The times., 1898-08-04
CYCLING COMMENT.

| Jimmie Michael the Welsh wonder of
| whom so much has been written, will
| ride a ten-mile paced match race in this
| city next Monday evening at the third-of-
a-mile board track of the Park Bicycle
| Club on the Conduit Road. His opponent
will be A. c. Moran, the speedy local
rider, who was to have raced the midget
last Wednesday evening when the con-
test was prevented by rain. The nego-
tiauons looking toward the appearance
of Michael in this city were concluded
yesterday afternoon and announced last
| evening for the first time at the regular
weekly meeting of the Park Club. The
information was received with good
Deal of enthusiasm by those present.
The arrangements tolfave Michael race
In this city have been In progress for
several days AS early as last week j.
d. Lasley, the president of the Park BIZ
cycle Club. received a letter from Ed
ward G. Cooke, the advance agent for
the little Welshman, which was mailed
from New York city. AS Mr. Lasley was
out of town and did not return 10 his
office until Monday forenoon, the letter
remained unopened. and before IL was
read telegram was received regarding
the matter. OF course, the Park Club
was anxious 10 have little Michael come
TO this city and race, and the negotia-
tions were Immediately entered into
There was some hitch about guarantee
money, but this was finally settled, the
local people giving a little more money
than the aggregation was TO receive for
riding at Baltimore. This last detail was
finally overcome and yesterday the tele-
graph flashed back an affirmative answer
from Michael's manager announcing that
the Welsh rider would be in Washington
to race next Monday. AS soon as this
reply was received a satisfactory agree
ment was drafted, which will be signed
by both parties and sent TO the chairman
of the racing board for his approval. This
is done merely as matter of precaution.
The idea is to have the race come off
Monday evening at the Park track, but
profting by the experience OF last week
the local people win protect themselves.
In the agreement it will be stipulated
that in case Of rain the race will be run
off on the following Wednesday evening.
The night following was not selected for
the running of the postponed event be-
cause OF the fact that Michael will en-
deavOr TO make arrangements for
match race in Baltimore for Tuesday
evening. That day is the regular weekly
night for bicycle racing at the Coliseum
track of Jack Prince, and ii was left
open in the belief that Prince would like
to secure that date for the event in the
Monumental City Nothing certain is
known of the race meet in Baltimore.
One may be arranged, the matter being
entirely problematical, though there is a
strong probability that such a match race
will be run off.
When negotiations were entered into,
several weeks ago. for MichaeFs first ap-
pearance n this city, his advance agent
agreed TO let the races come off Thursday
evening July 2S In case of rain on
Wednesday evening Unfortunately It
rained Wednesday night, and. equally as
unfortunate no clause was put in the
agreement to have the race come off on
the next day in case of a postponement.
When it rained in Baltimore on Tuesday
evening the Michael managers totally
disresarding the verbal promise to race
in this city Thursday if it should happen
to rain on Wednesday night. promised
Prince that his postponed race would be
run off Thursday night. This left Wash
ington without a ghost of a show in case
rain came UP on Wednesday might. What
followed is known to all 1t did rain. and
there was no race. Moreover it ra ned
in Baltimore. and as a result the Midget
did not ride his scheduled race in either
city.
One of the propositions submitted by
the advance agent of Michael for the
race Monday evening, which. however
will hardly be accepted, was to have
two local riders go against the champion
middle-distance rider. The plan called
for a fifteen-mile race, and while the
Welshman rode that distance, two other
riders could ride against him. One local
man was to ride half of the fifteen miles
and then he was to be relieved by another
rider, who was to finish the race, each
cyclist covering just seven and a half
miles This proposition was not even
seriously considered. It was treated
exactly as was the proposition for the
first race, when Michael offered Moran
handicap of a third of a mile If the
local boy cannot win from scratch he
could not win with such a handicap. so
the park management thought, and the
offer was rejected.
1t can quite safely be stated that the
local public will have an excellent op-
portunity to see the little wonder ride.
A pumber of sprint races will be ar
ranged for the occasion as prelimiu-
ary leading up to the big event of the
evening, which will close the program
the local riders, professional and anna
teul, enter, but many of Michaels pace
makers and other outside racers making
the occasion almost as notable as a
national circuit event The sale of tick
cts for the event will shortly be begun,
and arrangements will be entered into
with the Great Falls Electric Railroad
to give the same facilities as were ar
ranged for the first match race last
Wednesday evening. The city will again
be posted with bills advertising the event
Considering the remarkably short space
of time that intervenes between now
and the day of the race, there is much
hard work to be DONE
j. d. Lasley, the president of the Park
Bicycle Club, is highly elated over his
success at having Mich el race in this
city 'It will be one If the besc races
ever held in this city, he said. land will