The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-22
A RACE BETWEEN TEAMS
TWO RIVAL BICYCLE FIRMS HAVE
THEIR LITTLE DISPUTE SETTLED.
Herman Baase Took First Prize and
Elmer Pierce, of Brazil, Time Prize
Both of Challenged Team.

The match race yesterday between teams
representing the Hay & Willis Manufac-
turing Company and G. G. Fisher & Co. re-
suited in a decisive victory for the formers
riders. They not only won first prize and
time prize, but scored ten points out of ff-
teen. Herman Baase scored first and Elmer
Pierce, of Brazil, won the time prize in
1890.
The race was run off at the Business
Mems Driving Club, at Central avenue and
Thirteenth street. 1t was announced for 3
o'clock, and an hour before that time the
people began to fill the grand stand. AT
the hour fixed for the race the grand stand
was full, and there were several hundred
people along the fence inside and outside
the track. BY the time the race was started
it was almost impossible to keep the hum
dreds of people who failed to find seats off
the track.
1t was about 1886 o'clock when the race
began. 1t was agreed that the riders should
have the same handicaps they had in the
Decoration day road race and should ride
wheels of the same make. The Outing
riders were Herman Baase, seven minutes;
j. c. Pierce two minutes, and Elmer G.
Pierce, one minute. In the Fisher team
were: c. H. Snapp. six minutes, riding a
Grande wheel; S. It. Singleton, four min
utes, riding a Stearns, and L. o. Watson,
scratch, riding a Stearns.
Baase of course, started first, and he had
nearly a lap to the good when Snapp
started. 1t was then two minutes before
Singleton started, and Baase had more than
a mile to his credit The only piece of I'M
fair work in the race occurred about the
time all the riders had got into the game
Singleton, a four-minute man, had caught
Baase and Snapp, and just after the grand
stand was passed, and as the riders turned
to strike the back stretch, Snapp fouled
Baase He rode right across ahead of the
other rider and threw him to the ground
Baase was up in moment, and lost less
than lap by the foul. He lost less than
the man who threw him, and beat the latter
out for first place by good margin.
The conduct of Snapp put the spectators
on the side of the opposition riders. Snapp
was Kissed every time he passed in front of
the grand stand. No further attempts to
win the race by foul practice were made
The action of Snapp in trying to throw
Baase out of the race cost him consider
able time, and he finished last of those who
finished.
foot" Watson, who was expected by the
admirers of his team to win the time prize
did nothing moreethan attempt to pace his
comrades This was manifestly against the
rules but it was permitted. He would loaf
around until overtaken by Singleton, and
would then pace his man to the front of
the bunch and then drop back for lap.
His pacing ayaied nothing for 1t was
taken advantage of by the other team as
well as his own.
1t was a beautiful race, and created more
enthusiasm than any bicycle race ever held
in the city. It., vas for fourteen miles, or
twenty-eight laps or the track. Points were
not to count, according to the agreement.
and if one firm had won the time prize and
the other the first prize, there would have
been no settlement of the dispute, both
claiming the victory. 1t was victory for
the challenged party.
The finish with the time of the several
men, was as follows: Baase HAY & VIII
lits), first 1904 3-5 Singleton (Fisher &
Coz second 39:45; Elmer c. Pierce Hay &
Willts). third 80 80; Jesse Pierce (Hay &
Willts) fourth 80 1-5; Snapp (Fisher &
Coz. fifth, 44:30 2-5; Watson (Fisher & Coz,
sixth, did not finish.
The race was in the nature of consola-
ton affair." brought about by a challenge
from c. G. Fisher. He had a number of
wheels in the Decoration day road race, but
his men were peculiarly unfortunate in
meeting accidents One of his best men
was fouled at the bridge on the return. Mr.
Fisher felt that his riders had not made
the best showing possible in the road race,
and he challenged the Outing people for a
match team race The challenge was ac-
cepted, and yesterdays race was the out
,aNT of