Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-07-15
EARL KIsER.
(The Possible Bicycle Champion of 1ss7,

EARL KISER.
(The Possible Bicycle Champion of 1879
claimant for championship honors at
the end of the present season. His de-
feat of Bald in the mile open and the
half-mile handicap races at the Quill
club meet in New York, in both Of
which Kiser took first and Bald fourth
prize, was a great surprise to the pub
lie, but was looked upon rather in the
light of an accident. All eyes were CEN
tered upon Cooper and Bald on the oe
casion of their first meeting this season,
which occurred at Waltham. Mass, and
Kiser was supposed to have slight
chance of winning in competition
against the two heroes of last year.
Nevertheless he did win. running first
in the half-mile open, with Bald second
and Cooper fourth, and riding second
to Bald in the mile open event, with
Cooper fifth. Thus, in the first two
big meetings of the year Kiser has won
three firsts, Bald one, and Cooper none
at all, and in the mile open at Waltham,
which was awarded to Bald, he and
Kiser were SO nearly tied for first that
all the judges hesitated to make the
decision, and several competent to
Judge believe that Kiser should have
been given first prize.
These performances are insufficient
to base an estimate of the relative abi1i-
ties of the three riders upon, as both
Bald and Cooper may not yet be in the
best of form, but Kiser has been touted
as a winner this season by those who
are acquainted with his past perform
ances and know the unassuming lads
determined character. Although Bald
and Cooper are both great favorites
with the cycling enthusiasts through
out the country, Kiser's victories seem
to have been popular ones. and it is a
generally expressed sentiment among
the racing men, who have been disap-
pointed and Disguised by the unsports-
manlike conduct of the two leaders in
connection with their match race farce,
that they would like to see both take
back seats this year. for time. at
least.
Earl Kiser is 81 years of age and lives
| in Dayton. 0. He began racing when
| he was IS: and for three or four years
confined his riding to boys races. He
| rode as a Class A amateur in Ohio and
| Indiana in 1894. during which year he
won 20 races out of 80 in which he start
| ed, and won a prize in every race in
| which he rode. He Joined Glass 3 the
| following year and went out on the ma
tional circuit, and during the season
| broke the quarter. third. half and three
| ouarter-mile competition records. In
| 1896 he went to Europe with Charley
Murphy and Harry Wheeler and there
| defeated Jacquelin and Jaap Eden. re-
| spectiveIy. the fastest sprinters of
| France and Holland. Last year at
| Philadelphia. he won the largest purse
| ever offered at national circuit meet,
| defeating the best racing men of Amer
! lea This year he is under the efficient
| care and management of the veteran
trainer Tom Eek. with A. c. Mertens.
| of Minneapolis, as team mate.
All the conflicting reports of Zim-
| merman's inteution to return to the
path have been settled in the affirmative
| by his appearance at Valesburg, n. j..
| May 81. where he rode an exhibition
half. paced by a quadruplet, in $50 2-5.
He rode easily in his old-time position
elbows stuck out and head dropping
over his front wheel. 1t is stated on
good authority that he has joined BIZ
cycle team with Ray Macdonald and j..
F. Starbuck as team mates, and it is
also rumored that he is to become the
star of new tire team forming. At
any rate, there is no doubt that he Will
appear upon the track in exhibition
rides this year. and if he finds himself
rounding into improved form as rap
idly as he used to do he will assuredly
enter into competition. His return is
hailed with delight by all old followers
of the racing game. who are hoping
that good old Jimmy" will be able to
go in and win races in his old invincibIe
. manner. Enthusiasm would run high
indeed were this to occur. thinner
man is by far the greatest bicycle rae
ing man the world has ever known,
and in the height Of his success was
said to be several years ahead of his
| time; his chances OF success, therefore,
may be greater than many are inclined
to believe.
The ranks of the racing men and
those interested in racing has augment
ed SO rapidly during the last two or
three years that the name of thinner
, man means little to the majority of
cycle enthusiasts and race goers. SUI