Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-10

| HoWdIu SHdIeI, on q mdCnlnS WHICH
| he had never before ridden, proved the
! sensation of the motorcycle race meet
| ing at Agricultural park yesterday af-
| ternoon. In the one-hour race he
| broke tWenty-six standing worlds rec
ords and established eight others. He
was riding a fiVe-horsepower Thor. R.
Seymour, on an H. and H, annexed
over dozen worlds records during the
| first part of this eventful race.
Seymour began getting records after
the sixth mile, and took record after
record up to the nineteenth. Shafer,
| who had been close second, came up
and took the lead near the finish of the
nineteenth mile. Seymour then secured
the records for twenty, twenty-one and
| twenty-five miles, when a slight acci-
| dent to his machine caused him to lose
| two miles. From there on Shafer
broke every standing record up to the
finish. In one hour he rode 56 S-S miles,
a new American mark.
| Many other records would have been
| shattered had it not been for the un-
fortunate accident which kept Paul
Derkum out of the professional races.
Shafer'S sudden success was a sur
prise even to himself. He had never
contemplated riding a Thor. and con-
sented only when another rider refused
to continue the dangerous sport. Sha-
fer received a few hasty instructions,
and with the crack of the pistol was on
his record-breaking career.
The fastest mile of the day was
made by Ben Breese, who rode an In
dian five miles against time. He went
the first mile in 81 AS, and the five in
4:54 80.
The five-mile free-for-all for single
cylinder machines provided another
sensation, NJ. ]. Graves on an Indian
and G.. Blaylock on Thor riding a
or the way for the five miles, and had
the big crowd cheering wildly as they
swept down the stretch for the final
squirt for the cup.
The hour race proved to be the days
feature. Seymour was away in front
at the start closely followed by Sha-
fer, Graves on and Indian, and Wilson
on a Merkel. After the first five miles
IL became race between the first three
named, and soon Graves began to back
up, Seymour and Shafer hooking up in
the fight for the leading honors For
mile after mile Seymour held the lead,
and 1t was not until the nineteenth
time around that Shafer overlook his
rival and passed him in front of the
immense throng. Seymour secured his
lead again on the back stretch, but af-
ter three more miles an accident to
the machine caused him to lose two
miles, which he was never able to
make up. Seymour was awarded sec
ond by the judges and b. Bueneman on
a Minerva third. Graves protested the
decision claiming second.
The following was the time for the
race by five miles: 5:19 S-5, 1929 Is,
1879 2-5, 2O;21, 26:05, 32:31 3-5. 37:34
AZ 45, 47:5S 2-5, 53;11 1-5, 1928 As, and
1926 1-5.
There were several minor spills but
nothing serious during the actual races
In the seventh race c. F. Hoags han
die bars became loose and he fell heay-
lily, bruising his face and body
The team race was one of the most
exciting events of the day A team
composed of Shafer, Hoag, Graves.
seymour and Erhard beat Knowles,
Blaylock, Wilson, King and Currier.
Shafer's machine went bad and he lost
a quarter of mile. BY sensational
Spurts Seymour and Erhard made up
TINS distance on the last two laps.
The first race brought half a dozen
speedy single cylinder machines fully
equipped. Al Ward on a Thor was
away IN front and rolled all the way.
winning easily. Risden on an Indian
was second, and L. Parmalee who re-
paced Bake on Thor was third.
The time for the five miles was 6:17
The second over the same route for
multiple cylinder machines doveloped
into duel between A. F. Mitchell on
a Simplex and AL Ward astride a
Thor. Ward was away last but had
passed all but the leader before com
pleting the first mile It then became
chase. First time around Mitchell
led by over fifty yards Ward was
gradually creeping up. lie gained ward
by yard, but each mile saw the Sim
plex still leading. Ward gained on the
turns and with a mile and a half 10
go was but half a dozen yards he
hind. On the final mile Mitchell drew
away and won handily. c. f. Hoag
on an Indian was third. The time
was fast, 5:37.
The third event for single cylinder
machines, ridden by club members
was a race every inch of the way, and
when the two contending cycles passed
before the judges stand on the fifth
lap G. Blaylock on Thor was leading
M. j. Graves and his Indian by
scant two feet.
Graves was first away, but the Thor
took the gun soon after and a mile and
a quarter after the start took the lead.