Evening star., 1898-05-07
THE OPENING RACE MEET

The opening race meet of the season will
be given by the Park Bicycle Club. the
new management of the International Ath-
letic Park, next, Thursday afternoon. and
an excellent program has been arranged
for the OCCASION If the weather should be
good there is every Indication that many
will be present to witness the initial meet
of the season. There are six events on
the program, and the first race will be
started at O'Clock. The entries for the
meet will close tonight
The first race on the program is a one
mile novice, open to all aspirants for hon
ors on the cycle path, the prize being a
gold medal valued at $50. The second race
is one-mile open, amateur with prizes
valued at $50, SIS and So for first second
and third place, respectively The third
event Will be pursuit race between T. L.
wilson OF this city and Robert L. French
OF Baltimore The distance is .hree miles,
and the race will undoubtedly prove inter-
est1ng. The winner will receive a prize
valued at $50. A two-mile handicap. with
prizes valued at $50, SIS, $40 and s.. for
the first four men, will be the fourth event
on the program. Fred Schade is also
scheduled to ride a mile exhibition against
time in the hopes of establishing ii record
Tor the new track. The closing event on
the program will be twenty-fye-mi]a
match race between George E. Smith of
the Washington Road Club and Lee Conn
seiman OF the Century Cycle Club. The
prize offered is full value. Ss5. the limit
Tor an amateur event. 1t will be a pacef,
affair, and considerable interest is centered
in the event. The full list of pacemakers
LOT f smith mas not yet been announced, but
for Counselman the PAGERS have been
CHOSEN They are j. ]. Fister w. A. Boil
den, Leo B. Dannemiler Griffin Halstead.
n: v. Douglass, ]. E. Hanger, jr., r. c.
Wiillams Elmer E Wakefield, Bayard T.
Wrenn. Fred ]. Volkman Tony Galeski IT
Gladmon and Stevens. Counselman is rid
ing IN good form. and ought to give a good
account of himself. A few days ago in
traihihg ne covered five miles, paced by
two tandem crews, in the fast time of =.
1O:44 ~ ' 'ii'Ae VI
While the full list of entries will not be
given out until tonight it is known that all
OF the leading amateurs of the city and
many from Baltimore have entered and
Will ride. The new board track. which has
Just been completed, has been used con-
tlnuously during the past week. when the
ram did not interfere, by most of the riders
IN the city, and some exceedingly fast time
mas been made. Schade rode a mile in
1;oI 20; Counseiman five miles in 1914;
Ronsaville one-third Of a mile in 391a;
2.olta; and Moran one-third of mile,
paced, in .3S 4-5.
The Washington and Great Falls Electric
railroad is making improvements in their
portation to and from the races The road
is being reballasted and double tracked for
a good portion OF the way. In addition to
these improvements the electric block sys-
tenn Is in successful operation, giving ample
facilities for handling a large crowd at
short notice.
Fred Sims, who has been in training at
Marietta, S. C., for some weeks past. has
returned to the city. He will put on the
finishing touches to his condition at the
International Park, taking advantage of
the fine board track. Fred is riding in
good form, and it is possible that he will
ride an exhibition race next Thursday
According to the program mapped out by
the Park Bicycle Club, the second meet
of the season will be held Thursday, May
49, and this will be followed by two meets,
one on May 2S and the other on Decora-
ton Day. i-