Evening star., 1898-05-14
LOCAL RACING CHAT.

The twenty-fve-mile, match race. paced.
between George F.. SAith of the Mount
Pleasant Athletic Club and Lee Counsel
man of the Century Cycle Club Thursday
afternoon at the Park cycle track intro
duced middle distance racing in this city.
In other cities this class Of racing has
pa oven to be highly interesting, but the
sport seems to bf confined mainly to pro-
fesslonal riders. Jimmie Michael, Star
buck. McDuffle and the other weli-known
cracks secure gRod Sum for participating
in such. events. This style of racing is a
creation of recent date. yet the public has
taken to 1t In suSh a manner that it will
be feature of race meets this season. so
1t is predicted. I
Amateur events in This class are. rare
and SO far as known the match race Thurs
day was the first amateur event of its kind
held in this section of the country. Ger
tainly it is the first race of its kind held
In this city ana 1t Is also certain that in
covering the distance in 5231 Counselman
established an amateur record. This record
Is worthy OF consideration when it will be
remembered that an hour before there was
a heavy rainstolmi Had the old dirt track
been In use it Is a positive fact that the
races could not Rave been held but with
the board track the condition of affairs
was entirely different. In yery short time
the heavy rainfall had disappeared so far
as the track was concerned, though there
was plenty of mud where the earth was
visible. When the sun came out the boa rds
were dried in very short time, and the rae
ing went on uninterruptedly
The meet was the first opportunity the
pubic mad OF examining the new board
track, and 1t is safe to say that they were
perfectly satisfied 1t was clearly evident
that the course was much faster than the
Ola art track. Schade's exhibition mile in
l:5l 10 Is the fastest time ever made in
this city. Last year the fastest time ever
made at such an exhibition was something
like 2:O6, though some claims have been
made for less time than that The old rec
ord was made under conditions every bit
as favorable as the record made during the
week.
The management of the track is also
satisfied with the course. From a business
standpoint it is viewed as a much more
pre- fitable venture. The first meet proved
It's advantage, and other good points are
expected to be developed during the course
OF the year. The improvements at the
place have not all been completed. 1t re-
quired all of the time to get the track into
readiness for the meet. This work having
been accomplished, attention will now be
paid to the surroundings. The inield will
be attended to. and the edges of the track
put in more presentable shape. Everything
VIII have been ccmDleted by the time of
the second race of lie season, which will
be held next Thursday afternoon so it is
expected. A number of changes in the
park have been made. Side entrances have
been made to the grand stand. and the
middle entrance has been changed Two
flights of stairs lead to the rear of the
center of the stand. and the former open
space has been built over, and private
boxes. twelve in all, put in place.
Should middle-distance racing become
popular In this city this season, and there
Is every indication that such will be the
case, the need 1f good pacing will be felt
more than ever. The public on Thursday
took kindly to the match race, and it Is
likely that more events will be held. Pac-
ing crews will then be in demand The
Park Cycle Club has two triplets belonging
to the place, and other multicycles NAV be
secured 1t is difficult to make a steady
pace, one that will suit the rider following
behind. The crew hasto judge this matter
1t is poor work to keep the man going at
slower speed than he wants, and it is
equally as poor work to run away and leave
Il gap between the two machines. Then in
the matter of changing pacing good deal
or responsibility rests upon the steersmen
OF the two crews as to the proper time to
make the change On the side of the rider
there is a good deal in knowing how and
when to change the following of the pac-
ing crews. A good pickup, besides looking
well to the spectators, is excellent for the
rider as it does not cause him any sudden
eNertion, and keeps his speed at a certain
steady gait.
oHe iduSnaDle InlnSt occurred thursday
with n tandem crew pacing Smith When
midway of the third and fourth turns the
riders evidently lost control of the wheel.
At any rate the two riders with the ma
chine tumbled down the steep banking and
rolled into the mud at the adge of the pole.
Fortunately none of the contestants of the
pacing crews was in the Immediate vicinity
at the time of the occurrence, otherwise a
spill might lfave been caused. Without
doubt the best pace given Smith was by the
walker brothers on tandem. Their rid
ing was smooth and good, and they pre-
sented good appearance. Stone and Cause
also did good work for Smith. Moran of
this city and French and LeCompte of Bal
timore made an excellent crew on triplet
Tor Counselman, while another triplet,
steered by J. ]. Fister, also did lovely work;
Greer, Dannemiller and Hanger. third
triplet crew, likewise did good work. In
fact, all of Counseimans pacing, barring
the first pickup was of the apple-pie order.
One thing particularly noticeable Thurs
day was the absence of spills For Won
der there was no accident in the novice
race In the first heat of the mile open
w. Curtis was late entrant. He was de-
layed at the start. owing to bad start,
and he sprinted fast to catch the bunch.
He had a high gear, and caught the men as
they were leaving the second turn. The
riders In the race were spread out. cover
ing the track, and Curtis endeavored to
back pedal to avoid a collision. His wheel
must have been equipped with some patent
coaster or brake, for at any rate he coast
ed along for distance of about twenty
feet. then fell off his wheel and slid about
half as far again with his body on the
board track. He, was not injured. The
only other fall was in the final of the mile
open. and George E. Smith was the victim.
When about forty yards from the tape his
front tire struck the rear tire of another
rider, and Smith slid and rolled over the
track.
Albert Mott, the chairman of the racing
board of the League of American Wheel
men, was expected to be in the city during
the week and officiate as referee at the race
meet. He did not show up, however, ow-
ing to the illness of his wife and child
which detained him at his home In Balti-
more. The local referee officiated in his
stead.
The riding of little Ray r. Coggswell at
tracted general attention at the race meet.
Diminutive in stature, he pushes a wheel
In good style, and has an excellent sprint.
In the mile novice he won the race in
good manner, being several lengths behind
the lead man when the bunch entered upon
the home stretch. In his heat of the two
mile handicap he came in third, and in the
final he secured third place. The boy rides
a good deal like Little Michael. the cele-
brated midget professional. and at the meet
number of people remarked this peculiar