The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-29

walking when IN training. He says tha. Il
is a splendid exercise and one OF the les.
for 3 bicycle racer to indulge in. This
year re has taken 10 horseback riding on
the GraFeseFd track ard daily INDUCES In
gaiiop on one OF the Mess-s Dryers ami
mails. /, gives him variety in MS werk
os preparation that Is very valuable.
Referring TO his ambition to become q.
JOCKEY, M.chasl said that he had no IL
tertion of doing very much in that con-
nec,ion this season In fact, he doesn't
yet know whether he can ever master
the art OF horseback riding well enough
10 become a successful jockey. He sad
in answer TO my query that ne thought,
the work Of jockey was much easier
than that OF professional escyclist You
have 70 train down 20 weight in both
cases" he said. and IN my profession
have 10 push a wheel geared up TO ever
10 at a rate. for the distance. never
dreamed OF by a horse, whereas the jockey
once he has done the training part has
but to ride the horse IN the race ard then
oniy for a short period OF time n each
race. He has 10 use judgment in riding.
but 50 have /. and besides have 10 keep
my legs going az high speed besides my
ether work.
II Michaers own wishes in the matter
be- allowed 20 influence, there is no iouhr
that after this season he Will give up the
cycle track for the running turf. Hs
thinks that there = more money 10 be
made by 1 successful jockey than bv a
professional cyciist, however lucky he may
be, and that IS one OF thu most potent
reasons that have influenced him to wish
10 become a jockey. The luck of Tod
Sloane and some other we'll known riders
has made him determined 10 try his for
tune in that line.
his team of forty pacemakers and deduct
ing his managers share of the winnings.
Michael cleared over $4,000. The earnings
OF successful jockey are a good deal
more than this, however, for he does not
have 10 pay out OF them for a large
team OF pacemakers and divide up with
q manager. Michael does not speculate
or blow in his money, but puts IL away
safely In a bank after sending some home
70 the old folks in the little town of Aber-
dare In Wales.
AT Swansea. about thirty-five miles from
his home, Michael Won his first race. He
was an amateur then. and the prize was
a plain gold ring. He always wears that
ring. In fact. he is superstitious enough
to believe that il he were to 60 into a
race without Ii being on his finger he
would be sure to lose. He never mentions
the fact. however, for he Is rather ashamed
OF Inc Weak neSS.
Michael thinks he will be able to ride
a higher gear this year than he did in
1897 and has wheel keyed up to 10. which
he is using in his practice at Manhattan
Beach. This new machine has a twenty
six-inch wheel in front and one of twenty
eight inches behind, the idea In this being
that ii enables him to crouch lower be-
hind the pacing teams, ride closer to them
and derive greater benefit from the draft
or suction they make.
Michael has stipulated that none of his
contests this year shall be more than
thirty-three miles. The long races he
thinks. are very injurious. and he has de-
cided not to engage in one again. The
longest one in which he ever took part was
a six-hour contest at Paris.
/ asked Michael whether he considered
American racing men the equal Of for
ejgners, and he replied that on the aver
age they were better, but that individually
there were some foreigners better than
any Americans. lie said that he considers
English amateur riders faster than those
of any other country.
Wood tracks are the best for racing pur-
poses, says Michael. because they seem TO
have more elasticity than any other kind.
One circumstances that gives him an ad
vantage over many other riders. and es-
pecially over foreigners in this country, Is
that the high temperature OF our summers
never seems TO affect him in the slightest
degree His constitution Is really remark
able. il is the increasing wonder Of rae
ing men and other followers of wheeling
where this little 9S-pound midget gets the
stamina TO do his marve.ous work on the
track. LEO ETHERINGTON.