The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-05
Three Thousand People Witness
the Bicycle Races.
COAST CRACKS WE'RE PRESENT.
cotter. OF Tacoma. Wins the Mile
Professional in n Great Race With
Hardy Downing, Of San Jose
The Californian Evens Up Things
in Five-Mile neutrality-suspicious.
Columbians Win the International

1He bicycle races given at the Ath-
I'm letic Park last night under the
W. auspices OF the Queen City Good
Roads Club attracted a crowd,
variously estimated at from 5000
TO $500. Both covered stands We're filled
To their utmost capacity. the same was
true OF the bleachers. and there was also
a good-sized crowd scattered around the
circle. Old-timers were unanimous in the
opinion that it was the largest gathering
ever seen at the park.
The races were well contested. and most
OF the finishes were exciting. Only three
accidents took place, ard they were not
serious enough to call for comment. In
contrast TO the last night meet. when one
OF the greatest bicycle snash-ups on record
took place, it was decided Improvement.
The one-miie professional was the best
and most exciting contest of the meet.
Cotter. OF Tacoma, won his heat. and
Downing. OF San Jose, had no trouble in
getting away with his. The final narrowed
down 10 contest between Cotter Down
ing and Jack Sharick. OF Tacoma.
brother of George ShaTiok. the coast
champion, who is now in the East. Shar-
ick did not appear to be riding in his best
form. but Co;ter ana Downing made up
fer ii. They went AT each other around
or the back stretch and had it hammer
and tongs to the end. Each caught the
jump about the same time. and as they
came along the back stretch the friends
Of the rivals We're bowling themselves
hoarse A small blanket would have COW
cred both riders. and their wheels flashed
in the electric light like grim phantoms.
A man any distance from the finish could
not tell for the life of him which had A
shade the better of ii. II looked like a
wheel and wheel finish. Those who were
near the finish were divided in their opln-
ion. The judges were unanimous that
Cotter won the race by four inches at
least. and so decided.
A Great Race.
The fve-mile amateur handicap develop
cd great race toward the last. For four
miles the men with the big handicaps kept
we'll 10 the front. but they could not stand
the pace, and gave up. Then Blackmore.
OF Vancouver. and Hunter OF Nanaimo,
kept well up with the bunch until the last
lap They made their squirt at the be-
ginning OF the back stretch and swept
along past the crowd like two dark shad-
ows. The bunch not liking the idea OF be-
ing left took the squirt also. and they all
swept into the home stretch fighting like
tigers for place. /; was no use. Black
more was riding like a demon. He had
the pace and he had the sand. He could
not be beat. Hunter. OF Nanaimo. came
close on his hind wheel, but jump as much
as he liked, the namesake OF the author
OF Lorna Doone' was with him. and
swept across the tape with something up
his sleeve.
Downing Of San Jose rode magnificent
race in the five-mile professional handicap
from scratch, beating out the plucky lit
tie Cotter. of Tacoma. in a hair-raising
finish. 1t was their second battle. and
when the honors rested with Downing
this time he was satisfied. Jack Sharick.
OF Tacoma. was also well up in this race.
and took third place.
Hunter the amateur champion Of Brit
ish Columbia. showed his coiors In the
one-mile amateur. winning from Fred
Sehone. of Seattle, in hot brush.
Blackmore and Hunter, the British CO.
Iumbia pair, showed their superiority over
Washington's representatives IN most
decisive manner in the international pur-
suit race.
The officials were as follows: Referee.
F. r. Wheeler: judges VIII H Parry,
George F. Meacham and r. p. Spelger:
starter. C. F. Dow: announcer. George J.
SimmOndS, clerk or the course, I'D GAN
ney timers. T.. y. Fobes. /. r. Taylor
and G. A. Smith.
Summary of bicycle races:
One-MfIe Novice.
First heat-won by Miller, Seattle: Nor
ton Seattle. second. Time. 2:J3-
Second hsat-Won ny Marsha, Seattle;
Overly SEATTLE, second. Time. 2:Si 20
Final heat-Won by Marsha. overly Gee
ord; Norton thtTd. Time. Z:S 3-5.
nue.iGle profe.sfoum1
First hsat-Won BY Cutter Tacoma;
Jack sh4Fick, Tacoma. second. Time.
rs So.
Second heat-won by Downing San Jose;
Swanson. Nanaiu1o. second. Spain. VAN
couver. third. Time, ga As.
Final heat-Cotter Won by !ncnes; DOVE
Ing second. Sharick third. Time, En- %.
one-Miie Amateur.
Frs. heat-won by s;hone. Seat;Ie;
Chamberlain. Seattle, second Time.
Second hea.-Won by Hunter. Nanajno;
Watson Seattle. sesond Tf-T.~. 2:EZ Is.
Final heat-Won BY Hunter. Shone sec
on1. Tine. 30
Fixe-Niie Professional. Handicap.
Won by Downing. San Jose. scratch;
Co1ter, Tacoma. - yards. second, Jack
S1ai1ek. Tacoma, - yasdA third Time.
u IS Is.
Efve-Niie Amateur, Handicap.
Won by Blackuo-% Vancouver. u yards;
Hunter NaaaiuTo. scratch, second. Slayer
Tacoma. 10 yards. third, Tine. is.G
Tbree-Nti~ international Pursuit
Snone ard Chamberlain. Of Seattle.
against ElackTnord and Hunter. OF Brit
ish Columbia aafnoerlasn sei and al