The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-09-20

River Park-It Was Great Day for
Young Jimmy Michael. --
Boston, September 1s.-"Jimmy"
Michael has right well been styled the
worlds champion bicycle rider, and it
was no great surprise to see. him win the
greatest cycling event ever run on any
New England track today. 1t was the
international 25-mile race on Charles
River park, and was run in the fastest
cycling time the world ever saw, and In
time which the world may not see again
for many days. Michael demonstrated
his phenomenal power on a wheel by
practically outriding his twoscompetitors,
Lucien Lesna of France and Eddie Nc
Dutfie of Cambridge.
1t was superb day for the event and
$4,000 people were on hand to see it.
30 intense became the excitement during
the race that nothing short of pandemoni
um fifty describes the scenes on stands
and bleachers. 1t was just as twilight
was appearing that the race was run and
the glorious tints of an autumnal sunset
painted the landscape with marvellous
effects. The bright and many hued
suits of the 90 or more men showing in
relief on the white smooth track, made
kaleidoscope the excited masses of people.
The big race followed programme of
four events and an exhibition of a ma
chine carrying 10 riders. McDuffie and his
PAGERS came out first, followed by Mr.
Lesna and his teams, but it was some
minutes later before little Jimmy Michael
rode to the tape. Each rider was liberal
ly applauded, although, perhaps, it was
the most vigorous for Michael, who is a
great favorite here. Lesna and Michael
received magnificent bouquets after
their first warming up lap. The prelimi-
nary arrangements were quickly settled
and at the pistol. shot, about 5.1S, the
race was on.
Who should be a winner was anticipated
to be question of pacing, and it was
prophesled that the best paced rider
would win. This, in a measure, was
true, but the fact could not be over
looked that Michael was faster than Lesna
or McDuffie. His pacing, however, made
this possible, for the most brilliant thing,
next to the record breaking in the race,
was the way Michael picked up his ma
chimes and took pace from them. Then,
too, he rode SO easily that it was impos-
sible to realize that he was cutting such
terrific speed. Lesna and his pace
makers worked like charm at all times,
but his machines had hardly the speed
of Miehael's. With McDuffie the condit-
ions were different. He had trouble more
than half the time in getting pace or
when getting it found it too slow He
he had good men on the machines.
In the start off the three riders caught
their quads for fast lap.tand Lensa took
the lead, making the first mile Is yards
ahead of AcDuffie, who managed to beat
out Michael at the tape by a few feet, the
first incident to bring on the excitement
which, subsequently grew SO vigorous.
In the second mile McDuffie gathered
speed and took the second mile by so
yards over Michael. In the third mile
McDuffie's mishap came in the shape of a
broken chain on his sextette. This lost
for him on the lap peacemaker and he
lost the lead to Michael who finished the
third mile by quarter of a lap over Nc
Duffie. From this time out Michael had
the lead.
The records made in this race are some
thing remarkable Up to this time Lesna
had held practically all records from three
miles to rs, excepting the 10th and Goth
mile records, which were broken on
Thursday last by Michael in his 20-mile
contest against Lesna at Springfield.
Every American and worlds record from
three to %, inclusive, is now credited
to Michael.
Michael's time for the % miles WAS
49, 5S 4-5. The previous record was AZ. 81.