The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-06
I thousands See Fair Ground Races;
Considerable Criticism Is Heard
RY LANES 3. KEELING.

to the fair grounds yesterday afternoon
and for five hours sweltered, hoping
against hope that something exciting
would finally happen in the automobile
motorcycle and bicycle races pulled off
there. But they waited in vain, for the
most thrilling sight of the day was the
constant hopping of perspiring brows of
those gathered in the shadow of Vul-
can.
Robert Stubs was there with his In
dian racing motorcycles and as usual de-
feated everything brought against him
except in one event, and managed to
lower his record for the track several sec
onds for five miles. The other heralded
MOTORCYCLE experts who We're to meet
him, however, failed TO materialize, and
he handled the local riders With his Gus
tomary ease. The track was fast and the
belief Is strong in Birmingham that
Stubs can hold his own with any one,
and much disappointment was expressed
that men of his own calibre had not been
matched against him.
In none of the automobile events did
any of the winners show less than an av-
erage speed as low as 1:22 One car did
cut as low as los for five miles in 10
mile event, but broke down on the sixth
mile and finished on an average of LIS.
This was F. Fl. Crockard's new Chalmers
Detroit driven by Waters, who claimed
that it was a hve-mile event, and that he
won the race. Katz, driving E. NJ. F.,
$3.50 car, belonging to Dr. Miller of Cor
dova, finished first for 10 miles.
A strange condition of affairs existed
Neither the starter or manager knew but
one or two of the names of the entrants
The men slated to be official scorers and
timekeepers were not to be found, while
the judges were thing of mystery. Then
the programme was not followed, and no
one knew what was what or who was
who. 1t appeared more like schoolboy
affair in which one would step out and
say, Come on, Buddy, I'll race you
Messrs Harry c. Stradford, NJ. NJ. I'LL
man, John F. Antwine and W. B. Cold
well kindly consented to act as time
keepers, but the managers were unable to
give them any information regarding who
was racing and the records are a make
shift at the most The dirt-covered driv-
ers with their stripped cars were hardly
recognizable to their best friends, and it
was only with the greatest difficulty
that the names of the winners were fin
ally learned.
The public also had other kicks COM
ing. The programmes were tripled in
price and sometimes even more. Then,
after the dope had given out, the empty
bottles were filled with water in which the
bottles had first been cooled and then
sold to the unsuspecting audience as soda
water. The programmes did the pur-
chaser no good, for it told nothing re-
garding the events actually run off.
There were u events in all. six of which
were motorcycle four automobile, one
bicycle sprint and one motor-paced hi
cycle race.
The second automobile race was first an
nounced five-mile event, then later
tine starter announced as 10 miles. Waters
in a Chalmers Detroit made the five miles
in 5:A with Hambough in Franklin Sec
ond Waters rolled around the curve and
stopped and the other cars slowed up, but
the manager and others waved to them
to go on, which they did, and ran five
miles more. Waters car had broken down
in the meantime, and he was Tapped be-
fore he could start again. Katz in an
e NJ. F. finished winner in 12:32
Katz also won the first event, which was
five miles, in Gil 30 Harrington in a
Buick was second in GAG 1-5 Katz took
the third one. which was for 10 miles,
winning In 1929; ]. T. Cooper. driving a
Jackson car belonging to M. Brandes,
coming second In 12:4S; Harrington In a
Buick coming third in 1850 and Ham
bough in a Franklin finishing fourth in
l2:54. In the 25-mile event Katz again won
in 81 :o9 10, with Harrington finishing sec
ond In S2:15 These were the only two
cars TO finish the race out of six en-
trants.
Ped Hickman and Richard Gayle We're
scheduled to meet Stubs in a five-mle
race. both having had special motor
cycles built for the purpose. Neither
of them would race, however, and
Stubs made an exhibition rum making
five miles in 455 g. His former rec
ord for the track was sos, which
was faster than any motorcycle OF
automobile has ever Travelled on this
track. The worlds record for a track
of this shape is $50. for a double
cylinder machine. Stubs rode a SIX
horsepower Indian. His fastest mile
was SO seconds fiat
In the 15-mile handicap motorcycle
race for stock machines Meagher, from
stratch, won in 1858; Walthour sec.
ond in 20;40 and Joyce 20:43. In this
event the managers apparently did nj
know how to run handicap race.
The one-mile bicycle sprint finish &c
with Horton first in 2:351k W. Beddow
in 2:35 2-5 and r. Beddow in 235 AS
Through error the starter Tagged
the racers on the finish of the nintl
mile in the l0mile motor paced bicycl,
race. William Beddow paced b,
6tubbs, was running first, with II
Beddow running second. They slacke,
up and broke pace. but the crowd yellet
for them to go on. w. Beddow pickle,
up his pace again and finished the tent!
mile first. r. Beddow had dropped Gu
and Horton who had been runnins
way behind, but who didn't lose hi
pace on the ninth mile. finished cloa
second. 1t was announced that r. Bed
dow had finished second and an argu
ment arose, the timekeepers holdInl
that Horton had won second place. VIII,
will settle the matter is not known
The E. NJ. F. car driven by Kat
belongs to Mr.. Miller of Cordova I
was driven through the country % Bir
mingham and its appearance on III
track yesterday afternoon was its irs
time on any racing course.