Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-06-28
BREAKS RECORD
ON MOTORCYCLE
WORLDS MARK is SET AT
AGRICULTURAL PARK
DARING RIDERS DEFY DEATH AND
ACCIDENT
seymore Holds Live Wire In His Hand
to Make Connection with Spark
Plug-Fiesh Severely
Burned
BY L. GEORGE THOMPSON

cycles was set at Agricultural park
yesterday afternoon by M. ]. Graves,
who rode an Indian twenty-five miles
In rs minutes and SO seconds, clipping
Q minutes and 81 seconds off the for
mer record of 29:15.
Not only did Graves beat the record,
but the second machine. Thor twin
cylinder, strictly stock and fully
equipped, was sent for the quarter
century In 1851 by C.. Bake.
Balke's consistent riding and the
perfect working of the Thor were the
most discussed features of the after
Moons sport.
In the twenty-five mile race he rode
nip and tuck with Graves for num-
Der of miles, but after a. time an oc-
casional miss lost him first place.
At tho finish Graves led by fifty
minutes, but even then Bake was far
in advance of the field.
r. Seymour, on an II. and H., also
gave an exhibition of clever riding in
the twenty-five-mile race. AS he went
to the first turn on the second mile
he skidded wide, while the crowd held
it's breath, expecting him to go down
with the wheel. but he chung tight
and Strengthened. the wheel up without
Stacking speed. He played in bad luck
on the sixteenth mile, while he was
leading, as one of the secondary wires
to a spark plug broke loose, forcing
him to run on one cylinder. He stopped
and tried to make temporary repairs,
but the wire would not stay. so for
ten miles he held the live wire, with
its 500-volt current, against the hot
spark plug and came in third, after
losing a mile and two-thirds on his
stop.
Hand Burned
When he came in his hand was
burned where he had PR sedit against
the top of the cylinder, I'd every time
that the wire slipped pm the plug
the 5o0-voIt current w>pt jumping
through his body.
The riding all through the meet was
exceptionally good and not word was
hee.d IN criticism of the sportsmanship
the contestants. Every race was
Addep Clearly and reflected the great
est credit on all who participated.
The ten-mile exhibition, to have been
ridden by Fink and Blaylock for
worlds record, was called off. as Fink's
machine was not working up to STAN
dard and the tires OF Blaylock's ma
chine had the tread worn off.
e. w. Hoag rode fine five-mile
exhibition and broke his former record
of 533, setting new pace of 5:24 4-5.
lie RODE u slnSic-CyilHucg iiidCiiiic VI
his own make, the II. and H., reeiing
off the miles in 1:04 2-5, 1:04 AS. 1904
3-5 ana 1:04 rs.
In the first race IL was a walk away
for Graves. with his Indian. A pretty
race was run for second place by
Bake and Knappe, Bake winning Sec
ond with his Thor and Knappe taking
third with an indian.
The time for the five miles, with
single-cylinder, fully equipped stock
machines, was $3.50 S-5.
In the second race multiple cylinders,
strictly stock equipped machines were
used and the time was made by G.
Bake on a twin Thor in $3.50, Gus
Fink with a Peugeot finished second
and c. w. Risden on an Indian third.
Considerable amusement was furnished
in the third race by the contestants
having to eat piece of pie before
starting on the second mile and stop
ping again at the end of the second
to drink a glass OF water. The way
In which the boys devoured huge
chunks of the Americans favorite des-
sert was comical in the extreme.
Knappe,. with the combination of a
fast Indian and huge appetite. fin-
ished first, doing up the pie, the water
and the three miles in 5:1S AS. Sha-
fer and Bake finished in that order.
For Club Cup
In the Club Challenge cup race for
five miles for single cylinders Hoag
won the cup with Shafer finishing
three-eighths of a mile behind. Hoag
ran away from Risden on the back
stretch in the second mile and Risden
quit on the lower turn Immediately
afterward with some trouble. Hoag
rode slow in the last two laps. finish
ing in $3.50.
In the Club Challenge cup race for
multiple cylinders Earhart won easily
with Derkum's big red Indian racer.
He rode under protest, however, as it
was specified that riders must have
been owners OF the machines at least
fifteen days before the race.
AS Derkum had claimed ownership
of the machine the day before the pro-
test was filed Blaylock with the Thor |
racer will take first In case the pro-
test is allowed. Hoag second with his
H. & H. and Gus Fink third with his
Peugeot. The time for the five miles |
was 500.
During this event there were three |
races going on simultaneously The |
Minerva and an Indian seesawed back |
and forth with the lead between them |
alternating frequently, and an Indian |
and Curtiss had close brush for |
several laps for "steenth" place.
The sixth race for single cylinders |
free for all was very interesting all of |
the way through. Graves took the