The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-09-30
HOLE IN THE TRACK
NEARLY CAUSED SERIOUS ACCI-
DENT AT THE COLISEUM.
WALTHoUR'S MOTOR DROPPED
AND LAWSON'S GOODNESS ALONE
PREVENTED A SPILL.

Ten Miles and Three Laps of the
Twenty Miles Had Been Ridden
when the Mishap Occurred and the
Tires ON Candy, DR., Were Rem
dered CONGRATULATIONS Had Rid
den Rings Around the Frenchman
and Got the Race-ChamptOn
Crossed the Tape First in Mile
Unpaced Event Put on as Special
Card.
After ten miles and three laps had
been finished. with Walthour two laps
in the lead. and while running at a
reckless rate. Candy, Jr., driven by
Gussie Lawson, The Terrible Swede,
went through a weak place in the track
at the Coliseum last niSht and a
serious accident was narrowly averte.d.
The tires of the big machine were
torn and went fiat in an instant. The
Swede kept his head and the machine
was shut off at once. Walthour near
~ collided with the rear wheel. but
escaped by turning sharply to the pole.
Newkirk pulled Albert Champion
around the helpless motor ridden by
hardly tell what was happening. The
riders, however. had a close call. Law
sons GOODNESS was all that prevented
an ugly spill.
In the neighborhood of 1000 people
attended the races and they were thor
oughly enthused. The First Regiment
Band began it's concert at $3.50 o'clock
and promptly at O'Clock Champion
and Walthour were started on their
rapid journey of twenty miles. Rob-
bic began working up on Champion
from the start and during the first mile
caught him. During the second third,
fourth, fifth and sixth miles Bobbie
spurted ahead less than half lap or
fell back the same distance. He was
unable to again pass the Frenchman
who was doing his best.
Motor at It's Best.
In the second lap of the seventh mile
the Swede opened Boobies motor to
the last notch and the machine be-
gan moving at terrific rate of speed.
Bobbie kept behind it like cyclone
Inc spectators went wild and cheered
Justify, while the band played Dixie
Walthour never rode faster in his life
and to the audience it looked as if
Lawson could not control his motor
and that the machine was running
away from him. Three times he went
past Champion and he was riding at
this rate when the accident occurred.
The ten miles and three laps were made
in 1919
When it was discovered that the
tires on Candy, Jr., were so badly
torn that they could not be used again
the riders agreed to ride a mile I'M
paced, it being agreed, however, that
Walthour be given the paced race be-
cause of the fact that he was so much
ahead of the Frenchman when the
accident occurred 1t was clearly un-
derstood that Walthour won the race
and the championship, by both riders
and Referee Charles O'Neil, appearing
for the National Cycling Association.
Made Wrong Announcement.
Prince, however, in the excitement. |
made an announcement that somewhat |
misled the spectators. He stated that |
the unpaced race of one mile would de- |
eide the championship question and |
when the Frenchman crossed the tape |
first by the rim of a wheel the large
audience thought that Champion had |
won the title. Such, however, was not |
the case, and Referee O'Neil's report |
defeated the Champion.
In the mile unpaced race the men
loafed for six laps, swapping pace at
each turn around the bowl. In the sew
enth lap they began hitting it up, and
1t was plain that Bobbie was the fastest
rider, But the foxy Frenchman used
his head and forced Walthour high up
on the banks and kept him in the air,
winning by a margin SO close that
many were in doubt as to who crossed
the tape first. Champions head work
had won him the sprint race, but the
paced event went to Walthour, who
still holds the title of champion.
Fourteen HORSEPOWER Motors.
Champion and Newkirk will leave
for New York to-day and Walthour
and Lawson will return to Atlanta.
Prince made the announcement that
on Thursday. Oct. s, Joe Nelson, the
flying school boy. and a fast little
French rider, will meet at the Coli
scum. In this race fourteen horse
power motors will be used instead of
four horsepower machines.
The noise made by the larger motors
can be heard half a mile and much
faster time can be made behind them.
1t will be the first time that these big
machines have been used in the South
and the track at the Coliseum will
have to be strengthened so that they
can stand the strain. Later the big
motors viii be taken to Atlanta, where
Prince is now building a track that
will hold chem when they are moving
at their best speed.