Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-04


~ D This trophy ls much
ny M better than II sounds.
S-VV~e 1t means that the hold
r. W. MAXWELL er will receive IS. five
4 bucks, q uuintette of iron men every day
until he Is defeated on the local track.
Ali he has to do now is to keep on winning
races and tho coal bills for next winter
will take care OF themselves.
Rode Heady Race
Wiley had an easy time In grabbing off
the honors last night, because he rode n
heady race and pronted by the mistakes Of
his opponents Clarence Carman, the
worlds champion, was stacked UP against
him, while Bobby walthour and G.. Column
batto also had designs on the first prize.
walthour was unable to finish because of
= couple of busted bikes, but Carman and
Columbatto stuck to it until the end.
It was n wonderful sight that greeted
the riders when they trotted out on the
board track. Some 900 spectators occu-
'ipIed seats above the arena, peering over
the row of electric lights which was
stretched around the bowl. Every seat in
the one-thlrd of a mile inclosure was filled.
which goes to show that bicycle races are
quite popular in Philadelphia. The audi
ence was not as noisy as gathering at a
baseball or football game, but paid closer
attention to what was going on. There
were thrills galore as the riders set a dizzy
pace around the circular track, and the
customers enjoyed every minute Of It.
Track Is Steep
II you can picture huge glass bowl with
q bunch of athletic flies running around
on It's perpendicular sides, you will get
an idea OF what occurred at the Motordrome.
The huge track drops down almost straight
at the top and then slopes to the ground.
The motorcycists use the upper part for
their races, while the bicycle riders and their
PAGERS stick close to the bottom.
The real excitement came In the first two
races when the motorcyclists performed.
1t was two-mile event, and 1t brought out
Henri ST. Yves, the noted marathon runner,
aviator and inventor of motorcycles. Billy
Armstrong. Of Philadelphia. and William
II. Vandeberry also of this city After
tuning up their machines and flashing
around the track couple of times, the
starter dropped his flag and the race was on.
Vandeberry Victor
Armstrong took the lead, and, riding on
the upper portion OF the track, which was
as straight as the side of a building, shot
like meteor around the bowl, with Vande-
berry close behind him. They were going
at q terrific clip and outdstanced st, Yves,
who had engine trouble. Billy looked like
sure winner until the last lap, when
Vandeberry let out few links OF speed he
had concealed up his sleeve and won by
. scant six inches. The time for the two
miles was l minute 25 seconds, or an aver
age speed OF about s5 miles an hour.
Herman Vedtz. another Philadelphian
and leader for the championship cup award
ed to the rider scoring the most points in
the season, increased his average by win
ming the three-mile race in minutes 10
2-b seconds, some more Of that S5-mles-an-
hour stun. VeditE never was headed and
won from Vandeberry by good margin.
Armstrong had the ailing motor this time,
and was unable 10 start,
Big Race is On
Then came the big race OF the night, the
one-hour motor-paced event for a cash
prize and the Brassard trophy. The 900
motor bugs were all set for the race, the
motorcycle flashes just putting them on
edge They discussed the various riders
and waited patiently while flock of at
tendants put out a small fire on the track
and Johnny Eckhardt told the entrants what
was expected OF them. The audience even
listened to the mosquito bitten band. which
y saying whole lot-for the audience.
bopoy Calhoun, the sllver-voiced an
nouneer, gave out the names OF the athletes,
Referee Danny Trotter saw that everything
was In shape, w. ]. Trotter. the starter,
pulled the trigger, and the race began.
Carman, paced by st. Yves, had the pole.
WHEY, with Jimmy Hunter, was second;
booby Walthour, with NORM, third, and
columbatto. paced by Vandeberry, was
fourth, Walthour who has ridden on
sVery track in the world in the last 20
years, got away TO a good start, with Wiley
second. Columbatto third and Carman
fourth The riders stuck behind their mo-
ttorcyele PAGERS. increasing their speed as
uaey sped around the track.
Fast Time Made
eyclIst riding alone can make fairly
5000 time, but when he is behind his
paeer the speed Is increased 100 per cent
lhe man In front acts as a windshield
ena the rider behind can travel nearly 80
miles miles an hour-which is going some for
-su-propelled vehicle. Occasionally the
sluef loses his pacemaker, Is forced 70 slow
uoWn, and 1t takes several laps TO get up
speed again. Losing a pacemaker Is the
worst thing that can happen in motor
paced race, and that one thing Is RESPONSE
Dle Tor the defeat OF Carman Walthour
aha Columbatto
Waithour took the lead and was going
sood at the end Of the fifth mile, covering
sns Instance in minutes 53 seconds Car
man, who was trailing the field, made
sl spult near the end OF the NTH mile and
ulsa TO overhaul the leader. He made
nople enort, passed the other two, but, on
pe turn, just as he was about to forge
Sns 'front.', he lost st. Yves and dropped
'4eA TO last place. lap in the rear.
AZ aFman soon got up his speed again and
Sp e9 some very fast riding. He overlook
Solannatto and WalhouT, and as he was
suout 20 pass WalthOur a second time he
ssse MS pacemaker and once more was
''feed to fan by the wayside.
walihOur Withdraws
sepey WRlthour held the lead at the
- OF the tenth mile, with COlumbatto
teos second. Bobby's time was l3 min
essa : seconds, and he was going along
Easy that he looked like a sure winner.
1us ne. too, had some hard luck and lost
- paeemaker. This cost lap, and when
y sot started again he broke the chain
- ma bicycle and was forced 10 retire.
a me meantime Carman was riding
-ee4nd the track All alone lie refused 10
s,1s behind ST. Yves any longer ana WAS
ze.sa by the crows. AS soon as Wal
.<.esf aTopped out, however. he picked up
-e.A ana started out again
elanoatt0 had taken tha LEAD. ana at
:. @iie7 haa eomfortahle margin On