San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-07-04
LOTTIE FARNswORTH.

themselves the question Of title to the ma
tional championship for the different dis
tances. The professional championships
will be at a quarter, half, one and five
miles, and the one mile race will bring to
light that longed for individual-the mile
champion of the United States. The two
amateur championships will be at a mile
and two miles, and their decisions will
doubtless furnish a repetition of the Bit
terly contested struggles that have charac-
terized these events in former years. In
addition to the championship events there
will be four professional and three anna
teur races-one and two mile handicaps
for each class, mile open and mile (2:O5
class) for professionals and third mile
open for amateurs. This long programme
will, in the opinion Of the race meet com.
mittee, furnish much excitement for the
crowd, and for that reason 1t was decided
to turn down the big list of trick riding
applicants, and entirely dispense with
that feature, which has become somewhat
monotonous In recent years
While the great event of the season will
of course be the Philadelphia meeting, I'M
usual attention Is given the various races
making up the national circuit. In the
circuit this year are the chief riders of 1895,
with the exception of Hamilton, Coulter,
Ziegler, Bliss and McCrea. When the L.
A. W. refused to sanction Sunday racing
the western states threatened to secede
from the national organization, and Cali
fornia made good her threat to the extent
Of promoting Sunday racing. Ziegler,
Coulter and McCrea, who had been on the
national circuit In previous years, were
persuaded TO ride In these unsanctioned
races, with the result that they have been
suspended for two years by the racing
board. This will prevent their appearance
on the national circuit, while Hamilton
has retired, as Las Bliss. Among the new
men seen on the circuit this year are Mi
chael, the phenomenal Welsh rider; Lesna,
the famous French long distance rider;
Parsons, the Australian who has ridden
In this country before, and a number Of
new men who have shown remarkable
powers and seem able to hold their own
The great events stimulate racing in gen.
eral, and several Of the fair sex have shown
phenomenal ability, among whom Lottie
Farnsworth deserves special mention for
both speed and graceful bearing.
Teams have been practically selected
and arrangements have been concluded
for the first great team race of the west
against the east. The Charles river park
management in Boston was cunning
enough to see the advantage of such con-
test and made an offer of purse of 81, 000
which the men accepted. The pursuit"
plan OF a contest has been adopted, the
teams starting from opposite sides of the
track. Whichever team Is in the lead at
the five miles, whether 1t with one man in
the lead or all, will be adjudged the win
ner of the contest and will receive 60 per
cent of the purse Of 81 900 which has been
offered. The losing team takes the 40 per
cent remaining. The contest will take
place at the national circuit meet In Bos-
ton, Aug. 20, and will attract national in
terest.
Earl Kiser, 1t Is authoritatively an
nounced, will go for all the records up to
and including the mile at the close Of tho
present season. Kiser is not novice at
this style of game, as he spent all of o
winter in record breaking camp in Cali
fornia In lS95-96. Kiser lowered the third
and half mile records at that time with
inferior pacing and with Randall caught
n number of the tandem records