Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-06-16
AthlcticS---Other Sporting News
REVIVAL OF
!. CYCLE RACING
Something About the Has Beens
Who Made the Game
Famous

CHICAGO, June 16.-In view of the
fast miles being made in cycle racing,
something Of past record breaking Is
| interesting for IL shows how the bicycle
record has in twelve years come down
from 1855 3-5 to 1907. In 1892. when
Johnny johnson made the first mile
under two minutes, the time was
son was then under the Management Of
Tom Eek and all cycling experts
thought it was another of Ecks sen
sations." but Eek offered to duplicate
the performance with Johnson at Du-
buque, Iowa paced by a running horse
hitch to a sulky with a shield. john
son rode the mile before big crowd
fifty watches being held on him, doing
the mile in 1856 3-5.
The following year was one for rec
ords, and the time was brought down to
1852. and every year afterwards four
ar five seconds were Topped of. In 1901
VIII Stinson rode a mile. paced by
motor cycle. in 1927. He only held this
~
year Major Taylor. the colored rider,
paced by steam motorcycle, which
was simply a big steam boiler mounted
on tandem. at Garfield park in Chi
cago, rode the mile in 1921 is. This
mark stood all through the year OF 1902
until fall. when the riders began to ride
miles in competition in 1919, and as low
rs 1:1s.
| 1t was then thought that the limit of
speed had been reached. but the year
1903 came along and i'm April Harry
Fixes, in his first race. rode miles in
1:14. At Charles River track. on May
30. 1903. Harry Fixes, as II to let him
self out on his last fatal ride covered
mile after mile up to the sixteenth.
| when he was killed. at I'LL to 1:14. and
some parts Of miles he rode as low as
;09. After this event there was let
up In fast speed, as the death Of Fixes
caused scare among the riders. In
July little Nelson began to lower rec
ords but his hold on them was for only
!, few days. when Nat Butler took a
lift at them.
was that on July 20. in the race be-
tween Walthour and Leander. when
Walthour rode fifteen miles at an av-
erage OF 1903. riding four Of thes miles
at 1:0S pace. and finishing up the last
In 1907 the fastest track mile ever rid
den on a bicycle. Both riders were in
| the very pink OF shape, and the condi-
| ton of the weather was just right for
records. Walthour was calling for
more speed in every mile and had his
motormen had the nerve Walthour
could have gone faster.
Then came the hour standing start
record made by Bonnie Munroe of for
ty-nine miles. 564 yards in the hour.
A few days later Harry Caldwell rode
fifty miles and thirty yards in the hour
Dangla, the French rider. followed this
with flying start of fifty two miles in
the hour. but the French records are
not recognized In this country. as they
are made behind wide protection motor
cycles. with shields ranging from twen-
ty-six inches up to forty -eight Con-
tenet followed Dangla with riding nifty
:our miles in the hour which record
stands for Europe. while Caldwelrs fly-
ing start and Munroe's standing start
are the best in this country.
Last years records are expected to
fall this season when Walthour returns
to America. 1t can safely be said that
miles will be ridden in competition a.,
low as one minute. and that the hour
| record will go to f7fty-six miles. Tracks
will be built to stand the clip Of a mile
a minute The year 1904 will undoubt-
edly be great year. not only in the
racing game, but in the general cycle
riding, for men who are leaders in the
game are making preparations to bring
me results that way. These are the
| same men who made cycling the sue
cess IT was In the banner year 1897
ana the several years afterwards.