The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-09-20
THE MATCH RACE,

The match race which Is to start at
the ball park tonight, for series of
three nights, of twenty-five miles each
evening. is attracting great interest,
Matthews is a clever and promising
young rider. He has come to town to
stay until his fate is declded-elther the
winner of the much coveted purse of
$500, or the defeated champion, and by
the little English girl, May Allen, 9TH
erwlse known as the feminine Jimmy
Michaels" Matthews was training on
the track yesterday morning just as the
little girl expected. SO she hurried 10 the
track, donned her green sweater and
jumped on her racing machine and
they both rode like demons, testing
each others sprlnting and pacing abil-
tiles for about twenty minutes, when
they dismounted. Miss Allen remarking
that she was satisfied II he could go no
faster than that. she thought that the
purse would Just ft her up with new
winter costume at his expense.
But Mr.. Matthews Is Of the same
opinion although he says Miss Allen
resembles a piece of machinery and
never seems to tire. and admits that
she will keep him hustiing more than
many Of his male competitors have.
There is now great problem to solve,
namely. which will be the lucky one.
Up to the present time, Miss Allen has
been heavily backed by her admirers,
so some very fast riding must surely re-
suit from this race, which will be BIT
teriy fought by both and Il Is safe TO
say that some records will BE broken.
It will be a race worth going 10 see.
Below are some OF Mr.. Matthews re-
cords:
Mile race against a trIplet at Pitts
burgh. September u, 1896. winning by
a length, in 2:O3 l-b
Ten mile state competition record;
time, 26 minutes.
Half mile state record; time, 50 AS
seconds,
Five mile state competition record;
time, ll:46.
Two mile state competition record;
time, tl3 1-6,
One mile state championship. 1896 and
1897. ilr
In 1895 he won ten flrsts,w FIVE sec
onds and one third; In 1896. eighteen
flrsts. nine seconds and three thirds.
In 1897. twenty-three firsts, fifteen sec
onds and five thirds, out Of forty-Hve
starts.
He hns defeated such riders as Hell
bling Of Pittsburgh; also Paul McLaln
and Ralph Walters. OF the same city;
Cornell, OF New Castle, Pa; II. p.
Scott. c. C. Aughenbaugh, P. ]. Nc
Intire, Harry Woods, OF Cleveland;
Glen Wiley. A. L. Banker George
Helms and Claude Doty, champion of
1896 lie won first place in n ten mile
road race at wellshurg from the two
minute mark. over Lester r. Dillon OF
this city, after only riding a wheel two
weeks His time was thirty minutes,
Dillon taking frst time prize In TWEEN
ty-nlne minutes. He won first time and
place Mt WeilsburE, July 4, 1896, in a
five mile race: time. 1885. He rode
rode twenty-five miles, three hundred
and twenty yards In one hour, unplced,
at Wcllsburg, September 2. 1897. Rode
quarter mile exhibition, unpaced, In
% l-5 seconds, at New Castle, Pa. Took
second place, from ten yard mark, In
the two-mlle handicap race In which
the state record OF Pennsylvania, was
broken In 1906; time. f;0S go he holds
the mile track record ut Washington,
Pa: time. 2;O6: mile track record ut
SteubenVille.. Ohio: time. 2:05 l-5: one
half mile track record at Sharon. Pa;
time, 80 2-5 seconds: mile track record
ut Sohenley park, Pittsburgh; time,
2:O1 les