The record-union., 1899-10-23
CAPITAL CITYS VICTORIOUS.
WON THE FIFTY-MILE RELAY
RACE YESTERDAY.
The Crack Riders of the Olympic
Club Beaten by Sacramento
WheeImen.


This-will-be-a-fift -mile-race =
-Olympics-of-San Fran
cisco, -champions-of-th -the-coast- and
-Capital-City-Wh men,-the-
coming-cham-p-
So sang George Dixon, the sweet
singer of the city by the sea- through
the megaphone to the 1000 people as
sembled at Agricultural Park yester-
day afternoon. Mr.. Dixon didn't
mean what he said about the Capital
City's becoming the champions. 1t
was just one of his jokes. He had no
idea the Sacramentans would defeat tbs
hitherto invincible Olympics, but he
wanted to do the proper thing under
the circumstances and Jolly the
townspeople little, and he did it.
But the Sacramento. lads did do up
their opponents very neatly, and they
did it squarely and honestly Nothing
happened to give either club any ad-
vantage over the other, and the home
team won on it's merits. Credit for
the result belongs chiefly to Robert
Backrath and Jake Hirsch though they
could not have saved the day had not
all the other c. c.. w. men he'd their
own with the Olympic crack-a jacks.
AS it was, the race was really won
in the last hundred yards ty HIrsch
outsprnting e. f. Russ of the Olympics
and beating him over the line by one
wheels length. 1t was a grand and
exciting finish to the long fifty-mile
race, and the crowd went wild over
Hirsch's victory. The people yelled
themselves hoarse, and as the riders
shot past about 800 men jumped into
the track and ran up to seize IIirsch
and carry him back to the stand.
And here is where the Olympics en-
phasized the fact that they are true
sportsmen and gentlemen. They
crowded about the victorious Sacra-
mentan and showered congratulations
on him for his success in defeating their
best sprinter. Indeed, throughout the
entire afternoon the best of feeling pre-
vailed between the visitors and the
home club. Not the slightest friction
or misunderstanding occurred, and be-
fore leaving the grounds each club gave
cheers for the other.
And when the hour for the departure
of the visitors arrived they were es-
corted to the depot by c. c. w. MEM
bers where each club again cheered
the other as the visitors left for home.
For all that, the Olympics feel their
defeat keenly enough, no doubt. They
have beaten all the big clubs about the
bay in relay races, and to have their
best riders beaten by interior men was
something they never dreamed could
happen. While not boastful. it was
plain to be seen that up to even the last
quarter of a minute they expected 10
win the race, and the Sacramentans
were also inclined to think the men
from the metropolis were a little too
much for them.
For the ninth relay the Olynpics had
up their great road rider and sensa-
tional fnisher, o. E. Bozio, and pitted
against him was Bob Backrath 10
zio started on the far turn to do his
sprinting on the last mile Of his relay.
but Backrath stayed with him. and
an eighth of a mile from the finish the
Sacramentan shot out past the great
Bozio and beat him across the tape by
three wheel-lengths 1t was a grand
race between them, and the young Sac
ramentan was carried back to the pad
dock on the shoulders Of his comrades,
while the crowd cheered and yelled.
What Hirsch did TO Russ in the last
relay has already been told.
The only accident that occurred was
in the last mile of the first relay. Bean
of the Olympics was leading at the
three-quarters, with Eldred trailing.
The formers wheel struck slippery
spot and shot from under him. Eldred
attempted 10 pass to the right, but
could not clear Beams wheel, and down
he went. Both men were up in an in
stant and remounted, but Eldrad was
the quicker Of the two and finished sew
eral yards ahead of Bean.
At the conclusion of the race G. p
Fuller of the Olympics. paced by tan
dem, attempted to lower the worlds
quarter-mile paced road record of ~
seconds, but made it in %.
The officers of the day were: Referee,
/. S. Upson, c. c. W. Starter, Walter
Leitch, c. c. w; Judges, Fl. 3. Russ,
o. c., and M. S. Lavenson, c. c. w;
Scorers, Frank Moeller, George Read
man and J. f. Little, c. c. W., and r.
G. Spillane, O. c.; Announcer. George
Dixon Of San Francisco: Timers, DR..
c. Todd, c. c. w, and F. G.. Mont
ealegre and John Leavitt, o. G.
The relays were run in the following
order:
First relay-Gil Eldred, c. c. w,
first; H. D. Bean, o. c., second. Time,
14:4S
Second relay-Len Dorsey, c. C. W,
first by five lengths; L. Livingston, 0.
c.. second. Time. 1855
Third relay-H. Davis, 0. c., first by
one length; Thomas Welch, c. c. w,
second Time, 1882
Fourth relay-H Anthony q q
first by one length; w. Penry. c. c. w.
second Time, 1859
Fifth relay-E. T. McNess. o. c., first
by one length; c. Noyes, C. c. w. sec
ond. Time, 14:34.
Sixth relay-G. p. Fuller, o. c., first
by fifteen lengths; Percy Valentine, c.
c. w, second. Time, 1854.