The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-23
TON BUTLER TAKES 1T
THE FIRST PRIZE HUNG UP IN
THE NATIONAL CHAMPION
SHIP CONTEST
APPLAUSE FOR sUDHEIMER

St. Paul Turns Out the Largest
Crowd That Ever Attended a Ma
tiOnaI Circuit Meet in This City
And Yet the Affair Was Not Sue
cess Financially Circuit Men
Work Together in Style.
St. Paul turned out the largest crowd
that has attended any of the National
L. \. w. circuit meets during the present
season at Lexington park yesterday aft
ernoon. This statement was made by
Tom Eek the well known racing man,
after the races at the track yesterday
Even at that the affair was hardly a
financial success, but the audience num-
bered between two and three thousand,
with nearly an even thousand dollars ex-
pense. Charles Hofer, the popular local
professional secured second money in
the mile open, and B. B. Bird third place
in the national championship contest.
Hofer was looked upon to make a good
showing in the latter event, but McCar-
thy, of St. Louis went down on the last
lap, and Hofer, to avoid a spill, rode
high upon the track and lost both pedals.
The circuit men, while not accustomed
to the dirt tracks, managed to keep a,
good share of the prize money in the
family. The first prize hung up in the
national championship contest of $50 was
carried off by Tom Butler, $50 second
money went to Harley Davidson, and
Birney Bird scoOped in SIS for travelling
IN fast company. The time was 2:10 4-5,
which is now the track record for Lex
ington park
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP RACES.
In the series of amateur races to de-
termine the state championship George
Sudheimer carried off first hOnors, with
two firsts and one second, scoring eight
points; =. Garrison, of Minneapolis, one
first and one second, crediting him with
five points Edward Sudheimer and Louis
Niederhofer were tied with two seconds,
and rode it off in a mile matched race,
which was won by Niederhofer. All four
men qualified and will represent the Min
nesota division of the League of Ameri-
can Wheelmen at the big meet at Boston
in August. George Sudheimer, G. Clark
son and Louis Niederhofer will receive
medals. The crowd was quite enthusiast
tic at times and the band played during
the progress of all the events. Despite
the heat nearly every one saw the last
event. In the opening neat of the anna
teur series George Sudheimer won the
one-third mile, with his brother close be-
hind, and Harry Perkins an easy third.
The time was given at As 2-10.
AMATEURS ARE LIVELY
In the mile race the amateurs hit up
lively pace and finished in 2:25. G. Clark
son succeeded in offsetting the team
work of the Sudheimers and Perkins, and
won only after he had paced the crowd
for the entire distance and crossed the
Al
mile contest the men took turns in pacing
the bunch, and on the final lap it was
pretty contest between George Sud
heimer, Clarkson and Niederhofer, who
finished in the order named. Sudheimer
was given a well earned ovation for his
effort in this race, which gives him the
honor Of being state amateur champion
under L. A. w. rules.
The circuit men first came on the track
when the mile open professional was an
nounced. The first heat was made in 2:49
,.IcLeod, of Canada, finishing first, Nat
Butler second. Only two men We're al
lowed to qualify in this heat, as it was
the slower of the two run. Bird was
entered in this heat but failed to qualify.
He entered a protest with the judges,
claiming that the starters should have
sounded a gong when the riders were
on the finishing lap. The matter was
referred to a. Is. Choate, of Minneapolis,
q protest. The second heat was run in
little better time, but there was no
disposition on the part of the circuit men
to hurry matters. Hofer won the second
heat with a pretty sprint at the finish
Mccarthy and Tom Butler also qualify
ing.
HOFER FULL OF GINGER
Charles Hofer again distinguished him
self by taking second place on the home
stretch against the field of circuit riders
in the final of the mile OPEN The ST.
Paul rider started out to win the race
and paced the field, and was never head
ed until little Mccarthy, OF st. Louis
tore past him, but HOfer, melted by the
noisy 6eInonstra ton of the grand stand
crowd, which was now on it's feet, let out
all the speed that was left in him and
kept in advance of the other circuit men,
B. B. Bird paced the heat In this race
as in all the other events, the circuit men
worked together, and any victory won
by the local men was a deserved one
They gave the $50 purse to Mccarthy and
so to Hofer, and SIS to Tom Butler. Har-
ley Davidson won the first heat of the
National Championship contest by a
wonderful sprint at the end of the sec
ond lap. Bird was the other man 20
qualify. The time Of this heat was 2:4
The men covered the next preIimin nv
heat in two seconds better time. Tom
Butler, Mccarthy and Charles Hofer
qualified.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
Starter A. y. Smith designated Nat
Butler and J. J. Schwartz to pace the