The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06

sorts of bicycles displayed, from a single
to siX-seater, the latter attracting as
much attention as prize racer at h orse
| show.
In the handling of the races there was
little to be wished for. The timing was
perfect, the starting and judging good, and
Announcer Knapp. with his immense
white "knapaphone," or speaking trumpet,
was very much in evidence.
A great deal of enthusiasm attended the
running Of the races. All the clubs were
there in full force, and as their respective
/ riders won heat or race they would
give their club yells with vim which
| insured sore throats this morning. The
Acme and Reliance clubs of Oakland, the
Bay Cltys, Olympics, Garden Citys, Cali
fornlas. lmperials, San Franciscos, Libertys
and other smaller clubs were present en-
masse and We'd with each other in the
loudness of their calls ana enthusiasm.
There were great many ladies in the
audience, all of whom seemed to have
favorites among the racers, and those who
did not chose the one most to their liking,
and applauded his efforts by waving their
kerchiefs energetlcallv.
The first of several high-grade bicycles
offered by the management of the tourna-
ment as gate prizes was won by the holder
| of ticket 1875.
The first race of the evening was the
mile invitation, divided into four heats,
the first in each heat to qualify for the
final. The first heat came near resulting
| in great upset for the favorite, Charles S.
| Wells, the 2O0-pound champion of the Bay
City Wheelmen. He had the pole up to
the sixth lap, when Russell Cushing, San
Jose flyer, spurted to the front and it was
nip and tuck between them to the tape,
| where Wells barely won, amid great ap-
plause, in the fast time of 2 minutes 80
seconds.
In the second heat Hardy Downing of
the Garden Citys, r. H. Long of the Bay
Cltys and w. w. Needham of the Olym-
pics started. They exchanged setting
pace all the way and fought it out at the
finish, Downing winning by several yards,
Long second, Needham third. Time, 2
minis. 35 3-5 secs.
T. A. Griffiths, Bay City; F. NJ. Byrne,
Imperial, and II. w. Squires, Acme, start
ed in the third heat. There was great
| surprise in store for the crowd at the fin
ish, for every one familiar with the abili-
ties of the men thought the race lay either
with Gritfiths or Byrne; but Squires out
spurted them both at the finish, winning
handily in 2:24
There were three men in the third and
last heat-William Yeoman, Reliance. ].
E. Edwards, Olympic, and n. Alderman,
San Francisco Road Club. The heat was
won by Yeoman, who barely beat out Ed
wards right at the tape. The time was
2:2S 3-5.
There were over thirty entries for the
4 mile scratch, open, and the race was
divided into nine heats and three semi
finals, not more than three or four start
ing in each heat. &. II. Crafts of the
Acme Club won the first in 2:34 Frank
M. Byrne, the pride of the Imperial Club,
took the second heat easily in 2:32 1-5.
The third heat went to E. Languetin, Bay
City. Time, 2 Al 2-5.
There were four starters in the fourth
heath, and ]. E. Edwards of the Olympics
passed his three competitors at the finish,
winning in 2:35 1-5. The fifth went to
Charles M. Goodwin, San Francisco Road
Club, In 2:24 4-5. He surprised the crowd
by beating C. NJ. Smith, Garden City, and
S. B. Vincent, Bay City, who were picked
for first and second places, respectively.
II. B. Freeman Bay City, had things
about his own way in the sixth heat and
won it in 2:31 2-5 In the seventh heat
Tony Delmas of the Garden CITY Club
came first, but he had to work hard for it,
as his competitors pressed him hard at the
finish. The time was 43.
The eighth heat brought out trio OF
crack sprinters-Wells and Hall, the Bay
City f1iers. and Yeoman, whom the Re-
lance Club men look upon as their best
man. They aiternated pace all the way,
and in a beautiful sprint at the finish
Wells won out, beating the others only by
inches. The Bay City contingent in the
grandstands went wild over their favorite's
victory. Wells time was Al 3-5.
George w. Tantau, Olympic, took the
ninth heat in 2 40 40 after very pretty
contest with 7. l.. Alborelle and N. Acker-
man.
To give the riders chance to rest, and
as pleasing variety, the management
next put on two Chinese races, distance
unlimited and names of riders unknown,
though Announcer Knapp stated they
| were One Lung, Hop Sing and Chew Gum
in the first heat. They were far from in
experienced, and the winner, Chew Gum,
made the mile in 2:45 The race was very
amusing, and kept the spectators in roars
of laughter.
There were two in the second race, Pity
Sing and "Rain-in-the- Face" This heat
was, If possible, more amusing than the
first. One of the celestials had on a racing
suit and was mounted on light wheel,
while the other wore his ordinary clothes
and his bike could not have weighed less
than fifty pounds. Though so heavily
handicapped, however, he made game
race of it, and was only beaten couple OF
laps. Timer Wetmore said the time was
3:O6 40, and the other timers concurred.
The next race, and one which proved
the most hotly contested OF the evening,
was the final of the one mile invitation.
|
ing G. s. Wells, Bay City, H. Downing,
Garden City, H. w. Squires, Acme, and
William Yeoman, Reliance. Downing did
most of the pace setting, with Wells,
Squires and Yeoman trailing him in the
order named. Wells went to the front on
the sixth lap, but Downing would not give
him the place, and they fought it out to
the tape, Wells winning by barely
wheels length. Squires third, Yeoman
fourth. blanket would have covered
the four as they crossed the tape. Wells
time was 2:3O 1-5.
The winners of the first three heats of
the mile scratch open were then brought
out as, owing to the number of heats, it
was necessary to run the race off in three
semi-final heats. Crafts, Acme, Byrne,
Imperial, and Languetin, Bay City, rode
the first, Byrne winning in 2:31 2-5, though
his lead over the other two at the tape
was only few inches.
Edwards, Olympic. Goodwin, San Fran
cisco Road Cub, and Freeman, Bay City,
had qualified for the second semi-hnal.
They are fast trio of sprinters, and cut
out lively pace from the start Goodwin
stole q march on the sixth lap and secured
quite lead, but the others soon overlook