The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-10-08
FAST WORK at. TRACK
NELSON AND M'DuFFEE SHOW WHAT
THEY CAN DO.
Mile Motor Paced Race Tonight
--Amateur Events.

Nearly five hundred people watched
Johnnie Nelson. the middle-distance
champion and Eddie McDuffee. last sea-
sons L. A. w. middle-distance champion
and the holder of the one-mile record of
the world. take their final trying spins yes
terday afternoon in preparation for the
great twenty-mile motor-paced race of to-
night. The stands at Newly Oval were
plentifully sprinkled with people. Some
great riding was seen for Nelson placed
finishing mile to his credit in la. and went
the last lap or a quarter of mile in 81
The little fellow was calling constantly for
faster pace. but Trainer Pickard did not
care to send him faster than an average of
lao owing to the rawness of the atmos-
phere after the rain. Nelson was paced
by his two teams. the 'Leetle Blue and
the Red Devil. Ruel and Hoye manned the
blue motor and Blanchard and Allen the
red machine. Frequent pick-ups were nade
to the intense delight of the crowd Most
of these were prettily done. but one In the
home stretch was sufficiently narrowing to
force the hearts Of most of the watchers
up into their mouths Nelson swung from
the one machine to the other while going
at a 1:30 gait down the stretch. As he
pole at a point watch would have landed
him in the runway down under the track
There was chorus of "Ohs'' and through
out the stand after the fortunate escape
of the rider. Many of the pick-ups re-
Ceived a cheer. Nelson's first mile was
made in 1:46, his second in las, the third
in 1:43 and fourth in 1:39. At this point
his tire gave him trouble and he stopped
to see what was the matter with it. Upon
starting again he went miles in 1:37 LA,
l:S6 and lao, and then went out for his
last miles. The finishing mile gave an idea
OF what the race will be like tonight.
NELSON'S WORK.
Nelson had been riding fast, but when he
doubled down to his work for the last mile
and when the motor team opened up the
power, it was quickly seen that the earlier
work had been but play to the lad. He
shot round the banks like a meteor and
shouting again and again for faster pace
brought the people to their feet in wonder
His first quarter was made I'm %, his sec
ond in "a the third in :23 and the last in
2l, or 1:S1 for the mile. Had the pace
given Nelson the speed he was evidently
so anxious to take he would easily have
beaten this time by several seconds AS it
was he finished as fresh as could be and
walked from the track with step as light
as that of a dancing master and with a
smile on his face which betokened every
confidence in his ability to win tonight. In
his dressing room Nelson said that he in
tended. If favored by clear weather, to
make this the ride OF his life in the effort
to get back the records which he lost in
the East during the past week. In this con-
nection an interesting bit of news was re-
ceived yesterday when Manager Jim Ken
nedy came to town. Mr.. Kennedy arrived
in advance of Michael, who was Compelled
&c go to New York on business. Mr.. Ken
nedy said that the records Of Stinson and
Elkes at Brockton, would not be allowed
by the board of control of the National
Cycling Association, they were not made
with the requisite standing start, but were
made with NY flying S, start IT, This being the
world from three to twenty miles. with the
exception of a few which were lowered by
Michael in his race against McEachern at
Baltimore. Mr.. Kennedy said that he con-
sidered the race between Nelson and Nc
Duffee well made and he expects to see a
grand struggle tonight The manager of
Michael said that his little charge was just
at present riding like a whiriwind and he
expects him to give Nelson a hot whirl for
the indoor championship throughout the
indoor season at Chicago. Kansas City and
ST. Louis, and later at Madison Square
Garden.
MDUFFEES FAST MILES
| Eddie McDuffee worked out a few fast
miles yesterday back of his pacing ma
chine, but did not go as far as Nelson. Nc
Duffee felt the chill air in the thin racing
| tcgs he donned for the afternoon work and
soon retired from the track Hoyt rode a
number of miles and finished with a fast
| one in 1:33. Orlando Weber and number
of the amateurs rode, paced and unpaced,
and Manager Prince arranged a match
| race during the afternoon between the two
| leading tandem teams of this city-Parsons
and Andrews and Allen and Shirley. This
race is the outcome of hot argument be-
| tween the riders and will be to finish.
| The contest will be run upon the Aus
\ tralian style of pursuit contest and the
| teams. after starting on opposite sides of
/ the track will not stop until one or the
| other has been caught. This is the bitter
| est sort of a race and means the hardest
| and most exciting sort of a race taxing
| the staying qualities of the men to the ut
most.
The paced race to-nigr- will be put on
| Immediately at the close of the amateur
| contest in order that the people may get
1 back TO the city at the earliest possible
\ moment. There will be no delay in running
! off the events and the great contest of the
night should be over at a very early hour
| The races will start at o'clock prompt
L