The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1898-04-22
CYCLlNG.

O1OISNSs
Harry Elkes, of Glens Falls, N. Y,
who will be remembered as the youngest
competitor in the recent six day race in
this city, has proven that he has right
to be considered as one of Americas
leading candidates for the middle dis
lance cycle racing honors. He not only
defeated Barnaby, the man to whom
Frank Waller has on two occasions had
to lower bis colors, in his match race
Tuesday, but he broke record after record
and followed pace SO hot that Barnably
was compelled to retire.
The use of wheelmen as couriers and in
other capacities once hostilities have set
in is no idle proposition. For days and
nights past there has been detail of
fast riders stationed at at least one armory
in this city, prepared to carry dispatches
or orders at any time, day or night, and
able to deliver them in quicker time than
is possible by any other means. The
bicycle is sure to have its part in modern
warfare, and the reported organization Of
wheelmen into volunteer cycle corps is
not to be regarded lightly, but as an in
telligent effort to form an important ad.
1unct TO tne service.
The fastest time reported for the mile
are: Railway, "a seconds; ice boat, |
minute; steam yacht, l min. 35 Sec; BIZ
cycle, min, 30 2-5 Sec. horse, min.
35i sec.; ocean liner, 2 min. 20 sec. !;
running, 4 min. l2f sec; rowing, min.
As sec.
A contract was signed in New York on
Wednesday for tive.mile pursuit race
between Karl kaser, of Switzerland, one
of the International Track Associations
bunch of tilers, and c. Il. Coulter, of
Boston, Mass The match will be run
on May 25 on the Charles River Park
track, Cambridge, Mass, for purse of
$500. The race is to be unpaced, and
there is to be no coaching, except by one
representative of each rider This may
be the first of series of races between
the two men,
Upwards OF one hundred riders have
Woodside Park, Philadelphia, the appli-
cations coming from all quarters of the
country. The men will be "tried out"
when the track is completed and those
best suited to the work engaged.
The League of American Wheelmen
and the Century Road Club of America,
the two national cycling bodies, are GER
tain to be affected by war. President
Potter, of the /. A. W., and Chairman
Mott, of the Racing Board, are both pre-
pared to enter the service, the berth of
Chairman Mott being already arranged
for. In like manner there are State and
national officers of the Century Road
Club who will 60 to the front, so that
| both organizations "ll either work
under new leaders or else remain at II
standstill until order is restored
Tom Eek, the veteran bicycle race pro-
moter, returned from Cincinnati to
Philadelphia Wednesday, and will now
devote all hts time to the building of the
Woodside Park track. He reports all his
racing men at Chester Park in fine con-
dition, and thinks that he has the best
long and short distance men in the coun-
try in his combination.
In twenty-five years the hour record
has mounted up and up from Is miles
i ,4SO yarus, at which mark f. L. Dodds
placed it, to 33l miles, where it is held
by j. w. Stocks, and at which point at
least four men now in America may
lower it before the season at hand is
passed. Dodds lately died, at the age of
AZ years. His was the first official hour
record.
Cycle racing by the fast riders Of the
leading colleges will form one of the fea-
lures Of the eighth annual games of the
Berkeley School Athletic Association at
Berkeley Oval on Saturday afternoon.
The teams, representing Columbia, Yale,
Princeton, the University of Pennsyl-
vania, Brown and other colleges, have
been in training for the last six weeks.
FOOT BALL
The spring preliminary football prac-
tice of candidates for back of the line
positions on the Yale University eleven
begins today. w. 7. Bull, 80, Yale's
famous fullback, will coach as soon as
the work is under way. After a few
trials this squad will be reduced and the
remaining candidates given exercise in
punting, as it will be the aim to develop
several c.rong kickcrs,
Jack Minds has agreed to coach the
I ,,t,, Af l,.,1I