The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14
HE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE LITTLE
CHANCE FOR THE HONOR.
Policeman Hart Struck by One of the
Racers, Who Was Hurt Close
of the Meet.


GdIulHeT u quStlIIy Tor the One-mlle ma
tonal championship, the most important
event of the meet, and another was the
winning of that event by Floyd Mcfarland,
Of San Jose, Cal. who snatched the honors
from Major Taylor just at the tape.
About four thousand people were present.
Another surprise was the winning of the
amateur championship by Frank Kramer.
who. although one of the best of them, was
thought to have little chance with such
men as those who captured the other cham
pionships. The little blonde boy, whose
father more than year ago claimed to
have the fastest amateur in the world, was
yards faster than theoothers in the sprint.
and clearly showed that no one was more
entitled to the race than himself.
At the start of the final of the mile pro-
fessional championship major" Taylor
"beat the gum and caught the single pace
maker, Munro, with. Stevens, Mcfarland.
Kimble and Fisher following in the order
named Mertens made a good pickup at
the half mile, causing no change in the po-
sitions of the men. There was deal OF
shifting on the back stretch just before the
supreme effort, and on the turn the colored
lad had the pole, but lost it to Kimble COM
ing into the straight. Stevens was virtually
out of the running. and Mcfarland came
through on the outside and up on Taylor,
who was doing his best. Kimble was strug-
Cling with might and main on the pole,
Taylor next and Mcfarland on the outside;
A regiment Of well-trained soldiers could
not have come up the stretch more evenly
than the three, and they crossed the white
gave a desperate push to his pedals and
scored over the colored wonder by few
inches, with Kimble third. F. Ed. Juth
managed Loughead. one-nile champion CT
well Mcfarland, present
champion. tL4f
The Western team was composed of the
best men in its pursuit race against the East,
and after an exciting contest caught their
last man, which was, none other than the
plucky Martin, who has won the hearts OF
all who have seen him at the races.
BALDS WINNINGS 81, 255.
Bald has been the real star of the meet,
scoring first in the half-mile championship,
besides winning the big match with Cooper.
During the four days racing he won 81 ,255.
a pretty fair weeks work and somewhat
better than the President Of the United
States salary. He also leads in the cham
pionship race by fifteen points. ~
All the racing men are we'll pleased with
the week here and highly praise the men
who put their money in the now famous
track in order that the racing men might
have the best kind of a place on which to
contest for the honors of the year. They
next week, then to st. Louis, after which
the circuit extends to the East at Asbury
Park, coming West laterin the season.
THE EVENT IN DETAIL.
The last days meeting opened with the
first semi-final of theb one-mile national
championship, in which Hall was placed to
make the running. Bald ran off the track
at the start, but managed to get on in time
to get to the string. Nothing of Importance
happened until the back stretch on the last
lap, when Mcfarland started to sprint.
Gardiner came around on the outside, but
to the surprise of all was unable to get up,
and as Bald was on his wheel both the good
men We're shut out, Mcfarland winning,
with Fisher second.
Vernier made the running in the second
trial and Major Taylor caught his wheel.
There was some lively shifting on the first
turn of the last lap, and when the straight
was reached kimble had the lead which he
held to the tape, with Stevens at his side
and the colored lad fourth. Cooper was
shut out 1t was matter of surprise that
Bald, Gardiner and Cooper should fail to
qualify in the most important race of the
year, but they simply did not ride fast
enough. All had met with reversal of
form.
the first and second men in the quarter,
half two and five-mile championships for
amateurs were eligible for the mile cham
pionship which was to decide the best anna
teur of the country
The string caught the single pacemakers,
in positions Then Kramer, the little lad
from Newark, N. j., went to the front with
Peabody on his wheel. Collett, the quarter
and half-mile champion. was last in the
line and was unable to get up. Coming into
the straight, Peabody tried to pass on the
outside, but the fastener was yards faster
than the Windy City representative, and
simply ran away from the others, crossing
the tape a winner of the championship of
the country by two lengths. Peabody was
second and Hausman third.
With three of the best men out of 1T, there
was certain lack of interest about the
final Of the mile championship. Taylor
caught the rear wheel of Munroe, who was
put in to pace, with Stevens, Mcfarland,
Kimble and Fisher following, in the order
named. Mertens made an excellent pickup,
causing no change in the positions of the
men, Taylor was slow to make MS efort,
and not until Stevens started his Jump did
Kinble came in on the inside, taking the
pole from the colored lad in legitimate style,
while Mcfarland came up on the outside
of him. 1t was a struggle neck and neck
to the tape, the three crossing 1T abreast,
Mcfarland doing SO just in time to beat
the Major" for the real championship race
of the country with Kinble third The
time was 1853 2-5, beating the best previous
mark of 2:0l held by Gardiner.
Twelve starters were in the final OF the
two-mile amateur handicap. with Rogers
and Kramer on the mark of honor. The long
markers were too much for them, however,
and kept in front, George Walther winning
Kramer's time from scratch was All. beat
ing the amateur record for the distance.
|IeQQy EDWARDS, VINO is TlulIiS d Century
a day for year then rode the fifty-seventh
mile of his 225th consecutive century: He
looked as though his task was doing him no
harm. and after giving an imitation of the
Fald-Cooper match by hanging TO the renee,
covered the four laps in 2:53 20, which An
nouncer Wagner stated broke the record OF
the match between the two cracks.
TANDEM RACE FINAL.
BY consent of the other contestants, Bow
Ter was substituted for Johnson, to ride with
Munro in the final of the tandem race. there
being six teams eligible for the final. 1t was
easy club run pace for the entire distance
up to the last lap. Just before the bell
Martin and Mertens. tried to jump the field.
but Mcfarland and Stevens were on their
wheel. They continued their wild ride. how
ever. and virtually ran away from the Nc
Farland team on the turn. who also gave
way to Becker and Butler. Martin and Mer-
tens crossed the tape first and after dis
mounting. the former had TO be carried
from his wheel on account or sheer exhaus-
ton. He rode game race in his exhausted
condition. caused by the falls OF the two
previous days.
The interurban team pursuit race Tor the
amateurs was rather an eAcltlng contest.
Indiana, Illinois, New York and connecticut
were represented by three men eacn; TIE
teams starting at equal distances ABOUT the
men being out OF the contest after being