Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-15

From every viewpoint, the six-day
race held at Madison Square Garden
last week was a tremendous success.
Records of every description were
broken. First and foremost, Alfred
Goullet, the Australian, and Joe Fog
Ter, the American, created a new
worlds record in winning the race.
They covered 2,751 miles, as against
2.797 miles, made in 1908 by Floyd
Mcfarland and Jimmy Moran. The
breaking of the old record was accom-
plished at 9:1s o'clock Saturday night,
and was marked by wonderful scene.
A bell was sounded denoting that the
record had been eclipsed and at the
same instant the band played the
tar-Spangled Banner" and the vast
audience rose to honor the occasion.
Nothing like it had been seen in a
Garden race before and 1t added to
the many interesting features with
which the race was marked. Yes, it
was a great grind in many ways. 1t
was the best race on record, every
body says, and 1t was the cleanest
race on record beyond doubt. There
was less robbery and less rowdyism
than ever, but there was enough of it
at that. 1t was race that will be re-
called with much interest in years to
come. for it was a race that was abso-
lutely free from combinations from
first to last
Goullet, as the winner, was the best
man in the race by long odds. He
rode like a tireless little giant
throughout the grind and when 1T
came to the finish he rode like the
wind AS the finish of the race was run,
the riding of Eddie Root, who came in
third, had a look of suspicion, but
as Root has given similar perform
ances and won out there is no reason
to believe that he wasn't doing his
best to win. In previous race at the
Garden, Root rode from in front with
Jackie Clark, the favorite, second.
1idTh Wdb SuPpOSCQ " NO OCiiChNNh W
the work of Root in front, but Jackie
never could get by and Eddie won
the race. Frank Kramer, the great
est Splinter in the world, had sim
liar experience in Kansas City
Root again was the pacemaker, with
Kramer second, but when 1t came to
the last lap Root was going so fast
that Kramer couldn't get around
him. In the Garden on Saturday
night Root, of his own choice, again
went out in front. Goullet was on his
wheel. Those who knew of the ex-
perience of Kramer and NClark |
watched the race with added inter
est, as Goullet waited and waited |
until the very last lap to make his
bid. Knowing Root as well as I do,
| expected to see him win, when
Goullet delayed his jump so long.
expected to see Root ever alert at |
the finish of a six-day grind. switch |
Goullet as he made his bid In the final
lap. A switch would have beaten
Goullet, no doubt, but the switch
never came, because Goullet, when
he got ready to go, was we'll prepared |
for any switching
C
Nobody can tell, of course, just how |
fast Goullet was riding when he made
his jump. That he was flying, as the
saying goes, there isn't any doubt.
He was so good and so we'll within
himself that he went by Root as if |
that speedy fellow were standing
STILL And he took no chances, either.
thought that Goullet was waiting too
long were set at ease when the little |
blond Australian uncovered himself |
just as the bell rang for the final
more speed. Goullet, always we'll off !
Roots wheel, dropped back another
length as he came into the stretch
with one more lap to CO. Then he set
himself for action, fairly standing on
his pedals, and in the next instant he
was on his way. He took no chances
of being hooked" as the riders say,
for he gave the foxy Root wide
berth, and went by him like shot
Once in front, of course. the race
was over, and Goullet was the easiest
kind of winner. Root, tired by his
own fast pace, couldn't keep up his
efforts to the finish. and right at the
end along came the despised Percy
Lawrence and beat Root out for Sec
ond place. Then followed the other
three, all closely punched, Halstead.
Verri and Hill being picked in that
order. 1t was a kind of a finish that
thrills, and from my observation 1t
was honest in every particular.
G
The riding OF Root will be COM
mented on. of course, but il he had
won it would have been pointed out
that that is the way he always rides
his races" Well, IL that is the way
he always rides his races, why should
there be any criticism? He has won
in that fashion before, and now that
he has failed he shouldn't be taken
to task unless 1t is certain that he