The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-10
WALTHOUR WRITES HE WILL BE HERE Champion Says He is in Condi-
 ton to Train TRACK ATTRACTS PEOPLE. The opea.ns Monday Night, July IS, Promises to Be One of the
 Most Exciting Events
 Recently. ..

Jdth IIlilCC IGCSlfGA c tCttsA AANt-@ Bobby Walthour yesterday in which the champion stated that he was nearly well now, and that he expected to commence training Monday for the opening events at the stadium in Birmingham The new bicycle track will be thrown open for the public on the nights of July 1S 19 and 2O and it Is expected that on all these oc- casions there will be crowded house.
 It will be remembered that Bobby was thrown from his wheel in Atlanta about two weeks ago in tiiree-eornered race between himself, Bennie Monroe and DeGuichardt, the French champion. It was at first thought that Bobby was fla tally injured. and there were many who thought they would never see the cham pion ride again.
 Fastest Motor Machines.
 On next Thursday night there will be a big match race in Atlanta between three of the crack riders, and they will come to Birmingham the following day. They will. bring several motor machines, the fastest in the world, with them, and these win be placed on exhibition in one of the show windows of a prominent dry goods house. These machines, which have a horse power greater than some automobiles, are capable of making a speed of a mile minute on the Birmingham track, if it is as fast as Jack Prince believes it to be- The amateurs who have been training on it have made a mile in 1:09, and their ma chimes are by no means as fast as the hir oras tl,a ,,rofasSionalc will hrfng with them.
 Every effort possible will be made to break a couple of worlds records here when the riders come next week. Wal thour will be in condition, and he states in his letter to Jack Prince that he thinks it will be possible to break a rec ord or two if the track is as good as Atlantas, and that if it is as fast as Jack told him it was, he was sure there would be something doing. He says that the rest he has had, and the training he will get this week will fit him to ride bet ter than ever before in his life, and that he will set. a pace for the other fellows that they will have a hard time keeping up with.
 The Track. 
 Already over forty car loads of lumber have been used in building the track and the seats which circle it. As is well known the track will not be covered at present, but if the racing game pays here it is expected to do, a roof will be put over the track and the arena can be used for other purposes. The seats for the open ing nights will be put on sale this week, including the box seats. The box seats are decidedly the most desirable as they are directly on the track and the motors and riders pass within a few feet.
 The track at Green station lies between the Bessemer and the South Bessemer car lines, and can easily be reached It Is only a few minutes ride. and the street car company has promised that ample car accommodations will be furnished. The stadium will seat about 4500 people including the boxes and the bleachers, which are situated at the ends of the track.
 Great Riders.
 The opening programme will bring to- gether some of the best riders in the world. Walthour is generally accepted to be the champion of all riders. De Guich- ardt has defeated all the French riders and comes with a motor machine which is supposed to be the fastest in the coun-
 
 which he purchased in France. Monroe and Lawson each hold worlds records, and the latter Is considered the most dar- ing and reckless pace follower to be found.
 Recently a number of motor pacing ma chimes have been seen puffing their way through the streets of Birmingham. They are on a smaller scale than those used by the professionals, ut a general idea of ,1,s, 1,a 111t ,aI
 The Motor Rider.
 The man who rides the motor machine has full charge of all the levers. and on bfm depends a great deal of the success of the rider. The machine man must have a level head, must be able to judge the speed of the man behind him and what he can stand, and above all must be care full never to run away from the rider who is pulling along behind
 The rider himself follows his pacing ma- chine, his eyes being glued on the rear tire of the pace. The front wheel of the riders bicycle touches a revolving rod on the rear of the motor, and this enables the rider to keep just a specified dis tance behind the pace. It also prevents his running into the rear of the motor and causing an accident. This rod re- wolves on ball bearings, and the front wheel of the bicycle revolves it from the friction. The rider behind calls for what speed he wants, and the man on the motor machine gives him what he calls for. There are three levers which have to be watched by the pace man, and besides he has to guide the machine Ow- ing to the weight of the pacing machine, it is not nearly so hard to guide as a bicycle. and for that reason a single pace is easier than double pacing machine, requiring only one man. A man can guide the machine with one hand, while he controls his levers with the other.
 The man on the motor acts asa wind shield to a certain extent to the rider, and enables them to make the wonder full time now made on the tracks Sev- eral years ago the pace was by no means as good as at present, and the records made now were then considered as im- possible as a 2-minute trotter was sev-