The San Francisco call., 1897-03-26

professionals, showed to advantage in the
quarter mile dash, winning his heat, semi
final and the final with apparent ease,
though he had some hard fields to beat.
One of the features of the evening was q
match race between P. L. Murphy Of
Philadelphia, the champion pigeon shot
of the world, and Cash Sloan, the celebrated
jockey. Considerable money changed
hands on this event among a large num-
Der Of Jockeys and bookmakers who were
in the audience. The race was very funny,
and the pace so slow that the band played
funeral march. Murphy had the best OF
the event, being accustomed to the track,
fact which his competitor had not
counted upon. 1t seems that the race had
been arranged several nights previous, and
Murphy took the intervening time to train
on the track afternoons. The time for the
mile was 1903 20.
The quarter-mile dash, professional,
furnished some short. exciting sport and
was the opening event OF the evening 1t
was run in six preliminary heats, three
semi-tinals and final.
Those who qualified for the semi-finals
were: Jones, Morris, Stevens, Allen,
S;arbuck, Boyden, Becker, Bovee, Harry
Ierriil, Slater, Downing and Byrne.
Jones, Stevens, Allen and Morris rode
in the first semi-fnal. The referee an
nounced to the men that the winners of
semi-fnals and the second in the fastest
heat would quality for the final, SO the
riders had good reason to ride their best
Jones got the pole, Stevens dropped in
behind him and the others were fighting
from behind. Jones was unbeatable,
though Stevens was close upon hlm at the
tape. The time was 81 LIS seconds.
Becker won the second, keeping to the
front all the way. Boyden and Bovee
fought for second place honors, the
former winning, but as the time was
slower than the first heat, he was shut out
of the final.
In the third were Harry Terrill, Down
ing, Byrne and Slater. Terrill got the
worst OF bad start and never showed
prominently in the running. Downing
assumed the pace and led the OF hers to
the tape in 50 seconds, Slater getting
second. This brought Jones. Stevens.
Becker and Downing into the final.
: Jones got the pole at the pistol shot,
Downing second. Becker and Stevens fol-
lowing, and The order was never varied TO
the tape, though the hind men tried hard
to overtake the leader. The time was 33
seconds.
The preliminary heats of the mile-record
race, professional. furnished some inter-
esting sport. In the first heat surprise
came when Mcfarland was shut out,
Harry Terril and Byrne beating him.
Wells had the second heat well in hand
when he fell on the last lap. owing to his
saddle coming loose, and threw Slater.
Eaton escaped the mix-up and rode in a
winner. Slater and Wells jumped to their
feet and started to run for the tape drag
ging their wheels after them. Slater had
a start of Wells and got there first. Stevens
won the third nicely, and bob" Terrill
and Starbuck ran dead heat for second
place. Becker won the next as he pleased,
from Dow and Davis. In the fifth Foster
cut in on the inside on the last turn and
rode into place, but was disqualified for
the act. Downing gos first, Morris second.
Byrne, Eaton and Harry Terrill rode
the first semi-finaI. The finishing sprint
was between Eaton and TerfiIl, Eaton
winning. In the second were Starbuck,
Davis, Stevens and Becker. Stevens and
Becker qualified Starbuck had a narrow
escape from fall. and was thrown out OF
his stride, by brushing against Becker.
Downing. "Bob" Terriil and Morris rode
in the third. Downing made an early
sprint, but Terrill came fast and passed
him, and so did Morris.
This. brought into the final Eaton,
Stevens, Becker and Bob Terrill. The
final was paced by Sullivan and Morris on
single wheels. Sullivan set a hot pace
from the start, and when Morris swung
in he made it even faster. The half was
ridden in LOS. Becker went to the front
on the sixth lap, and won all the way,
Stevens running second. Terrill third.
The time was 2:05.
Becker's time is a worlds indoor record
for professional mile in competition.
The five.mile club cup race was contested