The sun., 1896-12-10
PLUCKY BICYCLE RIDERS.
HALE STILL HoLDs FIRST PLACE
IN THE SIX DAFS' CONTEST.

| Rice, the American, Ciings to Second rosi
| tton, Thoueh ouite q Distance Behlnd-
Forster and Moore hide Hard for Places
Near the Top-sohock Flooding Along
Hale continued to bo the hero at the Garden
yesterday in the six days bicycle contest
Donned In his green suit tho 1rishman rceled
of mile after mile Rice, who at midnight was
some thirty miles behind the leader, stuck to
the latter like leech all day. and when Hale re-
tired for couple of hours at 10 O'Clock in the
morning. the Wllkesbarre lads adherents
thought he would surely assume the lead.
Rice however, was unable to 20 at high press
ure and ut midnight he was losing instead of
gaining ground.
A bitter fight went on all day between Forster
and Moore. who is now second choice among the
experts. Tho big hall was crowded during tho
afternoon, and at night 1t was packed. Tho
favorites among tho visitors were Hale, Rice,
Forster, and Maddox. The latter retired Mt a
late hour in apparently pretty bad fix.
AT nine minutes past 10 o'clock in the morning
Hale felt drowsy and retired. He was absent
for few minutes over two hours. In the mean
time Rice plugged away with the tenacity of a
bulldog. despite his injured and swollen hands,
and by the time Halo made his temperance
the Wilkesbarre lad had reduced the Irish
mans lead from fifty-one to twonty-six miles,
While he was accomplishing this rumors wore
skipping all over the Garden that Hale had
broken down. As matter of fact Hale took
nap Of an hour and half while his trainer had
3k-pound sirloin on the grill. This was
demolished by the crippled rider and washed
down by pint and half of ehocolate.
The lrtshman then mounted his machine and
schock. the hero OF tho 1893 struRgle. COM
legs during the day. This nccessitated his leav-
Ing tho track at frequent intervals. and at
t night he ad 9
however. he rallied in wonderful manner. and
at midnight was as fresh us paint.
During tho day Forster. the spasmodc Dutch
man. jumped from sixth place to third. He.
however. has the reputation OF not being able
from Philadelphia, excells In. 1t is just dawn
Ing Ing on spectato5s as well as the shrewd diyisIon
delphian by steady ploddinR has main tained an
average OF sixteen miles an hour.
Soldier" Reading evidently has the deepest
respect Tor Moore WHO passed him and got
This ronsed the soldier" who stuck grimIy to
the philadelphan for hours.
Major" Taylor begins TO look as II he had
that tired FEELING. After covering 300 miles, at
6o'clock he beat a retreat to his tent. and did
not reappear until q few minutes after z. When
Shock, which the veteran had wiped on and
had several miles to the good when the Major"
With the retirement OF Elkes at O'Clock in
tho morning, fifteen OF the original twenty.si
wore left in. or this contingent Cannon looked
extremely weary: Maddox seemed to be riding
purely on grit: Cassidy went round and round
with gaunt, dreamy air, and Click sauntered
along putting an occasional cigar.
Mcleod, who seemed thoroughly baked on
tuesday. became quite gay Yesterday and for
the first time since the contest commenced. put
lot of ginger into his work. or the leaders,
Rice looks as II he were In queer street, but he
is SO brimful OF pluck and sets his ,underjaw in
such determined manner that this combina-
tion may carry him through.
. Tho men raced in patches. Reading and Moore
knocking of lap after lap together, while Mad
dox and Forster would shoot out from the crowd
aud 40 at high pressure every now and again.
Click and Cannon rode without company. while
Shock would show the way to Taylor and
Cassidy. Rice dogged Hale. who had Mcleod
following closely on his heels.
A few Casualties took place, but serious
damage was done. Shocks trainer banged
into Mcleod during the afternoon. Hale me.
with a slight accident in the morning. his tire
being punctured. 1t was quickly put in apple
pie order and the leader only lost u few minutes.
The score n IL O'Clock last nipht