Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-04-13
Cycling Fans Pay Glorious Tribute to
Walter Rutt, the Welt Meister, as
Biz German Wins at Velodrome.

The cycling season is here, and the
popularity of the sport was never in
more pronounced evidence than at the
! Yelodrome yesterday, where the OPEN
! ing meet, under the most glorious
auspices in many respects. got under
way. The mammoth crowd told a
story in itself, with the weather any
/ thing but favorable, a gathering Of
5000 fans would have been beyond ex-
pectations, yet In the neighborhood
of 5000 persons turned out to witness
| the first real racing of the year. 1t
was big day in eyery>way up at the
South Orange avenue stadium. The
| fans fiocked to the track early and
few left before the last race was run,
although as the hours glided by the
chilly atmosphere became more pene-
trating and annoying The sun helped
some. OF course, but the wind from
the west not only made you button
/ up" but kept you busy holding your
headgear. This was especially so in
the bleachers, where the wind played
high links with the derbys and fe-
doras
C
Cycling, in Newark, is a magnate
at any time, but when you give the
local fans a worlds champion and a
sterling rider of the caliber of Walter
Rutt, of Germany, they will always
respond with a will. Rutt was the
star attraction at the Velodrome yes
terday and he made good all the nice
things that have been said about him.
He won the Overture Prize, scratch
Clark were his opponents, and he
made n desperate ride in the p. M.
Stanley, jr.. handicap, in which he
was given fourth place. With Frank
L. Kramer, the American champion,
away, Rntt was surely the lion of the
hour. He not only took the place of
Kramer, but he seemed to win the
hearts OF the fans as general thing.
Most Of the applause of the after
noon was for Rutt, and when he
flashed over the tape winner in the
Overture Prize, with Goullet and
Clark struggling on behind him, the
big German" was accorded demon
stration. Later on, when ne came
out on the track to start alone from
scratch in the Stanley Handicap, he
was given a grand reception, and
there were cheers and calls for "Ruttl
Ruth" even after he had been
beaten, mostly because OF unfavor-
able racing luck, In the final event of
the day. 1t was opening day, but 1t was
also "Rutt Day" and the modest
foreign gentleman, who is visiting our
shores in search of fame and finance,
displayed his keen appreciation. After
the races he spoke of the demonstra-
ton rendered him, and he said he
would have been pleased to have won
new friends that he was there to give
them the best he had. II tried my
best to win the STANLEY race" Rutt
said to me afterward, but l couldn't
do 1t, l am used to hard races. but
the other boys didn't seem to go very
fast when out in front. I tried to
get UP, but couldn't, until too late.
was tired at the finish, but 1 believe
would have won If there hadn't been
switch" at the turn into the
stretch. Both Goullet and myself suf-
fered from this switch. That beat
me-"
G
Rutt. who had been showing great
form in his training, was favorlte
for the open race. which was run In
trials, semi-finals and q final heat,
and when he lined up at the tape with
Goullet and Clark. old Velodrome
favorites. the excitement was in
tense, and gossip as to the outcome
was general. The Goullet followers
seemed to have some hope, but the
Clark rooters were very downcast.
The big German" was the big show,
and he had won himself into the
hearts of the fans with one fell
swoop, az the saying goes. As the
three best men this side of the At
lantic awaited the starters gun many
and various were the opinions ex-
pressed. To the casual observer Rutt
looked like a winner. He was in the
middle, with Clark on the inside and
Goullet on the outside. His actions
indicated slight nervousness and his
face was very serious. When the
word was given he was at himself,
however. and he cleyerly worked his
way into second position, consid-
cred the best position under such cir