The morning journal-courier., 1908-12-07
Marathon Runner Fires Pistol Shot at 12;05, Sending Bike Riders Away for Sixteenth
 Annual Contest.
SIXTEEN TEAMS ENTERED
Among Them Many Who Before Have Faced the Starter---A Number of Foreign as We'll as Amcri-
 can Boys Competing.

New York, Dec. 7.--Amid the plau- dits of 10000 spectators, little Doran- do Petri, the Marathan runner. at five minutes after 12 o'clock this (Mon- day) morning, fired the shot which sent sixteen teams of American anI foreign bicycllsts away in the six teenth annual six day race around the big saucer-shaped board track in Madison Square Garden. Many riders who have participated In past races again faced the starter this morning, notably Rutt and Stol, the German. Holland team, who captured the big end of the prize last winter; Matt Downey and Patsey Logan. Robbie Walthour and Eddie Root. Floyd Mac Farland and Jimmie Moran, and Leon Georget and Victor Dupre, the French men, who made such game finish last year. But there are several other competitors, new to American bicycle enthusiasts who by reason of their prowess abroad are considered likely to force the old timers to exert them selves to their utmost to hold their own. Among these new corners arc Brocco and Labrousse, the Italian French team. and Raber and LaFour- cade, Frenchmen. Brocco recently won an endurance race in Italy, and Faber captured the Tour de Lionbar- die, in France. q race of 1S1 miles, and reduced the record for the event to hours Is minutes and 81 seconds
 The teams which started this morn ing follow:
 German Holland team Walter Rutt Germany; Johann Stol Holland.
 Danish Italian team-Norman An derson, Copenhagen; Carlo Vanoni. Italy.
 Dixie-Yankee. team Bobby Wal thour, Atlanta, Ga; Eddie Root, New York city.
 Inter-City team Jos. Fogler. Brooklyn, National A. O.; Iver Law son, Chicago.
 The Mormons Hardy Downing, Salt Lake City; c. L. Hollister, Salt Lake City.
 Farmer and Messenger Boy-Frank Calvin, New Milford, Conn.,; George Wiley, Syracuse, N. Y.
 Trans Continental Team-Fred Hill, Boston; Walter Demara, San Jose. l Cal
 French team-victor Dupre, Francei Leon Georget, France; Francois Faber. l France; Henry Lafourcade, France.
 Italian French team--Maurice Broo- co. Italy; Roger Labrousse, France. | Australian teain--"Peddler'' Palmer, Sydney Gordon Walker, sydney, Pacific Atlantic team-Floyd MacFar- land, Saue Jose; James Moran, Boston.
 Long Island team--Eddie Ruprecht, Newark: Menus Bedell. Lynwood. | Emerald Isle team--Matthew Downey, Ireland; Patrick Logan, Ireland.
 East and West team-Elmer Collins, Boston; w. F. Mitten, Davenport, Ia .
 The race this year, by reason of changes in the rules, will probably be the hardest fought of its kind since Miller and Waller. in 1899. set the rec ord for six days at 2,73S miles. laps In fact the rules revert to the condl- tlons of that record rd-breaklng era. for 1t will be a constant grind with no let ups, and to win every rider must pre- vent himself from being lapped.
 Several prizes besides the usual purses have been hung up for a new record. If the old mark goes by, the board it will be after gruelling race for when Miller and Waller set thf figures. the contest was heart-bre&k' Ing one.
 The men who took the track as tht representatives of their teams at tp' beginning of the race were:
 Rutt, Dupre, Faber, Brocco. Moran Walthour, Foger, Logan, Rupreehi { Downing, Palmer, Anderson, Collins, Calvin, DeMara and Devonovitch.