The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-22
MACoN'S RIDER A SURPRISE.
HAD THINGS HIS OWN WAY IN THE
THUNDERBOLT CYCLE RACES.

Thompson of Jacksonville Failed to
Get First Prize-Was Beaten Both
by the Macon and Savannah
Riders-C. II. COnnery Won the
HaIf-MtIe Open-CliRord Stultz Got
the Boys Race and the 2;4O Glass
EVent-The Attendance Was Small
and the Time slow.
The bicycle meet held at Doyle's Driv-
ing Park yesterday afternoon was not
success. The attendance was very small,
there being hardly over a hundred specta-
tors present.
The object in holding the races at Thun-
derbolt was that street cars reached the
rack and it was thought that the attend
ance would be greaer than if held at the
Wheelmen's Park. This seems to have
been an error of judgment however, for
there is no doubt that the attendance
would have been larger had the races been
run on the cement track.
There was only one race that was In
the least exciting and that was the five
mile open. All of the races were slow
and none of the finishes, with the excep-
ton of the race mentioned was close. On
the side of the track nearest the grand
stand the track was rolled comparatively
hard but on the two turns on the eastern
side of the track it was heavy, and after
being ridden over once or twice riding.
was an awful task. In some parts the
sand was several inches thick and the rid
ers had to do some tail churning.
Jesse B. Hart of Macon was the bright
and he proved very much of a surprise TO
everybody. He came absolutely unherald-
ed and was not looked upon by the other
riders as a dangerous competitor. Thomp-
son was looked upon as a sure winner in
all the races in which he rode, but the
Macon boy took the wind out of Thomp-
sons sails, as we'll as out of those Of
the Savannah riders. The reason of
Harris great success is probably due to the
fact that he was familiar with a sand
track, while the other riders had trained
on a cement track and could not beat the
Macon rider at his own game.
There is hardly a doubt that Thompson
is not faster than Hart. ~The defeat of the
Florida crack was as much a surprise to
him as to the spectators and the Savan-
nah riders, who expected him to sweep
the field and go back to Jacksonville laden
with first prizes. Thompson afterwards
said he was not feeling we'll
There were only three starters In the
novice. Jesse B. Hart of Macon won In
the slow time of 3:10 with Fred Solomon
Of Savannah second, and Robert A. Fol-
lard of Savannah third. The race was a
runaway and Hart won by seventy-fve
yards. Solomon got his place easily.
There were more starters in the half
mile open than in any other race, and
more interest cenlered in it because OF
this fact c. P. Connery of Savannah
came in first, with Hart second and
Thompson third. J. w. Newman, Jr., and
Robert A. Folliard also rode. The time
was 10.
Clifford E. stultz of Savannah won the
half-mi!e boys race in 1:22 The only
other rider was Harry Houston. Stultz
had no trouble in running away from
Houston.
Hart beat Thompson again in the quar-
'Si-'H4lS udsn Wnlcn was fairly good
race because of its short distance. Harris
TIE was 1929 Thompson heat Billy
Newman out for third place, the latter
hmshing ahead of c. p. Connery
clifford Stultz, the winner Of the bows
race, furnished a surprise in the one-mile
2;40 class The time was slow, Stultz win
n'hg without much effort in 3:03 Con
merry was second and Newman third.
The sixth event was to be trick riding,
put for some reason Hone Connery. the
fancy rider, did not appear.
Inc last race was plug away for five
miles. Hart Thompson and Connery were
the only starters. and the race was a loaf
Tor four miles and half Thompson ap-
peared TO have The race well in hand at
the beginning of the last eighth in the
NTH mile, but Hart came up with a
mighty effort, and with a rush led the,
Jacksonville rider across the tape in a
very close finish 1t was a very pretty
piece of work
Inc small attendance at the races is the
cause of regret among the wheelmen.
U. l[insey who promoted the races, work
ed hard, and his efforts were worthy of
more success