The sun., 1897-12-05
SHARP RACING ON WHEELS.
Riders TAKE TUMBLEs on THB
GARDENS NEW TRACK.


nattiinE shert- -Dlstance Competitive Events. |
Indoor wheel racing Is the rage, II the popu-
larity OF the sport can be judged by the attend |
ance at the Madison Square Garden last night, |
when The American Cycle Racing Associa-
tion pulled OF It's short-distance evonts. A |
rough estimate placed the crowd at |
5000 persons when the racing was un- |
der full sway. Although tho sport began |
at o'clock. tho enthusiasts poured into the |
amphitheatro moro than an hour before that |
time. Tho placing Of the highly banked nine-
lap track close up to the arena boxes made
promenading possible in tho inclosed area.
and to that part OF the floor space
there was a rush OF tho moro excitable.
The arena seats from floor to roof were packed
with men, women. and boys who screamed,
shrieked, ronrcd. howled. and went into
hystcrical spasms throughout the evening. They
also did some kissing and cat.calling whenever
things did not suit them, although such occa-
sions did not often present themselves.
The floor space was the scene of frequent Inn
promptu football matches provoked by fren-
zied spectators who were bent upon following
riders completely around the track. Whenever
the pistol was fired as signal for race to
start, the floating crowd rushed half way down
toward the first turn at the Madison avenue
end. then switched over to the other short
stretch as the wheemen few along al
most blindly, after which they swerved
around to the place opposite the start
again, only to repeat tho circus.liko
performance. By and by, In the excitement
that prevailed, the floating populacc threw sys-
TEN to the winds. and each man seemed to be
rushing in different direction from his
neighbor. In word. there was case
Of helter skelter hustling all over the
floor, In which hats were dropped and stepped
on, buttons were wronched of, and owners OF
hoarse voices were finally compelled to simply
whisper:
This racing game 10 peach"
The small army Of competitors In repose af-
forded some beautiful comparisons. There was
the well.groomed professional, whose hair was
oiled and parted so evenly that 1t was impossi-
Bile for him to lose his balance. His trunks and
jersey appeared to have been selected with some
degree OF taste, and his bathrobe was usu-
ally thing of beauty. His ever devoted
trainer was always in evidence, pushing along
the petted wheel, which had been so carefully
cleaned and tested in the dressing room outside.
all OF which goes to show that as In other sports
the pro" believes in style and appearance.
But the amateursl Some of them looked like
professionals, as far as personal appearance and
oiled hair were concerned. but there were others
whose dazzling combinations Of football hail.
green trunks and pink Jerseys denoted
AZ abandon that was often ians carried LED upon
tho track as eF soopns oesSe sSs
and they wore bathrobes that were both new
old old craze-scorchins. rag Prohibited from speeding m
their machines on tho public highways. they
seopch, and be encouraged, too. in such action.
As q result those who lacked experience in real
beea SnGer
banked up at the turns to height OF
nine feet. was model in eN5strus.ion s5 .r yet
and lofty tumbling on it that was hair raising in
Its effects. In almost every instance where
unhurt. It was miraculous too; for whenever
a wheel slipped down 1t was at q time when its
dfs ssRE %nx s9fS 10 S
that limbs were broken.
When the races tS started. = band & Of music be.
:. od1sns s$s srssq Y 81
that they didnEt play at ali WhiIe tho yelling
mens St up ts son aefh put just held
The trial heats in tho one,mile professional
sas'a ses the 80 se erssees deasy that red burns
with his musical voice. made tho announce.
%sn 1u ras o tho very frat sfsnn
in Jean Gcngiotz, known Ss the he &"Unpaced pa King
in a terrific drive from Hoyt, tic Springfield
hyyeTT; yy!T,v. !. rr,no.," ,o,,sd . ,cor. o, t,bl.
frenzy ot dsight;, ~. -.n....,,..,,.. =, -.
thought Hoyt should have received the verdict
by half a wheel, while the. the rest, rest Of the the
the he" heart breaking finish. And 90 It went.
each heat in that event and h the upI one
ment until it came time to run the hnal
heats. The professional event came first. with
Ss OF Tedy
and Eckhardt Of Philadelphia at tho scratch.
After false start the hen men Sgt In
tho pace, bu. as Il was not very Rinesry Ior a
they q hit 'er up" and there was a hot old time.
Goodman moved up quickly to second place
Isg 1aS him GohRgotz tSo King OF
France" was now being paced 50 vigorously
hs STSpeS to 6n se
jumped to the front and began pedalling at such
| a stunning rate that he opened up big gap
A There g were YER yelis of oil kinds as the flyers
whirled around on the last turn, and then great
other kink and dashed across the fnish h line
with couple OF lengths to spare Weinig and
Stevens came IN next. with the Frenchman
After F, L. Cramer OF Nework. from the 15-yard
mark, had won the mile amateur handicap event
In good style, there was more excitement as
Arthur A. Zimmerman, the exchampion. came
on tho track to ride an exhibition half mile,
| paced by the noted " Black and White" tandem.
',Hooray for Jimmy" went up all over the
| and black trunks, and looked as well as ever.
| AS he rode around tho track and bowed IN re-
| sponse to the salyos of applause. Jimmy
suddenly lost hie balance and his wheel
Jimmy and the crowd Yelled "oh.' But It was
only a dislocated saddle. and in a few moments
| Arthur was mounted and got after the tandem
| in pretty lively style. He was not the same old
| Jimmy. though. and couldn't hold tho pace. al
| though his time was announced SO 2-5 SEQ
ons He got great send-ofr, however. when he
| finished.
SprlntinR of a more dangerous nature charao-
| terfzed the various heats In the one-third Of a
| mile professional handicap. In the first heat
there was a fall that was undoubtedly the most
| serious OF the evening. Eddie Bald scratch
the men were rounding the Fourth avenue
| turn when two riders ahead OF him fell. Bald
| ran into them and turned a somersault. He lay
motionless on the track q moment and several
were in the act of picking the grea,
still on their wheels came around again like
| NJ h. ,.yha n g