The morning times., 1896-12-23

The big six-day bicycle tournament that
is to begin next Monday evening at Con-
vention Hall is creating the most intense
interest among local wheelmen. Manager
Towers is overwhelmed with inquiries
as TO entries, ETC., and finds it the hardest
kind of work to keep the list down to
the desirable maximum of ten or twelve
The following OF the contestants have
been heard from:
The whole Of the foreign team managed
by Ed. Plummer, and composed OF Hale,
Chapple, Foster, Alberts, and Waller, the
flying Dtchman;'' Rice, Reading, Schock,
Maddox, and AShinger. Among the others
heard from, but not yet arrived, are Tom
Linton, who holds all records from three
miles to thirty-One miles 5S2 yards VIII .ch
last distance is the worlds beating record
for one hour; Marks, who will try, as
viii! Linton, to reduce his own record for
time and distance, and Eddie Ball, the
American champion, who will enter each
night iii o II effort to lower his own time.
All Are In Training.
Ashnger is here and is keeping himself
In prime condition by miles OF work daily
He will be as hard as nails when he enters
and does not fear that his colurs will be
lowered TO any competitor in tile coming
contest He now holds the record for six
day, eight hours day, races, having
cut the top notch i'll such races at Boston
in 1891.
Washington never before saw such an
aggregation of cycling talent as will be on
the Convention Hall track next week. The
meet is attracting attention everywhere and
kilograms are pouring in upon the local
management asking for and giving infOr-
nation. Plummer wires from New York
that Hale is in excellent condition and is
prepared TO make the race of his life.
Maddox is going TO spend Christmas with
his family al Asbury Park, n. j., and will
not arrive in Washington Till Saturday.
Manager Towers is up TO his eyes i'll detail
work preparing programs, advertising mat
ter and tickets.
All the contestants who have arrived in
town spent the morning by taking
practice spin up the Conduit Road To In
ternational Park, where they reeled off
good many miles before noon.
The English Crew.
The English contingent, in charge of
their famous trainer, Marks, formed an
interesting group as they mounted their
wheels for the early morning spin. Tom
Linton, who holds half a dozen world s
records, was the pacemaker, and he set
a merry clip for the other flyers during
the two hours OF practice. The party
was in charge of George Ball, the we'll
known local rider.
The most notable arrival last evening
was Albert Schock. He has participated
in thirty or more six-day races in this
country and in Europe, having been on the
track for more than decade. He says he
feels no i'll effects from the long race just
finished at Madison Square Garden, New
York, with the exception Of several stiffen-
ed fingers. This is the result OF the steady
grip on the handle. and from which rider
can get no relief, as the slightest swerve
of the wheel is likely to result diSastrously
to himself and possibly half dozen other
riders.
SchOck'S Training Wheel.
SchocE's long experience in racing has
taught him the danger of relying on good
weather for training preliminary to a con-
test. 50 he has had constructed an unique
machine. by which he can rect off any
number Of miles inside OF six foot space.
HIS bicycle is swung in peculiarly built
frame, So that the driving wheels rest
on rollers, with which dial registers arr
connected, thus indicating the distance
Travelled.
This dial is in full view of both the
rider and the spectator, so the progress
of the spin can very easily be watched.
SChock says he can make a mile on his
machine well inside of three minutes Ed.
Plummer, with Hale, the new worlds
champion, will very probably arrive some
time this evening