Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-11-26
BICYCLING.
HISTORY OF LITTLE JIMMY MICHAELS

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 JIMMY MICHAELS \, New York, Nov 26.--A Marconigram, from the wireless station at Sagaponac, l.. l., was received at the office of F. T. Powers in this city yesterday morning announcing that Jimmy Michael, the famous bicycle rider, was dead on board the steamship La Savoie, bound for this port. The telegram was writ ten in French and was signed by Jean Gongoltz, the French cycle racer, who is one of party of seven foreign rid CTS who were on their way here on La Savoie to participate in the coming six day race. Michael, who up to short time ago was racing in good form in France, was not to take part in the long grind, but was coming to meet Bobby Walthour, the middle distance champion, ina paced match race.
 Beyond the bare fact of the death and the information that the body would be brought to New York there was no further information on the SUD- ject obtainable in the morning, but when the ship reached quarantine in the afternoon the news was confirmed and the information added that the fla nous, little riders death was due to congestion Of the brain.
 While the news was shock to those here who knew Michael we'll, 1t was not wholly surprising, because the pop ular Welshman had not been in robust health since the summer of 1902, when he had serious fall in Berlin, Ger many, while riding in a bicycle race fI1 TTo ln%x ~s..s. of the head and was in hospital for -months... After that he retired for . year, but last fall he came to this coun- try and in December rode In Madison Square Garden during the six day race. It was noticeable at that time that he was not the Michael of old, but ner- vous, excitable and at times fighty.
 After the big race he went to Florida to race, but was intractable, refused to train and soon came north. In the car- ly. spring of this year he was at Bay loafng and from there sent out a report that he was being persecuted and followed by detectives. He was sent home by friends here and was said to be hopelessly out of the racing game.
 Not long afterward he was reported to be riding in Europe and winning races. Apparently he did we'll all sum- mer and recovered much of his old form. "A few months ago, however, he had to undergo an operation and have a clot of blood removed from his brain. He regained his strength and was com ing to New York to trysand regain his laurels by defeating Walthour. His death on shipboard was undoubtedly traceable to the injuries received in his fall i'll Berlin, and must be classed as another fatality of the cycling track and Michael's name added to the lisr of prominent victims, among whom were Harry Bikes, John Nelson and Archie McEachern. Michaels body was taken charge of by F. T. Powers after La Savoie docked last night and it probably will be sent to Wales.
 No bicycle rider ever was so popular in this country as Jimmy Michael, and perhaps none greater. He was devel- oped as, a rider by "Choppy" Warbur- ton, the English trainer, who brought him here in the spying of 1890, when paced races behind tAndems, triplets,
 'quads'' and sextets driven by pedal power were at the height of favor. Mi chael was then only lY years old, for he was born in 1877 at Aberavon, Wales. He was little chap, scarceiy more than , feet in height, with baby face, white skin and rosy cheeks. Be- side the other athletes of the cycle track he looked so infantile that the sympathy of all went out to him. When it developed that this little fellow was a rider of phenomenal speed and stay ing power he Ieaped into favor. As he was modest ill demeanor and proverp- ially reticent, his popularity grew un- til it became almost q fad.
 For several years when cycling was in its highest wave he was the idol of the racegoing public and his presence In race drew the biggest crowds that ever have been recorded at cycle races. He defeated Frank Starbuck, Frank Waller and other pace followers who were great at the time Returning to. England he defeated Chase, the Eng fish champion, and next year came back to America more popular than ever Tom Linton followed him to wrest his Iaurels away, but was defeat ed by the "Welsh Rarebit,'' or Welsh Midget" as Michael was popularly known. Subsequently John Nelson, Archie McEachern, Edouard Taylor, the French champion, Charlie Miller, Eddie McDuffie, Floyd Mcfarland, Will Stinson, Harry Bikes and other great riders were defeated by Michael at one time or another, till his list of triumphs was remarkable.
 In 1900 Michael was inveigled into horse racing. He trained for jockeylng at Phil Dwyer's stable ill Gravesend md that winter went to New Orleans to ride. He had only few mounts ana was unsuccessful as a jockey, but he lost the comfortable sum he had made as lareIaier crcIist Ha raturnnd fo fhs>