The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-21


wichita-OnIy One Heat Started With
Qualifications-Conove of Kansas City
Takes Everything in Sight But the Fin
Ines are in Bunch and All Very Close
Big Time Promised Today.
The bicycle races of the L. A. w Kan
sas state circuit opened yesterday after
noon at Griswoid Park. All the crack
riders of the circuit were there, as the
slower riders had been forced 10 leave be-
fore reaching here. The half mile track
was in the finest condition possible. and
was as level and smooth as If it had been
sandpapered. All the riders were enthu-
siastic over the track. and the result Of
the races show that il was fast.
The crowd was rather a disappoint-
ment to the promoters, after they had
the track and securing the best attrac-
tons possible 20 have il a first-class race
meet. Those who We're there enjoyed
treat seldom seen in this state, and it is
safe to say that ninety-nine out Of a nun
dred who were there yesterday will go
again today. A part of the crowd were
troublesome enough 10 encroach on the
track and obstruct the view of specta-
tors farther back. Today. however. suf-
ffeient officers will be in attendance to
keep the track entirely clear and give
everyone a chance to see. There should
haa 10 a-+endanRn a :
are simply fine. Every finish was close
and exciting, and the mile amateur was
within two and one-half seconds OF the
state record. Another fast mile was The
professional event, which was run in
212, with only single PAGER, while the
amateur had tandem.
The trick riding of Mr.. George Powell
Of Fort Scott was very entertaining
feature Of the program. He performed
all sorts of difficult feats and proved HIM
self to be one of the very cleverest of
his profession. He will appear again this
afternoon in an entirely new SET Of tricks
and will surpass MS efforts Of yesterday
Mr. Ralph johnson Of Kansas City, VINO
is also a trick rider Of great ability, is al
so in town He canned own from New
ton and Hutchinson, wherehe gave eX-
hibitions. The management have prim-
Used that if the attendance is -arge
enough today they will hove Professor
Johnson give his exhibition, which is
entirely unlike that of Powell, and in
cludes many new and novel tricks.
John A. Conover of Kansas City, was
rhe star Of the day, winning first place
= rniv a
mile open amateur in 2:0S ID. In this
event ne started on tandem and est2b-
hshed by his riding a new track record
A A. McLain, Aurora, pulled out first
in the mile open professional in 212,
paced by Fred Hicks, Bay City, Mich.
This was the fastest pro event, and is
faster than any race on the circuit with
two exceptions.
There was only one race needing quail
ification heats, and that was the mile
open professional. Himstreet DeCerdy,
Hofer, Rice, Boyum. Oudkirk. Oliver and
Cummings started in the first heat Rice
drew the position of pacemaker and was
put under a time limit Of 2:20. He set
a hot pace and pulled the bunch around
in fine shape De Cardy, HofeT, Rice
and Oudkirk qualified in PA II. In the
next heat. Mccall, Hunt, Hooker, Nc
Lain, Sager, Eberhardt, Woodief and
Hicks started with Sager a : pacemaker,
and under the same time limit. McLain,
Sager and WoodIief qualified in 2:15 81.
This closed the trial heats and the regu-
lar program was called.
It opened with the one mile boys race.
n
on account Of entering under the i'm
preston that the race was for 16-year-old
boys when in realty it was for boys an
der sixteen. This left only X. Sn0d-
grass of Newton and Harvey Huff of
Wichita to compete. They were paced
each half by Beard and Exton, who set
too hot pace and strung Huff out.
Snodgrass won in 2:30 l-2. Huff second.
Event number two was the half mile
amateur with ten starters. They kept
We'll punched around the course and
swung into the stretch with a rush. A.
ten yards from thetape it was nip and
tuck between Conover and Maule for
first place. but Conover jumped a half
wheels length ahead and won. Maule
was second and Harry Forbes a close
third Time 1:09.
Third event was the final Of The mile
open professional with the seven men
who qualified in the previous heats start
ing. 4 time INIT Of 30 was put on the
men and F. q. Barnett. Lincoln, was
SCI up as pacemaker He carried them a
little too slow on the first half. but in
the second they got down 10 work and
clipped it off in :04, making the mile in
l Is, and exceeding the time limi, This
necessitated another trial. In the second
trial Fred Hicks was pacenaker with a
limit Of 2:15. The bunch caught The pace
and whirleda round me track WIKI
hum. AS they swung into the stretch
NIcLain came ouc Of the bunch in a
pretty squirt and n0rrawly took first from
Sager. who was only few inches in
the lead of DeCardy and Hofer, who tied
for third. Time PIP.
Event number four was the mile open
amateur and gave Conover another
chance 10 display his talent Of getting
ahead. This event was paced by Harry
Forbes and Earl Starbird on a tandem.
and was a trial against the state record
Of 2:0S. The same men entered This as
in the second event. but the pace was too
warm for all but Conover. Maule and
Felix, and the others gradually dropped |
TO the rear. While the state record was