Evening star., 1897-01-09
THREE FAST SKATERS
Donoghue, Lawson and Nilsson to
Race Next Week.
SOME GREAT EXHIBITIONS EXPECTED
Trials to Be Made Against
Time.
COMMENT ON THE TRACK

There Will be most interesting series of
| races on the ice at the Convention Hall Ice
Palace next week. in which three of prob
| ably the fastest men in the world on
skates will compete for the indoor cham
pionship of the year 1897. The meet in this
city at the rink last year will lie remem-
bered IS one of the most exciting that has
been given in this country for some years
on an indoor track, and the records made
by Joe Donoghue at that time easily con-
stituted him the rightful owner of the title
of indoor champion of 1896. The men who
Will come together this year have never
met with the exception of the recent races
in New York. while one has never before
skated in the eastern part of the United
States This will add interest to the meet,
and will probably settle without difficulty
where the burden of the right to the title
of champion should lie.
A Great Trio.
The three men who will engage in these
races next week are Joe Donoghue of New
burg, N. Y, at one time worlds champion
on both indoor and outdoor tracks; John
Nilsson of st. Paul, champion of Canada
and the great northwest, and John Law
son, the terrible Swere champion of Swe-
uel' anu coming from that country. Law
son mas been defeated by Donoghue in
New York, but was rather at a dlsadvan-
tage on account of the strain under which
ne labored in the six-day bicycle race in
this city the week previous. He has never
met Nilsson, and the latter has never had
chance in the past of getting on a race
with Donoghue. Each one of the trio has
peen anxious to get on a race with the
otnef, ana the outcome will be watched
with the greatest amount of interest NOT
only because it will settle the question of
supremacy between these three skaters
alone, but because 1t will allow to be drawn
upon some or the men whom they have
met.
Joe Donoghue, the star OF the trio. is
well remembered in this city for his mag
nlficent performances here last wear and
also because of his personal popularity
His genial bearing made him a favorte.
ana MS stay was one round of social en-
Joyment. AS skater there are those who
think that when Joe Donoghue chooses to
let out all the kinks there is no one IN the
world who is able to keep up with him.
A RecOrd-Breakin9 Stay.
During his stay last year he broke three
worlds records-the mile, two miles and
five miles-lowering each one a considera-
BILE distance from its former lnsrk His
time for the mile, made unpaced, standing
start, was 2:3S. probably the best per-
formance ever heard Of on an indoor track
of ten laps. His time for the two miles
was 5.3213, and on the same day that he
lowered this latter record he attacked the
five-mile record and lowered it from 14.59
to 14.47z. His time for the half-mile, made
In trial against time. was 1.19, and in all
bis competition races he showed the same
remarkable endurance and speed. His
bursts of speed when a spurt is needed are
phenomenal, and there is not much hesi-
fancy in saying that he is without doubt
the peer of any skater on the ice at the
present writing.
John Lawson.
John Lawson, the terrible Swede. did not
show up as well as was expected in the
New York races, but when the fact is
taken into consideration that the boy rode
eight hours day for six days at a terri
BILE pace IN this city his performances do
not by any means indicate his ability as
speedy skater. He is the recognized
champion of Sweden, and has defeated
number of the best American cracks. Last
year he defeated Harley Davidson in Cana
da besides a number OF other skaters not
SO well known, and in all his races has
shown indomitable pluck and endurance.
Lawson established his popularity in this
city beyond a doubt at the six-day race
here, and he will have host of friends
and well-wishers to back him up in his at
tempts on the ice. He has long been
anxious for contest with Donoghue and
will without doubt make the eX-champion
keep up a steady pace. in order to distance
him.
John Nilsson.
John Nilsson, the newcomer of the trio,
is almost entirely unknown in this locality,
but he is, however, well known in the
northwestern part of the United States and
all through the dominion. Nilsson holds
every Canadian championship record from
one-quarter of a mile to ten miles, and has
established some wonderfully low marks
fer the distances which he has gone
against For three years past Nilsson has
been endeavoring to get up a match with
Donoghue, and has repeatedly offered to
post forfeits for his appearance in a
match race at any time and at any place
with the eX-champion. 1t cannot be said
that Donoghue shirked the offer, bug cir
cumstances turned up at nearly every at
tempt which made 1t necessary to either
postpone the race indefinitely or declare it
off. The men will be brought together for
greatest amount of interest will center in
the competitions in which they engage.
Lawson and Nilsson have often expressed
a desire to meet well. and the races be-
tween them will also be feature of the
week.
Trial Races.
Beside the regular competition races
there will be trials made against time by
all three of the men, and it is expected
that with the greater knowledge which
both Lawson and Donoghue will have of
the track at the rink, that some of the al