suit
the most exactiDg. The first mile was
made in 2:29; two miles, 4:47 As; three
miles, 7:01; four miles. 9:09 As. And then
the pace began to increase and tue people
began to get excited. On the twenty
ninth lap the tandem dropped out and left
the men to fight it out alone. Foster had
the pole and kept it, with Wells at his
elbow. contesting every inch OF the way.
He was a few inches behind and never
made 1t up, Foster beating him out after
a remarkable ride in 11:13 4-5. The vic
| tory was decisive, and Foster was cneefed
to the echo as he dismounted.
The Va odrome shield race, one mile
professional, was divided into three trial
heats and final, first and second in each
heat to qualify. TIE first was won by
Harry Terrill, Bay City. in 2:30. Dow of
Seattle second. The next heat was a tie
between two Los Angeles cracks, McCrea
and Whitman, in 2:29.. bob" Terrill
beat Jones, his old-time rival, and Becker
the five-mile National champion, in the
third heat in 2:25 As.
This brought hot field into the final.
and to make it speedier pacing was intro.
dueed. On the fifth Jap they were all
buncned, with the Terrill brothers in the
lead. Harry kept in front almost TO the
tape, when BIB" came on the OUTSIDE
with his famous sprint and passed him.
winning by inches. Whitman of Los An
Reles got third. The time made was ex-
ceedingly fast, 2:0S 1-5, and goes to show
what speedy track the Velodrome is.
But this time wasn't "in it'' with that
made in the final of the amateur mile in
vitation.
There were three heats and final in this
race, first and second 10 qualify. The
event brought out the cream of the anna
teur talent OF the coast and was supposed
TO practically decide the championship for
the year in that class.
Kenna OF Oakland won the first heat in
clever style from -Hamlin, Raynaud and
Crafts, In The rather slow time of 2:39.
Another Oaklander, Squires, took the Sec
ond III 2:25 80 and sull another sprinter
from across the bay, Decker, won the next
heat In 2;3o 1-5. Thus it was evident the