The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-08-25

third a five mile unpaced, starting at
opposite sides Of the track. The mile
paced race is 10 be made in less than
two minutes and il possible the state
record OF 1:57 40, made last Saturday,
will be broken. Besides the match races,
". W. Oudkirk Of Denver. and L. ]. Boy
um Of Minneapolis, will 90 against sew
eral state records. In fact, the afternoon
Will be devoted mostly TO record break
ing attempts and fast riding between
the two matched racers. Some people
have wondered If this is bona fide race
between Sager and Barnett, and 10 those
VINO doubt il let them 80 70 A. J. Mus
selman who will show the money de-
posted by both men as a side bet The
way they came 10 race here is this:
Some time ago Barnett issued sweeping
challenge 10 race any Kansas rider for
side bet of 800, the winner of two
races out Of the three 10 have all the
money. The challenge still stands With
ouc any takers from among the ranks OF
the Kansas racers. When the circul,
met here both Of the above men were
with il. and Sager said that If Barnett
would take 2 Colorado man, he would
ride him on those terms. Afterward Sa-
ger issued the challenge = Barnett and
deposited his forfeit. and promptly on
receipt Of the challenge Barnett accept
ed and put- up his money. These TWO
men have been trying for some time 10
ge- at one another, and they eagerly
took advantage Of the fine track here 10
decide their rivalry. Both have been in
training for long time and are in the
best OF condition. The races will be for
blood and both are determined to win.
In Chicago, ST. Louis, Denver and 9TH
er large cities these match races are be-
coming more popular all the time. They
are always exhibitions of speed and all
the Objectionable features, such as spills,
etc, are eliminated. More people win
enjoy contest Of this kind than they
would with a dozen men in il, and es-
pecialIy when the men are Is good and
evenly matched as are Sager and Bar
nett. Sager will be remembered as the
man who broke the mile unpaced state
record last Saturday on this track.
He has been track racer just four
teen months, but his record is phenome-
nal He won nine firsts and one second
out OF twelve races on the Nebraska cir
cult soon after he started racing. Oc-
tober II, last year, ne made themost phe-
nomenal records OF his history, breaking
the worlds unpaced professional rec
ords for two. three and four miles all in
one afternoon. These records ne still
holds.
Barnett has been racing Is an anna
teur and professional for three years.
He started out the first year by winning
twenty-five f1rsts out of twenty-seven
races on the Nebraska circuit. He tied
Walter S2nger's world record for mile
last September. Later he became mem
Der Of the noted Tom Eek combination
with Johnnie Johnson, who has ridden
50 many record breaking miles as team
mate. Heidi a mile, paced by quad,
that fall in 1:4S fat. At El Paso that
December hemade the greatest record
Of his track experience, breaking the
twenty-five mile unpaced worlds record
and all intervening after mile. He
had a bad spill at Topeka this year but
has now fully recovered.
These races will undoubtedly be the
most interesting and exciting ever held
III l-lIS CITY, anu tNt-y JIG NofNO
advantage of this last chance to see fine
professional racing this season. To de-
fray the necessary expenses OF these
races a small admission fee Of 20 cents
will be charged al the gate, but the
grand stand and quarter-stretch will be
free to everyone. There will be only
this one expense and that is merely
nothing in consideration OF the fine sport
that will be given. The races will begin
this afternoon at O'Clock in Griswold
Park, and they will be the last racing
this season.