The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-28
A PLUCKY RIDER.
A New Springfield to
Boston and Return
Record Made.
RUSSELL OF SPRINGFIELD DOES IT
Rode Yesterday Without
Pace Much Of
the Way.

In the pluckiest ride in the history of
road cycling, Bert E. Russell of Spring
field established a new. record for the
Springfield to Boston and return route,
yesterday, covering the 1893 miles in IA
hours and y minutes. The best time
ever made over the course previous to
yesterday was IA hours II minutes.
RusselPs pacing arrangements were
not carried out, and for 80 miles of the
distance he was without this invaluable
aid to record breaking, but still the
game little rider plugged along, and
when he finished his ride in front of
Springfield city hall last night he
swooned from exhaustion. Every fibre
in his 100 pound anatomy contains grit,
and Russells future promises brilliant
work as q, cycle racer in long distance
events
At $50 o'clock yesterday morning the
group Of local enthusiasts in Webster
square watched for the Springfield
rider Eddie Cross and John Conlon of
the Vernons, who had agreed to fur
nish pace, grew impatient. To them
every minute after $50, the time sched-
uled for Russell's arrival in this city,
turn and generous use of the supply of
encounag cement the local riders had for
the doughty cyclist.
At9.35. Russell was. sighted, and upon
seeing the group of local wheelmen, he
came up from the rear of the motor tan
dem which gave him pace, and dis
mounted His first speech was in eX-
PLANTATION of his trip. He had left
Springfield at clock, an hour after the
time scheduled, and this accounted for
his lateness in reaching this city.
The flaxen hair of the game little
record breaker was tangled with dirt,
and his natty bicycle rig was besmeared
with mud he had received from the tan
dem in its plow through swampy roads
near the starting point, His wheel, an
is pound Orient, 81 gear, was in good
condition, and Russell gave final in
structions to Cross and Conlon, who
set out at an 1S-mile an hour clip
through Cambridge Canterbury, South
bridge LAFAYETTE and MiIlbury streets
to Vernon sqGare and then through
Water street to Grafton street.
Conlon and Cross cut out a fast clip
TO South birmingham, but the big hills
played. havoc with Cross stomach.
Eddie had left home without breakfast
and this gradually weakened him.
With Boston but seven miles away, the
Vernon tandem team quit Conlon had
been giving Cross a sleigh ride for
about five miles and the work had done
him up.
The Vernon tandem team left the
plucky rider to continue to Boston
alone, against a strong head wind.
Russell dismounted at the city hall at
IL %. nearly ten minutes ahead Of his
schedule Frank II. Fiske of the Taun-
ton Cycle Club was in charge of Rus
sells reception at the Hub, and when
the Springfield rider dismounted with
no paeemakers, he was puzzled. Rus
sells throat was parched and his
tongue hung out like a tired dogs. He
could barely speak, but Fiske took him
TO a restaurant, where arrangements
had been made for food.
Russell soon became himself and
talked freely of his ride He was dis
appointed in the failure of the Worces-
aer riders to pace him into Boston, but
spoke IN terms of praise at the fast,
even cup set by the Vernon riders until
they were obliged to give up. No pace
could be secured in Boston. and after
eating sparingly of scrambled eggs,
bread, with a cup of Coffee Russell left
Nhe Hub, with Fiske setting the pace.
F'iske is a strong road rider in con-
dition, but had been assured that he
would not be needed, and was in no
condition to ride. But he gamely
mounted his road wheel and cut out
the pace, supposing he would be re-
aieVed by Conlon and Cross. At the
point where the Vernon riders gave up
there was no trace of them, and Ffske.
concluding that they had riden toward
Boston to meet Russell at the city hall
after dinner, plugged along toward
Worcester.
On the big hills near waltham the
little Springfield rider went ahead of
his pace, but Fiske stuck to it gamely
until his saddle post broke. Then Rus
sell was left without pace. The SPRING
HELD man was not disheartened and
rode automatically, with no one to en-
courage him or act as a shield for
the wind. Cyclists for pleasure on the
road saw the determined little rider
plugging along, and his drawn-out face
told the story A fast tandem team of
nnknowns cut out a hot pace to North
Doro, but Russell played them out on
the nils and they quit, leaving Russell
10 come into this city alone.
he was picked up in Webster square
at 80 O'Clock, five minutes ahead of
schedule. He was then riding gamelv
put with front wheel webbing from
side TO side, as he mustered every inch
of grit for the long, hard ride into
Springfield. He scarcely spoke, and his
eyes gazing aimlessly ahead gave his
face an uneanny look.
" hSH the HHOlOf tandem neared
Springfield Russells eyes had no ms
ter; his face was the picture of despair.
out ne grittily called for faster pace.
and when he dismounted in front of
Springfield city hall at 7.12 last night he
swooned. The cheering of the crowd
brought back his senses, and Russell
received the congra tulations Of friends.
Russell is a rider of great staying
power. He has always done his riding
lnfT r.HI
hard, he has had little time for
training, and has never known
the help of careful training.
experience in following fast pace and
IN the hands Of a careful trainer. Fiske.
who stayed in this city last night as a
guest of the Vernons, believes that the
Springfield rider win be world beaten.
russell weighs an even 100 pounds.
ana his body is very small His legs
are out of proportion, but In them is
great strength. His endurance is moth
ing short Of wonderful. He is EMPLOYED
in the Springfield cabinet works and
the only training he had for the try al
the record yesterday was secured out
OF working hours, which often extend
into the night.
He never uses LIQUOR, and during his
trip yesterday alcoholic stimuiants
were offered, but the determined
Springfield record breaker refused 10
use the stuff. Russell is Champion hin
climber of the world, having won thar
title when champion of New Engla-d
N match with Higgenbottham. the
English champion, at Corev Iii,
Broekline, in 1897.
Russell made a record of seven as
cents Of the hill. Higgenbottham rode
90 yards up the hill on the seventh trial
but was exhausted. The men used a
l4-gear on the first ride up the famous
hill. While the riders were being con-
ascent, the gears on fhe vvhaaI. S,e..a