Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-15

s miles, competition, 4:09 3-5
IN HESE four worlds records were
the net result of the record-break-
II ing motorcycle races held yester-
day afternoon at the Coliseum, Sixty
second and Main streets.
Everyone of these records was estaD-
lished by Jake" De Roster, the won
derful Springfield, Mass, driver, VINO
has been known as dare devil on
the saucer tracks of the east before
coming to the Pacific coast. These rec
ords, except the one mile, were pre-
yiously held by Freddie Huyck.
.Jake" did not win two of his races
In which the three and five-mile records
were made, however, until after having
made the most desperate race that ne
has ever been called upon 10 make
Paul Derlsum, the pride of every mo-
torcycle devotee on the Pacific coast,
having ridden De Roster neck and neck
the entire way and having been pos
sible winner every time g. lap was
turned in either event.
No one in this city, or in any otner
city of the world, has ever seen miles
reeled off as they were YESTERDAY aItel. :,
noon, all predictions previously inaoe
for the new saucer track as the fastest
in the world having been more than
justified on it's initial tryout.
How men could maintain the dizzy
speed necessary to make the marks
which established new worlds RECORDS
seemed beyond the comprehension Oh
the 5000 or 10000 thrilled spectaalo ~ .,
who stood breathless, gripping tneir
hands in nervous excitement as tne
events were run off. Standing on the
inside of the three and a half lap cir
Gle that comprises the mile course the
spectators were made actually dizzy as
thew spun around like tops in tnelr Ell
forts to keep their eyes glued on .he
moving racers who shot past tieii iiNS
meteors in fight. -
Mot every race possessed this ele-
ment of intense excitement, because a
n number of the races, starting win
the maiden event, were contested py
amateurs who have never learned tne
breakneck speed of the professionals,
much less had an opportunity 70 rue
saucer tracks until they have become
second nature.
De Roster and Derkum Meet
The most thrilling incident of the day
came In the last event, when three men men
(De Roster, Derkum and lhngenleloerl
who had qualified IN the Mo- a,ip
heats lined up at the tape for the hVe-
mile final. Everyone was on the raw
edge OF nervous excitement because OIL
the desperate struggle that he knew
was about to ensue, and when Stafter
<I3iIl Reuss cracked his pistol De Rosler
and DerlSum shot away from Lihs 1Tn
fielder as If he were anchored. 10
gether they flew side py sac, ssi n,a e
ar losing not an inch for half way
around the lap, when De Roster pesah
TO pull ahead.
perlsum has been accused by his de-
tractors of having a streak or yellow
because of one or two hukes IN o.nea
races when Derkuml has deemed 10
ride rather than be beaten on oeiec-
tive machine. But those who saw MN
omen up his throttle and proceed 10
wear down De Rosters lead yesterday
will never accuse him of being anything
else than one of the gamest, tne herV-
lest and the headiest drivers that ever
turned a handle bar. NO more mag
nificent burst of speed could be m,
agined, Inch by inch Derkum pusneo
the nose of his machine nearer to De
Rosters until they were first on even
terms and then Derkums nose as
steadily went ahead and a mighty
cheer from 10000 throats hailed Der
KUN as the leader. And again the nes-
perate battle was renewed, TINS time
with De Roster striving Tor the leao
and calling on his machine asst never
was called upon before. Slowly. but
as surely he repeated the thrilling,
hair-raising trick turned by Derkum,
and when the race was perhaps hair
through Jake" again resumed MS
place at the front. Lingenfelder, the
third starter, was forgotten in the IN
tense moment, his four-horse power
Thor being no match for the powerful
seven horse power Indian and Reading
STANDARD ridden respectively by De
Roster and Derkum. De Roster, after
assuming the lead, for moment
looked to be, running away from Der
KUN, but only for an instant.
Derkum Never Flinched
Again Derl1um called on his Reading
Standard, which had apparently tired
under the grueling pace for the mo-
ment, and again 1t responded, and still
once again did Derkum creep steadily
toward De Roster, inch by inch, but still
creeping, turning corners with swish
and a rush that seemed so terrific as to
be demoniacal and tearing into the
straightaways with not a trace of per-
ceptible change in the mad work. And
as grimly and as desperately as Der
kun laid down to his work, as equally
grim and desperate was the fight made
by De Roster in maintaining his lead.
1t was a battle royal which it is
doubtful any other two men in the
world today could duplicate, much less
excel, and there was not man, woman
or child present but who felt thrill
of admiration for two men with such
steady heads. such nerveless bodies as
those two riders who held their ma
chimes true to the lines of the track
as they followed its changing contour
from high banks into more level
straightaway and back into high banks
again.
Finish Two Wheels Apart
Try as he would, Detrkum could not
again gain an equal footing with
Jake" though 1t was apparent that
he was cutting down the lead, and at
the finish pistol he was but two short
wheel lengths behind, and coming"
There were hundreds in the immense
crowd who will never feel that Der
KUN would not have been able to
again overtake De Roster had there
been another lap to go, and many men
last night, delighted at the magnifl-
cent work done by Derkum against so
worthy an opponent as Jake" De
Roster, expressed their willingness to
wager large sums that Derkum would
go out next Sunday and show the way
to the "red devil" Those who had
never seen a Reading Standard on it's
good behavior before were more than
delighted with the consistent exhibit
ton given by it in the hands of Der
KUN and henceforth that sturdy ma
chine must be recIoned with on the
tracks of the world as a serious rival
of the already famous Indian for first
honors.
An Indian Day
So far as winnings go, 1t was an
Indian day." De Rosters world rec
ords on that machine and the marvel
Gus performances of Freddie -luyck.