The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-12
AFTER CYCLING RECORDS.
AMERIOAN RIDERS hound 10 WIN
THE HOUR FIG UR ES.

Put Their Names on the Record Rolls
where FsrelEaeru New Chieay FIGURE.
Now bicycle records arc looked for In middle
distances this year by the American riders.
The interest in long-distanoo track races which
dates from 1879, shows that from the latter
period up to the present time big advances have
been made in tho worlds records at figures from
fifteen to thirty. five miles. Tho carly interest
In distance raolnS was confined to races OF nj.
teen miles. but AZ the advocates Of distance
racing increased renewed interest has been mani.
tested In long distances with the result that
tho standing records ha We annually been do.
molished. Tho American riders have never
figured conspicuously In lonE.distance racing,
but now their adoption Of this character of com.
petition will likely place the riders Of this
country on a record standing. Middle distance
bicycle racing will engage the attention OF the
crack racing mon hero this season. Aside
from the desire OF the Ameri an riders to de.
feat the foreigners In this class of compoti.
ton, tho one great achievement eagerly sought
after is the honor Of holding tho onc.hour rec.
ord. All styles OF distance racing from hvo to
fifty miles are now IN high favor, but the one
hour contests are tho dlstlnct!vely popular kind
of races. International interest will be aroused
In long distance racing this year by the fact
that Tom Linton, the English professional, in
addition to Jimmy Michael, will contest the
right OF the Americans to hold undisputed sway.
While riders like Il. C. Bald, Arthur Gardiner,
Tom Cooper. the Butler boys and John 8.
johnson hove been the idols for years, the in
PRODUCTION of middle distance paced racing and
the importation of foreign riders has reduced tho
interest In sprint events 30 that paced contests
at ten to fifty miles arc now the fad.
In England and France distance racing has
held full swing in popular favor for years.
while evonts of this kind have been indiffer-
ently supported in America. Tho conditions
arc now changed. With crack riders. good
pacing machines and well.drilled pacing crews
the American men seem destined to rank In the
front in long distance events this season. With
such riders as E. c.. MoDufie, Fred Titus, Fred
Hoyt, Major" Taylor and Frank Starbuck fol-
lowing middle distance racing exclusively this
country will be strongly represented in the new
stvle of racing. The experiments made in this
country last season in the promotion OF middle
distancesevents were highly gratifying. The
race meets whore paced middle distance events
took place between crack riders attracted the
largest crowds ever gathered at outdoor bicycle
meets. These results have testified to tho grow
ing popularity Of this form of racing. During
the last two years Jimmy Michael, the diminu-
tive Welshman, has held undisputed possession
Of the title of champion middle distance rider
In America. Riding exclusively in distance
races he succeeded in developing a wonderful
speed and the capacity TO follow the fastest
pacemakers at ali distances. His repeated sue
fSs Am e9wsye Tjd have sS e5' 4. x, fhs {, jealousy coHTrSyyts Of
with some fast men at his favorite distances
this year. In all the races in which Michael
ducing the worlds hour record. In fact this
record, which is esteemed as one Of the most
held by an American rider.
AS a consequence q great effort will be made
season. S5IhE AT af' the fSuF pr cssDta time HS 'g J. % Sou s.osk sh OF
England, who until recently held the one-mile
paced wSFld,' record sss1 s Lays eIStm 70 70 The h. O GSv.9S1
Palace track in London. Stocks created now
figures for this record by riding 80 miles l.0s4
ed as remarkable, but there Is a strong feeling
among the Amerioan, riders that IT can be sur.
distance racing, the men who are capable Of
making thirty miles or moro In tho hour arc very
few and the result is that the hour record Is
rarely lowered more than once or twice in ono
season. This is not due TO the fact that few at
tempts are made to lower 1t. hut rather to the
middle distance races held this season the dis
tances have boon restricted to twenty miles so
far. N indication OF what may be expected of
the American riders in an hour ride this year
nfteen:miie match between i. G. McDufie and
Fred Titus held in Boston; the former created
now worlds records from three to fifteen miles.
Comparison of the n substance records in
the various countries where racing fourishes
SP9w da 1hH ba .ae TO on 1s7e. f AZ tSst l Tss I1 +, h hof pod dsS.
cred Is miles 1.4sO yards in the hour. This
performance stood for twelve months, whom
another Cambridge man named Shoppee sue
ceeded In riding 10 miles 1924 yards in the
SaI improvements has been made in tho hour
record. 1t was not until 1882, however, that
miles in the hour; In that year tho famous
Cortis accomplished The feat. The carly per-
formances we're, Of course. made on the solid.
tired ordinary bicycle. and with the advent Of the
safety and the pneumatic tires great progress was
at once made. Commencing in 1880; up to last
hour. 1t was in 1895 that Jimmy Michael, before
he; visited this country, had the distinction Of
Lesna in that year Le covered % miles 1,O27
yards in the hour, but this is the only time that
the hour. While no American rider has ever
been successful IN holding this record, L. >.
the United States in 1898. rode 20 miles 40 yards
at the Springfield track while here. which time
stood for one year as the worlds record. The
dates from Meintjes's performance. In 1924
Fred Titus made an attempt at Springfield to
I,4s9 yards, which established new American
figures. In 1896 Frank Starbuck raised Titus'l
figures to 81 miles 1889 yards and l foot. II
was the general assumption among race follow
1854 yards was unassailable. but Jimmy Michael
several times came dangerously close TO 1t. In
ride against tho watch at Philadelphia lasl
now stands as the American record for Tho
, hour. Since 1895 the two most formidable NOR
w. Stocks. The, former. who is now in this
, country, created new figures for the RECORD
r upon three occasions in 1896. This fact will
lend additional interest 10 the long.distancs
events In America this year: The fact tina
I America possesses some wonderfully fast rid
ers In both sprint and distance events may be
= accepted as a guarantee that tho riders In thi
country will take an active and importanl
l part in the development OF new hour figures thi
. year. The following table gives tho official lis
q OF the hour records from the recognition OF dis
. tRnco records up 10 the present time:
o Distance.
. MTs. Yds. Name. Track. Date.
), 10 1850 bod is 90. &C.. Cambridge. ...... March 25. =
= IN 1921 Shoppee.. 80. Cambridg 20 ....,.. May "a. ~
t IT lHC. Weir ......... oxford. .......... May 10, -
i, IL 1880. Christie. ...... oxford. ......... June y. 20
10 lA2O. Cortis, $3.50. Stamford Bridge sept. II, 80
90 300 COTtis ........ Stamford Bridge July ~. 'sy
y 20 3g5 .Cortts ........ Stamford Bridge Aug. 9. 's2
20 bbO. EngtSh, ..,... New Gstle. 80. Sept. II. "a
o 20 ga. Furnival, ", Surbeton. ....... Sept. FL. 80
Ell 1876 Laurie ........ Long Eaton ..... Aug. Is, 'H9
~ 22B Turner -. ..... PAddinEton -. ..Jdly2 ~, 30
o 81 hSo. Mecredy .. .... Paddington ..... July 20. 90