Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-16

Dear Folks:
TIL other night over at tn chaureur's
Club, after Lon had horned-in On ara
gument about TIL gameness Of tn differ
eat lads who have made themselves ia
nous by drivin' In automobile an bicycle
races, an was settin' tn worst Of 1t, he
fell back on ME to tell OF III swede
bicycle rider named Johnny Nelson, who
have always claimed was tn gamest liz
race rider 1 ever seen in my life. l took
pity on tn kid an handed 'em this:
/ Well, boys. I've saw many a great rider
in my time, but when it come to real
downright gameness, with grim death
starin' him bang in tn eye, I must say
that this Ill guy Nelson had em all beat.
Twas up In Moo York along in tn late
COS Jimmy Michael was then king OF
all motor paced bicycle riders an Johnny
Nelson had challenged him for tn cham
pionship honors.
TIL sport was its height in them days.
Broadway approved tn match. allowed
that Nelson had earned tn right to chal-
lenge tn champion, TIL press boosted 1t
to TIL skies, an in consequence old Madi-
son Square Garden Was packed to over
flow on TIL night OF tn race.
Il
twenty-five miles for a purse, winner
take all, an tn championship OF America,
an as every fbug" present knowed that
TIL race was for blood. an dead on tn
level, it's needless to say that every seat
was filled long before 10 O'Clock. tn hour
set for tn feature event. an when Cham
pion Frank Kraemer had finished his ex-
hibition mile race against time. tn, big
crowd give sigh of relief, settled back In
their seats an prepared for tn star num-
Der.
There amt no way O describn' tn
scene that took place when at 9;50
johnny Nelson's big chuggin' motor APP
peared on tn track close followed by
Michaefs an few minutes later when
both riders showed up. surrounded
by young army of trainers. rubbers,
hangcrs-on an rooters, pandemonium
broke loose, an for two or three min
utes va couldn't hear yourself think.
Then, after mess o argufyin'.
speechmekin', introducin' an such like.
the two lii speed marvels hoped on
their wheels, took couple o turns o
TIL oval. caught up with their PAGERS.
a Shooter" was fired an the big race
was on.
No doubt. boys. you've often heard
tn expression Here they come an
Their they go" Wei, to this day I've
always believed it originated. with
races. an how them liz lis pound kid,
dies ever kept pace with the fast goin'
machinery is way beyond me.
don't quite recall just how many
miles had been covered. but Michael had
gradually forged his way to tn front,
for nearly lap. which would give a late
arrival tn impression that Nelson was
leadin' as they madly dashed around TIL
4th avenue end of tn Garden, both riders
heads showed far out over TIL handle
bars, nearly touchin' tn near wheels
Of their PAGERS ahead. Johnny putin
every ounce of his makeup into his
sturdy Hr pedalers an Jimmy hangin
hard to him only n few yards away
when. just as they turned into tn
eth street side of TIL basin
Bang" went noise. an shrek
/ never did know exactly what hap-
pened, but Nelson's big motor slackened
for tn mi1lionth of second. tn Ill
riders wheel grazed it, an over he
went.
In an instant the big crowd jumped
to its feet. only to see MichaePs on
comm tandem dash head-on into tn
wreck, but by nothin' moren a miracle
Nelson was the onliest one hurt, 70,
OWN to tn cleverest piece Of headwork
I've ever saw in my life Jimmy Mich
ael steered clear of his PAGER an wen,
on his way
Johnny's leg was tore all to pieces wher
TIL two motors crashed. an strong Iner
turned aside as tn poor ill feller slid
down tn incline to tn even floor below.
O. course. hundreds O. willin' hands