The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-08-15
WER LAWSON IS
THE BETTER MAN
Defeats Frank Kramer By Four
Lengths in First of Match
Races.
SALT LAKER GETS OVATION
FROM A MONSTER CROWD
Eastern Rider Admits That
Resident of Zion Caught
Him Asleep.


me close on passing, forced me to the
pavement and for the instant I had
to back pedal. However, this fact did
not cause my defeat j should have
speeded up half a lap before l did.
am riding hundred wheel geerl, Law
son is riding ninetysix. He got. the
was his. The distance he finished ahead
Of me was due to the cut. Had it not
been for that fact I should have at
least finished right on his rear tire.
1ver Lawson won. He outgeneraled
Frank Kramer, he outrode him and
crossed the tape winner by four
lengths in the first of the series OF
match races which will decide who is
the fastest bicycle rider In the world.
1t was splendid victory. Lawson
rod rode the final lap in II 70 seconds,
made on the Salt Lake saucer.
Once ahead of Kramer with less
than lap to go, Lawson knew the
race was his. To get ahead for the IN
slant was the ambition of his life, And
so when Lawson drew lust little
ahead, far enough so that he knew he
could cut down without touching kra"
mer, he went. And he went 80 fast
and yet so close that Kramer never
even caught his rear wheel again. liver
pedaled as he has never once done in
his many races on the saucer and but
for the story of the little stop watch
none would perhaps have ever fully
realized his remarkable ride. So fast
was Lawson going when he took the
pole that Kramer Is pulling in for the
slightest fraction of second made il
seem as though the winner of the
Grand PriX de Paris for 1906 was out
of the race, But the American cham
plon gamely continued and riding at no
mean clip himself finished four lengths
behind Lawson.
The race was French style and both
men rode il from start to finish like
the grand past masters that they are.
The start was auspicious, novel and
imposing. Kramer was the first man
to make his appearance and was well
received. The spectators were saving
their cheers for Lawson. And when he
came they broke forth spontaneously,
III was genuine ovation. The officials
clustered round while the men drew for
positions. Kramer got the pole, Law
son the bank, There was no push at
the start, as in other races. The starters
simply let the riders go. Kramer al
most stood still on his wheel and Law
son was forced to the front. But on
that same lap Lawson unexpectedly
swung high and Kramer was forced
into the lead. Travelling at slow clip
in this position the men rode the next
four and half laps Then Kramer
speeded up and at the opening of the
seventh lap was going at good pace
with Lawson hard behind. AT about
the middle of this lap Lawson started
to draw up. The pace was terrific, the
spectators knew it and in breathless si-
leuce waited Slowly Lawson came at
first, but as they hit the back stretch
he unwound the sprint that has made
him famous the world over and in
flash was abreast with Kramer. An
other fash and the riders whirled by
the tape and onto the back curve Of
the final lap, with Lawson gaining all
the while. AS they reached this point
Iver shot in front of Kramer, snatched
the pole and rode homo winner by
four lengths. Time, 3:09 1-5.
For moment the spectators were ST.
lent, and then the hundreds of people
standing shoulder, to shoulder cheered
1t was a cheer of victory, a cheer of
Joy, a cheer for Lawson, whom Salt
Lake claims as her own, and now
boasts OF with good reason as the
speediest rider that pedals wheel. AS
he went to dismount his friends surged