Evening star., 1898-08-06
MICHAEL AND HIS CREW


handling Jimmy Michael the Welsh won
der, this season. is undoubtedly a much bet
ter trainer than he is a judge. IL his re-
marks made to a Star reporter in his recent
visit TO this city count for anything. Shafer
probably has a better acquaintance on the
racing track than any other man. and hia
view OF different cracks are interesting.
He can tell a good story. and. like good
many trainers. can string" aEreporter In
an easy and natural manner. especially
one not very well up in cycling. He can
rattle of string of records. give time for
each mile up TO thirty miles. with speed
that is bewildering. though so far ac-
euracy is concerned that is a different
matter. He seems TO posse all OF the re-
quirements. however, of a successful train
er, and his work on the track speaks for
itself
When in this city last Wednesday night
ne spoke freely of the merits OF Linton,
McDuffee. Michael. TaYiore and good
many others. He placed Michael as being
Tar in the lead of all riders, and claimed
that there was not a rider going that Mich
ael could not defeat. Taylore. who Is only
seventeen years old, he placed being
next best. and predicted that the French
man would surprise the world with his rid
ing. Taylore has already created some sur
prise by the excellent manner In which he
broke the worlds hour record at Philadel-
phia the fore part of last month. one OF
his predictions was that in the Taylore-
McDunee match race which was held Mon
DAY at the Charles River track Boston.
the Frenchman would have an easy time in
defeating the New England man. Shafer
was sanguine of the result but how mis-
taken he was is now clearly evident Nc
Dunee beat the Frenchman badly. and in
doing so incidentally smashed some worids
records.
Another prediction that was made by
Shafer was that in the twenty-five-mile
paced match race which will come of this
afternoon at the Willow Grove track near
Philadelphia Michael would easily walk
away from his rival The manner in which
AcDunee is now riding is in the nature o:
a revelation. He has been in about eight
match events so far this season. all middle
llstance races. and has succeeded in conf
ing out with string of unbroken victories.
ms is a record that has not been equaled
thls year by any other American rider.
MlchaeI himself is numbered among the
victims OF the New England rider being de-
feated at race held in Boston The meet
ing OF the TWO men this afternoon will .,er-
maps be one Of the greatest races Of rha
year By many ii is claimed that McDuf-
lee Is the peer Of Tom Linton in middle
distance racing, and II that be the case f,
5000 zeal depends on the result OF the con-
test thls afternoon. If Shafers prediction
proves true and Michael wins he will thsp
oe clearly entitled to the title of chanlpio,
inlddle distance rider OF the world Nor.
seems 10 depend on the outcome Of this RAJ.
lor Michael than was the case when he
successfully met Linton.
One explanation of the defeat of Taylore
at Boston Monday is advanced by his man
eger 20 be due to the poor pacing the rider
received. This may be So After tn in
toh-Mic hael race at the Manhattan Beach
track Michael and his pacemakers came
south, reaching Baltimore on Monday W.,
Mlchael-Lnton race was held Saturday.
Iht pacing crews were not given any work
on sunday. and on Monday they did not get
an opportunity to practice in RaItimora
r,lg N tod
work, and on Wednesday the party came
tc this city. The afternoon of that day the
crews took Michael around the Park track
LOT nVe-nile ride. That was ALI the nrac
uce they received The following day tba
ram IN Baltimore prevented any NOR. rid-
ing, and on Friday the craws were in New
, A. getting Things ready for the Boston
race, he next day. Saturday the crews
We're given a rest 50 as TO be ready ma
iiesh for the big race in the afternoon
Dufllg lhe time the men were on this
tlp, said Mr. r.. G. Cooke. the advance
sgent, who was in this city for a short time
fhursday, they managed to gam in weight
from three to eleven pounds each, and This.
Win the lack of practice caused tb. defeat
~, IN az ~ ioic- ne pacing crews were nothing
i.ke belng in their normal condition This
niue incident made difference of 81 $50 I'm
the receipts of the American Cycle Racing
Assoclatio1. representing the additional
money received by the winner over the sum
gwen TO the loser. During the whole week
that Michael and his pacemakers were
way they did not get a chance to race
once The expenses of the whole trim. such
as car fare, hotel bills and incideniais haa
10 be met, and, counting everything ~
would be safe to say that thesa amounted
q sl",o at the least This sum added TO
mar winch was lost in the Taylore- McDuf-
lee race represents a total loss to the
american Cycle Racing Association of near
~ SS.5p. to say nothing Of the salaries
which had to be paid. This shows that BIZ
eycle racing is much more costly than
horse racing"
In me matter CT training Michael is with
cut a doubt the most unique man on the
whole track. As Dave Shafer saws he
trains himself. There is not another man
IKE him on the track" said Dave .snd ali
l. have to do is to look ont for his int.r
SHts Mlchael Knows just what to do and
ne does 1t. He can be trusted to look ONT
Tor himself. whereas a majority of riders
nave to be looked after and watched lust
the same as whole lot of children Ni
chaet Is always ready for race two or
three Gays before IL is scheduled TO come
on mus If race is arranged for Satllr-
a:'N Aichaefs training for the ayrnt e
,hroush by Thursday. From Thursday On
ne physics himself The first three daxs in
the week he regards as the most valiiable
ana the most important. On Monday Tues
Gay and "wednesday he rides like a beaver
an" on thursday he makes his final rid. for
lhe "hole dlstarce of the race. his crews
racing MIN Just as fas; as they would n
the race were really in progress
" hatsver may be the outcome of the Mi
SnHei-McEuhee race this afternoon at the
Willow Grove. track. the two riders will
meet again. On Wednesday or Thursdsv
another match race for TWENTY-FIVE miles
was arranged between the two ia tak.
place next Saturday afternoon at the Man
rattan Beach track New York CITY While
the Two riders may draw big crowd TODAY
~ fhiiaaephla, the event at the New York
track Will most likely be attend I'd by nearly
aeubie the number of people 1t is hardly
nhely that over 5000 people will be at VIII
low Grove today. while at the Manhattan
Beach track 1t is expected that the crowd
VII! be somewhere near the 1000 mark
The much disputed question as to which
is the faster, the bicycle or the horse will
probably soon be settled. The MANAGE
mem OF Michael is getting ready TO make
a sweeping challenge to back the midsat
against any race horse in the country for
any sum from 5000 TO $1,000 or NOR for
series or five races of one mile each. Two
OF the meats viii be paced, two will BE- un-
paced. and the character OF the odd rae.
VIII be determined by a toss up. 1t is pro-