The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-09-03
TWO MINUTE HORSE At LAST
Star Pointer Paced Exhibition
Mile In 1::59 IA.
RECORD MADE AT REEDvILLE
Even Faster-Performance Was Wit
messed by an Excited Crowd.

oAoAuseoAu aoCh0s Vaughn 1hO limo
Even Faster-Performance Was Wit
messed by an Excited Crowd.
Reedville. Mass, Aug. 31.-The pac-
ing stallion Star Pointer, owned by
James A. Murphy, today wiped out the
two-minute mark, and ended the con-
troversy which has been going on for
years as to the speed qualities of the
light harness horse. Accompanied by a
runner, the big bay Tennessee-bred
stallion wiped out the mark and had
threesquarters ofa second to spare when
he went under the wire. This wonder
full performance was witnessed by about
5000 persons. 1t was the more Won
derful for on Friday Joe Patchen, with
Geers behind him, had made try at
the mark made by John B. Gentry last
October, and had failed by a second
and half. Because of this, it was not
thought that his greatest rival in the
race line would get down below the
even time mark.
The day was perfect for record break
ing. Not breath of air was stirring
when at O'Clock the horse came out
with running horse to make the trial
for a worlds record. The first two
scores were not satisfactory to McCleary
and he worked the horse way down be-
low the turn. The second score was
even worse than the first, for while at
break right under the wire. This made
the friends of the horse more than a
trifle nervous. The horse was acting as
if little sore and not up to the task.
But the third time down there was no
hesitancy.N McCleary nodded for the
word, and off the PAGER went.
The first quarter was at a two-minute
gait, 80 seconds, and then, as McCleary
called on his PAGER to move, there was
a great cheer, for he was beating two
minutes and got to the half in O:59A,
with the second quarter in O:29A.
The third quarter was the fastest of the
mile, the distance being covered in
O:294 seconds, 1:57 gait.
Around the turn Pointer seemed to
waver the smallest fraction of second,
but McCleary had him right almost be-
fore one could think, and he straight
ened out into the stretch, the runner
moving up closer. Both PAGER and
runner were asked to step along. Nc
Carthy laid the whip on the runner,
but McCleary only spoke a word of en-
couragement to his horse.
At the drawgate Pointer was reefed
little, and, coming stronger from the
distance, the great pacing stallion ap-
peared to freshen in the last few
strides, gathering fresh courage as he
neared the wire, and finished like a lion
in the record breaking time of 1853 II
A mighty shout went up. Men yelled
as though possessed. In the grandestand
the owner of the horse had his hand
wrung until it ached. Over the fences
jumped men who knew the horse and
driver, or who were carried away with
the enthusiasm of the moment
Hardly had McCleary brought the
horse to standstill before they had
him on their shoulders, and he was
borne along the stretch to the judges s
stand and there, as the band played
"Hail to the Chief,' be was introduced
to the throng, and then renewed ap-
plause for horse, owner and trainer
rang out.
A fairer mile was never timed. There
was not watch in the stand but what
agreed with the time announced, while
on the other side of the stretch, the
watches in the grandstand caught it
equally fast or better, not one slower.
G. w Marks, also of Chicago, the
owner of the greatest rival of Pointer,
looked at his watch earnestly and then
remarked:
eff anything, the mile was faster
rather than slower. 1t was 1859 per-
formance.' -