Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-12-03
task will be better this year than ever

task will be better this year than ever
before.
The greatest trial OF six day riders, Of
course. " the want OF sleep. a man
or the name OF Crosse OF brooklyn,
VINO has been patient piodder. though
not a brilliant performer, In such races
IN years gone by and who In entered In
TINS one. has occupied n night position
during the past year and has accus-
toned himself TO barely four hours OF
sleep day. lie says that he has
grown fat lately and that six days with
no sleep viii not DO hard on him. as
he VIII be losing but ~ hours OF IL al
together.
There has been n good deal Of oppo-
altlon In many quarters TO holding six
day races by people who say that they
arc hurtfui and liable 10 make the con-
testants physical wrecks. and that oven
" the strain does not become immodi-
atcly apparent the after effects on their
constitutions are bound 10 be baneful
owing TO the continued oxcrtion. loss
of sleep and the heroic methods some
times resortcd TO by the trainers 10 In
ducc their men TO keep up with the
work. In reply to those charges those
In favor OF such contests assert that
the history OF six day racing has yet TO
show n fatality and that no rider has
ever died from the effects OF one. for
none OF those who competed In the first
OF these events In the early eighties In
yet dead. Reading. Ashingcr. Schock
and many other old timers are Htlll In
the game. the three named having
taken part In last years contest In
Madison Square Garden.
Good six day material IL generally
found among mnturcd men. though
many youngsters have successfully rid-
den In the contests. Major Taylor. tho
well known colorcd rider. finished In
the 1896 race. and. far from being a
physical wreck. his wonderful riding
since then. and especially this season.
has placed him among the nrrt rank n
racing cyclists. Despite the dirad-
vantagea under which he laborcd owing
20 his color. this realty phenomenal
youth was but one point behind cham
pion iiaid when tho circuit chasers
made the break from tho l.. A. W. His
victories over Jimmy Michael and 9TH
crr at various distances make many re-
gard him n. tho virtual champion OF
1898. Then there II Harry Eiigcs. the
Saratoga lad, who holds the worlds
hour record on bicycle. lie wen,
I
doing over i.cco miles In the week
Many other instances are cited by en-.
thusiasts 60 show that six day races ar,
not Injurious. The veteran sohock
who has competed IN more races ol
this character than any other rider II
the world. having taken part In 80 ionl
| distance struggles. was examined th'
other day for life insurance and no.
; cured a 20 year policy.
Several OF the riders have said thai
! they viii endeavor 10 beat the fEurei
for the its hour contest set up by Mile
last December. In thnt race the Chicn
10 man. In six days OF phenomenal rid
lng. covered 1888 miles $50 yards. cor
rected measurement. During that Pc
, Rod he enjoyed only eight hours Of ulcef
} and was on the track total 81 hour
and 10 minutes. lie finished wonderful,
: fresh and showed practically no slsn'
OF his terrible ordeal NJ the end. soor
after the race was over he gave NV,
mile exhibition, paced by n tandem. Gov
erlnr tho distance IN bi2s. which wa,
wonderful after such a task an he hat
! Just performed.
Those who have never witnessed rl,
day bicycle race can hardly Imagine th'
scenes presented. The contestants cir
Gle the oval In their never ending rou
tine. a rider now and then possibly fail
Ing asleep on his wheel ana going rlgh
ON In that condition only 10 Huddoni,
fiii on or run into the picket fence al
the side Of the track. Now and then IN,
sleeping rider In awakened by hi
watchful trainer. who daaher n quaint
~ Of Ice cold water IN his face. only {,
be abused by the weary pcdaier fol
rouslng MIN. Sometimes, whom n mar
falls on his wheel. either through drow'
slneaa or a collision. he Hes contentedi,
where he II and II II only with threat
and force that he can be- made 10 con
tinue his task.
; The riders often get queer notions In
10 their heads. Sometimes they imaE'
Inc that their handlers have conHplrct
! 20 mako them lose. or they complain