The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-05-30
FLYERS HAVE A DAY
BICYCLE RACES ATTRACT A LARGE
CROWD TO GRIswOLD PARK.

MusseIman Wins Three Out Of the Fou
Races in Which He was Entered-H'
Did Some Fine Riding and MAKES I
tanned the Crowd With Some Clsve
Trick Ridine-He Rode His Vince
Backward for Half . Mile-NiIier Doe
Some Clever Work.
Yesterday afternoon the Wichits
Wneelman association held their open
ing race meet at Griswolds park. L
! was a contest between the local riders
although open TO all league members ir.
respective OF residence.
A good crowd was present and Great.
! ed enthusiasm for their favorites
Among the spectators were quite a
number Of wheelmen from Hutchinson
Wellington, Winfield and Newton. who
came TO get pointers before the circui,
| opens up.
| Shortly after o'clock the first race
| was called. This was the half-mile
open with Crib, Mussleman. Hunt and
| Hays starting. Once around the track
and the race was over with Crib, first,
Hunt, second; Musselman, third, and
Hays fourth. Time Ill 1-2. Consider
| ing the condition Of the track this was
| very fast time, and Cribs friends were
| highly elated at the outcome.
| The boys half-mile race was called
| next and run in the good time Of TIA ga
| Joe Exton passed over the tape frs;
| with time to spare, followed by Bird and
Lehman. Exton made fine squirt a,
| the lower turn and gained till the
| finish.
In the mile open all the first race men
started with the addition Of Kelchner.
This was the first two lap race and
many Of the spectators were cheering
the finish Of the first under the misap-
prehension that it was final. Crib led
the bunch up to the stetch on the halt
but when the last eighth was reached
Musselman swung around and in a
whirlwind sprint came around the turn
into the stetch a good leader and while
the followers strove TO lessen the dis
lance Musselman set too hot a pace and
crossed the tape in 23T 1-2. Crib. Hunt.
Hays and Kelchner following in the Or
der named.
Ray Miller next gave an exhibition
two-mils paced race. He followed the
tandem around for a mile and a half
and then swung on to a single ridden
by Crib. In the first place the track
was not banked enough on the turns
for the tandem and IL could not furnish
enough speed. There was also a hitch
on the pickup when Miller nearly run
over Officer Aspey who was clearing the
track Of spectators. Miller has only
been in training a few days, but even
then made the two miles In sos.
Beffell was then introduced and de-
lighted the crowd by his clever trick
riding.
One mile, 2:3o class, opened with
Musselman, Crib. Hays. Kelchner and
Miller at the scratch. The first lap was
run without incident in slow time and
they kept in a bunch until the three
quarer pole when Musselman surprised
everybody by beginning to sprint. He
passed Hays, Miller and Crib and led
around into the stretch at q terrific
pace Again the trailers fought for
place, and when Musselman passed over
the tape in 2:35 1-2 Crib and Hays fol-
point in this race was the long quarter
of a mile sprint made by Musselman.
A sprint OF this distance Is rarely at
tempted, even by professionals. and the
style with which he sustained his speed
shows him to be a game as well as
speedy rider.
NJ. H. Burt then went a flying eighth
IN II seconds fat
He was followed by Beffell who rode
a half-mile backwards in 1852.
The one-mile tandem with only two
Psi IA. Hunt and Hays pushed the
winner, and Kelchner and Mccoy fol-
lowed.
Next came the event Of the day, the
five-mile open. with four starters.
Crib was favorite. as he had lately won
the twenty-mi,e from Musselman.
Musselman's "rooters." however, declar-
ed he would win this. At the start
Hays took the pace and every lap there
after il was changed by Musselman and
Crib. AS the final lap drew near the
crowd grew enthusiastic and cheered
the boys. On the final Musselman stay
ed back until the last eighth when with
another OF his peculiar rapid sprints he
forged ahead and finished easily ahead
in IL minutes, seconds. Then the
Select Knights OF Rest broke loose and
rent the air with their cheers, as
"Mussie" Is one OF their members and
rode under their colore, purple and
white. Crib was second and Miller a
close third. Hays fourth.
After this race Hunt went an exhibit
ton quarter-mile, flying start, unpaced.
Time So IL.
Crib went flying start, paced. exhi-
hition half-mile IN los.
He was followed by Musselman In an
exhibition unpaced, flying start. half
mile in Ill 1-2.
The program was closed by the one
mile boys race. The youngsters show
ed good speed. and Exton won riding
easy in 2:SS IA. Bird second, Lehman
third. Exton deserves especial mention.
as he Is only a boy OF II and the time
made shows him TO be a coming speedy
one.
Musselman carried off the honors OF
the day, winning three out OF the four
races he entered. All the boys. how
ever. deserve much credit FOR the way
they endeavored to furnish the people
with good racing.
When the turns on the track are bank
ed q little more. Wichita viii have one
OF the finest hait-mile cycle tracks in