Evening star., 1898-10-15
c. j. Mueller,

he visited Charlestown, W. Va, and enter
ed a meet held on the dirt track at that
place In the quarter-mile open he finish
was made scratch man, and finished
fourth. while in the tive-mile handicap
starting from scratch. die did not ride to
win, the handicaps being entirely too great
for him.
This season he showed up in much
stronger form than last year and at the
opening race meet won the two-mile handi-
cap from the ninety-yard mark, the prize
for the race being a handsome gun. On
tripiet, with fister and Dodge, won at a
later race meet a three-mile multicycle
handicap race. Later in the half-mile and
in the mile open he managed to finish third
in each.
At the spring meet at Staunton, Va,
he, with several other good local amateurs
entered the different events In the mile
open 2.25 class Mueller succeeded in finish
ing first, the time of the race being 242
He also went against the quarter-mile ex-
hibition record for Virginia. which was
held by Fred A. L. Schade at 0.29 Is.
Mueller placed the record at OBS where it
now remains.
Following these races the circuit meet
was held in this city. the District cham
pionship race being the attraction for the
amateurs. There were twelve men entered
among the number being +. l.. Wilson
Lee Counselman. H |. Dodge, R. b. Red
dington, Harry Z; Greer. E. R. Wood, w.
w ": pittman, "; w, H. harrington, George E.
Smith, John Hill and J. j. Fister The
race was run in two heats, six men in each
race, the trials being held in the afternoon
Two men in each heat and the third man
IN the fastest heat qualified for the final
Ihe hrst heat was won by Wilson, with
Counselman second and Reddington third
me second heat was won by Mueller
Smith second and little John Hill third
The second heat was the fastest. and let
Hill qualify for the final.
The final was run at night and before
the race majority of people were sure of
Wilson capturing the event. In fact 1t is
likely that Wilson himself thought so, too.
but he was mistaken. The race was some
thing Of loaf, the time being 80 10 but
the hnish was pretty. The men on the
homestretch were well punched but Muel-
Ter showed his sprint at the right moment
ana crossed the tape half a wheel in ad-
vance of Wilson, with Smith close third
Tne announcement of the result was greet
ed with great applause. BY winning this
race Mueller secured fourth position In the
score OF the local amateur tables, as COM
piled by The Star, and also stood fourth in
the money value of prizes won.
Just at this time the crash came and the
local cycling world was stirred up bv the
transfer of all of the leading amateurs to
the professional ranks. This was due to
the Moran-trench race, which was held at
BdI dItllnOre, and won by Moran who WAS
suspended and later transferred to the pro,
ranks: June 2S the other local riders were
transferred to the same class, mostly on
to pace Moran, and had their car fare paid
to Baltimore and return.
owing to the fact that he was a victim
OF his own patriotism July 4, Mueller was
not able to ride for some time In dis
charging cannon the powder prematurely
exploited, and the rider was badly burned
about the face and eyes. His next race
was September 23, when he entered the
tWo-thlrds of mile heat race for pro-
tesslonals, which was won by Steenson.
lie secured second place. Since then he
has done no riding.
Mueller did not join the movement
against the League of American WheeImen
control OF professional racing. He will
continue to ride under the league rules as
long as they exist, or at any rate for the
remainder of the season. He has received
an invitation to enter a tWo-day race meet
at Charleston, s. c., which will be held Oc
tober y and IS, and 1t is most likely that
he will accept. 1t is also likely that he
will enter the Norfolk race meet, which
will be held before the Charleston races.