Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-09-06
Large Attendance at Driving
Park, Monday Afternoon.
Il. R. Gross Defeats c. 7. Dickson il
Five and One Mile Match Races.


park. Monday afternoon, were attend.
ed by good sized crowd. The day
was perfect which doubtless had q
great deal to do with the size Of this
crowd. 1t was very warm out on the
track where large portion OF the mer
stayed. but under the cover OF the
| grand stand 1t was nice and cool
Other than the sale of house lots there
was nothing going on in the city. and
the people fiocked to the park.
The crowd was the largest that ever
turned out in this city to an affair Of
the kind. A large per cent. of the at
tendants were ladies'. who enjoyed the
sports fully as much as the male por-
ton. The crowd was remarkably or
derby for holiday crowd. there being
very few intoxicated people on the
! grounds. One went into the judges
stand and made disgusting spectacle
of himself.
| There was a great deal Of disgusting
l hlCAfu6 On Tic Rdit u tnS pal
in events and the outcome of the
events was decidedly unsatisfactory to
the crowd. The judges could not seem
to adjust things to the liking Of all,
and a great deal of delay and long
waits between events was the result.
| After the men were all ready to start
In several instances. there would be a
delay of several minutes to settle some
minor dispute. The crowd fiocked on
to the track leaving only a small space
for the riders at the finish.
| The five-mile match race between
II. r. Gross and c. T. Dickson for a
silver medal, was the principal feature
of the day and was highly interesting
! after the men finally got away, al
though during the third lap Dickson
fell from his wheel and was out of the
race. Gross kept on and with the help
Of his PAGERS succeeded in breaking
the State record. landing in IA minutes.
5A seconds.
Some weeks ago Dickson challenged
noon, were gotten up to help draw a
crowd. Il Whens1he bills advertising the
races were printed it was announced
all races We're to be paced. Gross ac-
| cordngly had Ned Bean and Harry
| Jones there with a tandem to pace
him. Dickson failed to have his PAGERS
and used strong language on the
track just before the start because
| Gross insisted on the PAGERS. There
was considerable discussion, but they
| finally got away.
The men stayed together well for
| time when just at the turn after the
| third lap Dickson waved his hand to
someone in the crowd. The action cost
| him the race for he lost his balance
and fell from his wheel. He failed to
again mount and continue the race
| claiming that the tandem had fouled
| him. Gross continued the race and
| in the remarkable time of IA minutes
and 81 seconds crossed the tape.
The other important event Of the day
was a mile match race between Gross
and Dickson best three in five. Both
riders Jagged in the first and second
heats so time limit of $50 was placed
on them They both had won heat and
Dickson landed ahead in the third in
2O2 IL. The heat was called off and
a tandem put on On the back stretch
| in the fourth heat il Jagged and him
| dered Dickson until Gross passed him.
Gross finished in 2.H but this heat was
called Off
| At the turn into the home stretch
| Dickson again fell from his wheel and
claimed to have hurt his knee. He
/ went to his quarters and dressed.
| When called for the next heat his
| father wouldn't let him ride unless
the judges would call the third heat a
/ heat and give 1t to him. This they
1
! were willing to do and give Gross the
other heat SO that the crowd would
not be disappointed but Dickson re-
fused this and Gross was sent or with
his PAGERS He rode in PAT and wa:
| awarded the race. although he only
Ewon two heats. He was in good form
and would have ridden the other mile
il the judges had said So
The finish of the mile handicap was
the prettiest and most exciting Of the
day. charYss Dickson. the winner, il
plucky little rider and had almos,
overcome the handicap before Marks
got away. The riders were close to-
gether with Dickson in the rear until