The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-25
SECRET DISTANCE RACE
1T DID NOT SEEM TO BE APPRECI-
ATED OUT AT NEWLY OVAL.
"PIugger Bill" Martin, the Man OF
Grit, Appeared Again-MuItf-
cycle Affair.

About 800 people went out to Newly Oval
last night to witness the first meet held
there under the management of Al Reeves.
Interest centered in the new events such as
the secret distance and multcycle races, and
when the truth is told it must be said that
neither of them were up to expectations. 1t
is probable that the secret distance race
was not fully appreciated nor it's possibili-
ties considered. At the time of the great
match race between Bald and Cooper, dur
ing the time of the national meet almost
without exception the people condemned the
style adopted by the men. The principal
cause for complaint seemed to lie in the
fact that the men 'loafed' during the first
part of the race, each one waiting for the
other to set the pace. The idea on which
the new race was originated came from a
desire to do away with this style of racing
and make the men set a fast pace from the
start. Under the terms of the race no one
but the judges were to know how long a dis
lance was to be travelled by the riders and
that it fulfilled its mission cannot be dis
puted.
But for some reason there was little en-
thusaim shown at any time during the even
ing. None of the riders seemed to like the
race. Acker, who won it, was the loudest
in condemning it, he refusing at first to en-
ter, claiming that he did not consider it a
square race for any man. The only one
who did not protest at starting was Plug
ser Dilt martin, Wno was never known 10
how hard. One Of the features of the night
vas the turning of Harry Gibson and Louis
Gordon, who rode their first pro races in
the closing events OF the night
The first race was the halt-mile open anna
teur. All the entries started and the finals
were won as follows:
First heat Charles A. Bates, first; Louis
Gordon, second; time lilo. Second heat
Charles r. Pease, first; Willis Coval, sec
fer, first; Harry Gibson, second; time,
1:U 20. In the final heat all six men faced
the starter and got away in good style. In
rounding the turn coming into the stretch,
however, Bates managed to get in the way
of Pfeffer, who spilled" taking Bates with
him. For a few minutes Pfeffer was
stretched on the ground unconscious, but
when restoratives were applied he revived
and walked to the training quarters follow
ed by Bates, who was apparently uninjured
by his fall. The rest of the men avoided
the mix-up and finished as follows: Charles
X. Pease, first; Louis Gordon, second; Har-
ry Gibson, third; time, l:2O rs. The eighth
was run in :26 is and the quarter in 80 rs.
THE SECRET DISTANCE RACE.
The second event was the secret-distance
race for professionals. Murbarger, Nc
Keen, Becker and Watson started in the
first heat and set a fast pace from the
start, each man alternating in leading the
bunch. All the riders were on their mettle,
every minute expecting to hear the whistle
which would announce the termination OF
the heat. After 15s miles had been run the
signal finally was given and 1t was found
that Becker was in the lead, with Muir
barger hugging him closely. The time was
1922 3-5. The second heat brought out only
three starters, nPlugger Bilf' Martin, Acker
and Watson. The track managers at first
announced that only two of the men would
qualify in the finals in order to stimulate
the pace and avoid making it hippodrome,
but afterward all the men were allowed to
start in the final. This heat only extended
over ten-twelfths of mile and at the finish
Watson led, followed by Acker and Martin
in the order named. Time for the heat was
2:12 rs.
The final brought out all the winners and
Acker won at the end of three laps and 40
Martin, who finished in order.
The one-mile amateur handicap came
rode their last amateur in this event. The
first heat resulted ed IL Woodruf wn
Kolb Lee Heller and G.. H. Buschmann.
Time, 2:05 3-5. The second heat brought out
eleven starters, including Pfeffer, who was
prevented from entering in the first heat
by not being able to get his wheel in con-
dition after his smash-up. He was able. 70
qualify for the finals. however, running
Charles R. Pease. the latter being the only
man who rode with Pfeffer from the
scratch. The time for the heat was 2:02 10:
The final heat was a prettily contested
race, but the handicaps were too heavy. 1t
was won by Steinmetz, with Woodruff sec
ond, Murray third, Otto Dietz fourth, in
2:O2 fiat.
''Plugger BilP' Martin then rode an exhi-
bition half-mile, unpaced, to beat one min
ute. He succeeded in going 1t in 55 3-5 sec
onds, which is within a fraction of sec
worlds record.
ton, of Denver. Harry Gibson then rode a
mile exhibition, paced by quad and trip
let, to lower the 1:49 2-5 record held by Gard
liner, of Philadelphia. On the first trial the
quad took him over the first half in fine
shape, but the triplet made a miserable pick
up and Gibson was allowed to try 1t over
again. The second trial was somewhat bet
ter. but still the triplet did not do what it
should have done. Gibson was only able to
make 1:44 20.
THE MULTICYCLE RACE.
The last event was the "multicycle" race
between Fornwalt, Gordon, Acker and Haus
on a quad; David, Murbarger and Watson
on a triplet; Becker and Bartin on tam
dem McWaters and Hatzell on a tandem,
and Gibson and McKeon on singles. The
distance was two miles and the handicaps
were as follows: Quad team. scratch; Mar
tin and Becker, 100 yards; triplet team. 200
yards; Gibson and McKeon, 225 yards, and
McWaters and Hatzell. $50 yards. At the
discharge of the pistol the quad team made
a jump for the start, and in doing so broke
a chain which necessitated bringing out an
other quad, which did not suit the men as
well as their own machine. The men closed
up during the first mile, and McWaters and
Hatzell dropped out of the race the pace
being too hot for them. The rest stuck to
it, but the quad was not able to overtake
the leaders, and the race ended in the trip
let winning. with Martins tandem second
and Gibson third Time, 1:48 2-5.
On Labor day Gibson and Martin are to
meet at Newly Oval in a ten-mile race,
paced by thirty pacemakers, for a purse
of 500.
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