The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-12
AFTER MICHAEL,s SCALP.
some of the "1ndians" Who Are Anx-
iOus to Defeat the Little WeIshm an

Some of the ''Indians" Who Are Anx-
ious to Defeat the Little Welshman.
Jimmy Michael realizes that this year
will be the hardest he has ever seen. He
He knows full well that wherever he goes
he finds an aspiring rider ready to take his
scalp. His defeat seems to be the sole am
bition Of many Of the riders, some of them
worthy of his steel and others far below
the second grade
Among the most notable Indians ready
for his scalp is Tom Linton. Linton is a
Welshman, and so is Michael. They were
companions in their youth, and even now
are the best of friends That, however. is
the social side of it. Financially speaking
they are the deadliest of rivals, and when
the two men meet on the bicycle track there
Will be race that will be worth $25 900 of
sand persons in New York, Philadelphia
and Boston who will pay from s. to $40 to
see these two men do battle, and 1t is no ex-
come from as far West as Chicago to see
the fight, if it happens in the East
II money, brains and human ingenuity can
devise any new schemes to be worked when
these two men meet, it will be done
Michael has shrewd manager in Dave
Shafer, but Tom Linton is backed by the
brains of the entire National Track Team
Association, besides his individual trainer
Dudley Marks. Linton. too has strong
practice some of his new notions which he
is saving for this event
1t would be hard to exaggerate the i'm
portance of these two men. Michael is to-
day the king bee Of the racing game
What he will be a few months from now
is another question There are those who
are optimistic in their views, while others
are pessimistic Michael has defeated the
best men in Europe, and has defeated
everyone in America. Linton, on the
other hand. has defeated the best
men in Europe and won more races during
the last year than he ever did before in his
life. besides closing the season with a rec
ord such as few men have ever possessed
after doing the work he did
Taylore, the Frenchman now in this
country, defeated the Welshman, but Lin
ton thinks that the circumstances sur
rounding his defeat by this promising young
rider should be taken into consideration be-
fore judgment is passed. He states that he
was really too sick to sit his wheel steadily
at that time and offered to wager Taylore's
manager all kinds of money that the
Frenchman could not follow him for fifteen
miles in a twenty-tive-mile race.
Michael is now having a special team of
pacemakers drilled for him, but Linton al
it would be possible to get in the world.
They ride not only fast but with Judgment
and ease, two most desirable qualities. The
pacing machines, on which so much de-
ponds, are new ones, and there are none
better. Shafer, who represents Michael,
may get as good, but it is questionable.
1t will be seen that in this race every
minor detail will be magnified into promi-
better prepared than will he these two when
they meet AS to who WI win, that is a
question which must he decided by the in
dividual critics. The writer's are about
evenly divided, but. as Michael has always
been the favorite in this country the fact
that Linton has as many and as strong adj
edgment of the ability of .he wearer Of the
blue and pink.