The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-04

Everything conspired yesterday to
give a good send-off to the opening of
the four-day horse and bicycle race
meet at the Scranton Driving park,
The crowd was large, the weather fine,
the speculation lively, and there were
runaways and accidents galore, enough
of everything to furnish an ideal after
Moons sport.
The 2.17 trot or pace event, purse
trot, purse $3.50, by Clay Fullerton. The
bicycle winners were Will McMichael,
of Berwick, in the half-mile open, and
mile handicap.
Maryland Boy, a handsome black
gelding, owned by f. d. Pendleton and
driven by Sam Earring, one of the
best drivers at the track, upset a good
many calculations in the first heat of
the 229 trot by a collision with the
fence at the beginning of the last turn
for home. The horse was in fourth
place at the time. Earring was thrown
to the track and escaped injury both
from the fall and from being trampled
by the other horses. Maryland Boy
ran through the field and caught the
leaders in the stretch He was first
under the wire, but kept the pole and
slowed up with the other horses on the
first turn, where he was caught.
MORE ACCIDENTS.
There were two accidents in the first
heat of the 217 event that were more
serious. Pomp, a sorrel gelding, owned
by d. F. Muir and driven by c. A. Har-
ner, ran into the fence on the upper
turn, but the rear wheel was torn off
and the dragging of the axle kept the
runaway sufficiently in the rear to al
| low the other horses to finish undis-
| turbed. The animal made the circuit
Of the track with the remains of the
| sulky pounding his heels at every leap
On his second trip up the backstretch
he swerved off the track to the bank
and skirted the outside fence until he
| reached the head of the homestretch
when he again sought the track and
| tore past the grandstand at a mad clip
the ruined sulky bounding against his
legs with such force as to make it prob.
able that he will be in no condition tc
race for months. He slowed up on the
first. turn in answer to the bell and
| was caught.
In the same heat Mabel w, a prom
ising bay mare, owned by George NJ
Hallstead, partly threw a shoe which
cut foreleg tendon nearly In two. She
was being driven by Bob Westlake. i
was with difficulty that she hObbled of
the track A veterinary stated that the
mare would be useless until next year
About 1900 persons were on the
| he
though hundreds were ladies or Other
spectators who always make a holiday
out of horse race meeting. While
the track was in good condition as
far as footing is concerned it was toe
dusty to be fast and in consequence
the time was disappointing in all the
events, but with the runaways, a bicy-
Gle spill" sharp competition. brisk
| speculating by the talent and SHARP
competition on the track the Afternoon
was all that could be asked from a
| sporting standpoint. There was add
ed pleasure in the music furnished by
the Lawrence band.
At 1.30 o'clock the bicycle events
were started and less than an hour
latter the track was ready for the
horses.
229 TROTTING EVENT.
In the 2.29 trot, purse $3.50, there
were IA Withdrawals out of % entries
which left field of nine to go to the
post. Although big field they were
well sent away in the first heat or
the fourth trial with three trailing
Little Rose and Josephine, the two
horses most fancied, showed the wa,
after the first turn and kept it unit
the second trip through the back.
stretch, where Fay and Clay Fullerton
who were with Maryland Boy In tn,
second bunch. showed in front. On
the last turn the accident happened tC
Maryland Boy and had a great dea
to do with the positions at the finish
as nearly the whole field was unde
a pull coming to the wire. Time, 81
113A, 1.50, 2.29A.
The second heat was made in much
faster time but, as far as positions
are concerned, was very nearly a re
petition of the opening heat. The hea
from the start was between Clay Full
lerton and Lentolus. At the head o
the homestretch the latter broke an,
Prince NJ seemed a likely candidat,
for second but Lentolus was wei
driven and got the place by a length
the same distance in the wake of Cla!
Fullerton. Time, S51a, 1.111a. 1.4S, 1854
Clay Fullerton sold against the fielC
to win the last heat and race and tn
confidence of the talent was not mis-
placed. The heat was a contest be
tween Fullerton and Lentolus, the pal
having several lengths Of daylight be
tween them and the field as soon a
the first turn was reached At N
point in the mile did more than
length and a half separate the tw
pacemakers. Fullerton showed frs
into the reach for home and won hand
lily by a half length, without urging
from Lentolus, the rest finishing In tn
ruck Time, S51a, 1,101s, lac, 2,25A.
Topsy r was by consent of the judge
; withdrawn from the final heat on ac
count of lameness.
Summary:
229 trot: purse, $3.50
Clay Fullerton, 5. g., Henry Neil....1 !
Lentolus, b. g., j. w. Tlden..........4 2
! Fay, b. g., Elwood Smith, ............2
Little Rose, b. M, F. w. Cook...,.3 8