Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-06-12
Beats Out Clarke in Final of
Five=Mile Championship in
Wonderful Sprint.
BY D. W. L.
TSRANK L. KRAMER, of East Or
ange. ten times national cham

TRANK L. KRAMER, of East Or
ange, ten times national cham
pion, is a real champion. His ride
yesterday afternoon in the five-mile
championship race left no doubt of this
in a%nyone's mind. His riding brought
him a greater ovation than he ever
received before on an American track,
Every person in the enclosure was
standing at the finish, and it was un-
doubtedly one of the greatest finishes
that even Kramer himself participated
in.
What was rather a tame afternoon S
sport was fully made up in this race in
the last lap and a half, and the $500
fans went crazy at the finish, which
was so close that only those in line
with the tape could tell who was first.
and not ali of those.
The race was fast from the very
start, due to the fact that there were
lap prizes. Up to three and a half
miles every lap was fought for. and
this, besides making it a fast race,
made it a hard race for everyone on
account of the rapidly shifting field.
When they had gone four miles and
they were slowing up a bit Willie Fem,
PERCY Lawrence and Pedlar Palmer
made an almost successful attempt to
lap the field. But Walter made those in
front go out, and they quickly caught
up.
Five laps from home it looked bad
for, the champ" as he seemed badly
sewed in. but as they we're coming into
the stretch there was a shift of the
field and Frank went through a small
hole and out to the front. 1t looked as
If he would stay there, Clarke being in
the rear and Fogler also in a bad posi-
ton, when the fighting bicycle 7ider
Jumbo Wells upset calculations by
cutting out a terrific sprint that carried
him around the field to the front.
Then those in front we're in the fol-
lowing order: Wells, Root, Kramer,
/ John Bedell and Clarke, badly pocketed
down on the pole. Kramer here went
out to the front and it looked as if he
would certainly stay this time, when
! Jackie, from a seemingly impossible po-
| sition, made one of his rocket flights
and went" He looked as If he had
been shot from a gun. Circling the
| field he made them all look as though
they were standing still. He passed
I1Gll So ldei TIA Nv III SVk ~ 49,
| front with a lead of about four open
lengths he almost sat up, but the man
who won the championship ten times
does not often give ~.
Right here he made the race of his
life. Clarke's very speed helped Frank;
the little fellow had gofie so far TO the
! front tina Kramer had a clear field on
the outside. AS they were coming into
the stretch he stuck out his chin.
bumped his back and took what seemed
a forlorn hope.
He went. Fifty yards from the tape
he had closed the distance by half;
twenty-five he had reached the
Rockets" rear wheel; at ten yards he
had reached Jackie's pedals, and, gain
I ing with every kick, he crossed the tape
a Dare six inches ahead, in what is
probably the greatest finish ever
ridden.
Jackie's performance in this race
need not be detracted from. In getting
second he made almost as great a ride
as Frank. It Is, probable that. II he
had not been sure Of the race he might