The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-16
BICYCLE RIDERS OFF
ON WEEK LONG GRIND
Eighteen Teams Start Shortly
After Midnight at Shot
Fired by Rudolph.
GERMAN TEAMS ABSENT

Eighteen teams made UP OF bicycle
riders from all corners OF the globe
started this morning at a few minutes
past midnight in tho twenty-second
annual international six day bicycle race
in Madison Square Garden. The RAGS
which began this morning is the sixteenth
team race, the six contests prior to that
being individual affairs, which we're
finally stopped by state legislation. The
countries represented in the long grind
which will have no let up until 10 o'clock
| next Saturday, night are America, Aus
tralia, France, Belgium, Italy, Tasmania,
ireland. Switzerland. Sweden, Poland.
Denmark and Russia II will be noticed
| that Germany is conspicuous by its alb
sence because the best of the German
riders are at the front fighting for the
Kaiser. The absence of the Germans
maltes the fans feel that there will be
less chance of the Allies forming COM
blnations
Dick Rudolph OF The Bronx who was
the prime factor in Carrying the Boston
Braves to victory in the National League
pennant race and topped his good work by
spilting Connie Mack's guns in the world
series last month. fired the shot which
started the race. Rudolph has been a six
day race fan for number of years. but
he has more interest in the pr. .ent con-
test than In any OF the others. for he Ii
a patriotic Bronxite and his borough Is
represented by team made up of Harry
Kaiser and George Cameron. Kaiser was
an amateur up to the time that he started
in the long grind this morning. and al
though he has had no experience in the
six day race there are many who think
that his great speed and track general
ship will keep him up in the front.
The race. which will be managed this
he eli fnrt
rider. has many features in store for the
fans. The principal one Of these is the
trying of the European finish. In former
years the places of the men tied at the
end of the six day grind has been decided
by a one mile sprint. but the foreign
riders complained about this style of
finish and asked FOR the European method.
Instead of riding mile sprint at the
finish. points will be scored among the
riders on even terms during the last
hour. At the end OF every fifteen laps. 4
distance OF a mile and half the leader
will get one point. the second two and
so on up. SO that the team with the lowest
number OF points at the finish will be de-
clared the winner.
This system was first tried out at Ber-
| lin last March and proved to b. very
successful. for IL minimi1ed the chances
! of various teams forming combinations
| gave the weaker teams a better chance
I ana Ildtlt the Iil4Sn pl the race more IN
;eresting for the spectators. This method
was used in the recent modified six day
event in Boston, which was won by AL
/ fred Goullet.
Another innovation is the offering Of
cash prizes by the management FOR spy!nts
| each afternoon and evening. There Will
De- total OF $1,000 given to the riders,
divided UP in purses Of from $50 10 $500.
Many Of the old timers VINO We're rX-
tunes ia the race are not In thu lineup this
year. but they have been replaced by
youngsters VINO give great promise. one
OF the oldest riders in the event Is Bobby
Walthour Of Atlanta who has been riding
In the grind every year since 1902. The
newest 10 six day racing are Harry Kaiser.
{ Willie Hanley OF san Francisco and Gus
Wohlrab Of Jersey CITY All OF these boys
are competing in the long ride for the first
time. Some of the foreigners never have
been seen at the Garden. but have had
plenty OF experience in the European six
day events.
Followers OF the sport have had hard
time picking a favorite for the event. for
the field IS evenly balanced. Eddie Root
and Jackie Clarke. the Amer.can-Aus-
tralian combination, looks like a formld-
able pair. for they are good sprinters as
well as seasoned plugers. Barring acct
dent they should surely be up In the front.
/ Another pair that looks equally as strong
IS the Australasian team of Alfred Goul-
let and Alfred Grenda, while Joe Fogler
and Freddie HI will prove a hard COM
bnaton TO beat l, Is barely possible
that some OF the foreign teams. especially
the Ellian-Swiss pair Of Francesca VERT
and oscar Eeg, may spring a surprise.
The teams which started this morning:
Eddie Root, Boston. and Jackie Clarke.
Australia American Australian team.
AIRED Gou'let Australia, and Alfred
Grenda. Tasmania, Austrlaslan team
=, Reggie MeNamara Australia. and Jimmy
, Moran, Boston, Australian Irish team
LIVER Lawson, SAT- Lake city. and Peter
Drohsch, Boston swedish Polish team.
oscar Egs. Switzerland. and Francesca
Joe Fogler. Brooklyn. ana Freddie Hi.
Boston American team,
hobby Walthour. Atlanta, ana Alfred Hal
stStd' sacramento, Dixie team.
Frank Cavanagh, Newark. and Charles
P!ercy. Australia, Irish team
Percy Lawrence, san Francisoo ana Joe
Magln lrNington. Atantic-Pacinc team.
Georges seTes. France, and Marcel Dupuy.
France, French team.
John Redell and Menus Bedeii. Lynorook
l. ], Long Island team
Martin Ryan. Newark, ana Gus woniraS
Jersey City. Jersey team
Worth Mi'trn. Davenport la and Norman
Anderson. Denmark, Dantsh-Amorican team
Joe Kopsky, New York. and Norman Han
sen, Denmark, Century Road Association
Victor Linart Relgium. and vineenzo Ma.
Lloyd Thomas and Willie HanIry San
Franris"1 F'is0o 1915 team
Emile Cousseau ana Georges Parent
France, French team.
Harry Kaiser. The Prorr ana g.orga
cameron Ne" York Bronx team.
THREE GAMES IN EIGHT DAYS.