Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-08-14
SPORT ON WHEELS
Good Races at the National
Bicycle Gathering.
PROFESSIONALS THE CHIEF CARDS.
Tom Cooper Wins the Fastest Race of the
Year and Lowers His Own Two-Mile
Record Two-fifths of Second-White
Wings OF Cleveland-Canadians Take
Most of tho Prizes--The vencedor's First
Appearance Does Her Credit.

LOUISVILLE, Aug 1i.-Tom Cooper won
the best and fastest race Of the year at
Fountain Ferry park yesterday afternoon,
winning the two-Iniie national champion
ship race for amateurs and professionals
in 4:26 80, or just two-fifths of . second
slower than the time in which he won the
two-milc championship last year at AS
bury Park, defeating Arthur Gardiner.
Yesterday his competitors Were the fastest
men of the year-Bald, Nat Butler, Nc
Donald, Gardiner, Ziegler Bliss, Eaton
and Ackers. This. aside from the mile
open professional, was the principal event
of the opening day of the national l.. A.
W. racing meet The weather was not
unpleasantly warm, and this fact, together
with the high class card. brought out a
crowd of about 5000 people.
Illinois Ijider Gutciasses His Fields.
c. {. Ingraham, of Dixon, Ills, out
classed his fields in the two amateur events
-two-milc handicap and the half-mile
opcn-winning both with ease. The bat
tie of the giants came in the mile open
professional. The only prominent men
who failed TO qualify in the trial heats,
which We're run. in the morning, were
Arthur Gardiner Fred Loughead. j. p.
Bliss and A. ID. Kennedy. The men be-
gan To string out as soon as the pistol was
hred-3ald III fifth place, Sanger and the
, Buffers well back. There was scarcely
any change until Sanger started on his
run from ninth place on the back stretch
of the last lap. The others We're slow in
| making their sprint. Bald missing the op-
! portunity 10 tnck on as Sanger passed him.
As they punched at the head of the stretch
Tom Butler SET Il hoy pace for Sanger, but
Bald was pockctod.
Sanger Began Too Early.
Sanger had made his start too carly and
was not equal to the terrific pace at which
Butler came home. The latter landed the
money, n comparatively easy winner, Bald
finishing in his pocket at fourth. Scratch
! men did not figure in the mile handicap
for professionals. 1t was another scalp
for the Buffers. Nat. with thirty yari
| handicap. winning in close finish from
, a. ID. Kennedy, of Chicago, who started
from the fiftcen-yard mark.
In the two rr,itr- ,!,st -ctnynp pionship
! Cooper had the pole. The pacing was
done by Stavcr and Winesett on singles.
| fifty yards, and Bald was on his rear
wheel. while Pinkey Bliss filed into third
| place. the others strung out il Indian file
Thus they pcdaled for five laps.
Cooper and BALD in Struggle.
At the last quarter Eaton made his
sprint from last place, Nat Butler tacking
To him as he passed. These two chal-
: iengcd the leaders at the head of the
stretch, but the great pair had the race
well III hand. 1t was n battle royal be-
tween Cooper and Bald to the tape. Bliss
clinging to third place like grim death.
Cooper started in upon such a squirt as he
has seldom been called upon to make do.
| ing the last twelfth in :07 10. This won
| the race for him. and with it the first ma
| tional championship medal awarded at
the meet.
Johnny Johnson took his usual shy at
the records. but he is too fat to accomplish
his oid-timc feats. He made "a half mile
behind a triplct in 0:j3 As. \. ]. Nicollet
rode his Giraffe quarter in 0:33 30 to
the amusement of the crowd. Two record
attempts were made by triplets, the best
performance being a mile in ~ 2-5 by a
local