Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-12
TITULAR MOTOR
RACE TONIGHT
Rain Last Night Causes
Postponement of U. S.
Championship Event
BY PAUL PREP

Il knew II would rain" muttered Jack
Roden with vengeance last evening as
he srode with rapid strides across his
private office at the Point Breeze Park
Hotel, 81 knew it. II Is ever thusly."
quoted the motordrome manager from
one of Bill Shakespeare's unwritten
works.
Every time anyone attempts to stage
a race with some sort of a championship
attached to It," he continued. "our we'll
laid plans are smashed to smithereens or
something by the weather man. He
either sends the Thermometer tumbling
down to around zero mark or has the
track sprinkled with water to such de-
gree that it is impossible to go through
with thep rogram.
Same Last Year
Look what happened last year when
an effori was made to hold the world S
championship at fifty miles! For an
entire month the weather conditions
were all that could be desired. But on the
night of the big event 1t rained Not only
did IL rain that night, but the skies
opened up on the three following nights
on which attempts were made TO hold the
contest.
But the rain tonight" said Roden as
he quickly turned around so as TO not
knock down the wall, was not sur
prise. I've had a hunch. or whatever
you call that feeling, all week that ram
would fall tonight. What else could be
expected? This is the first postponement
of the season and it just had to come
tonight.
Thirteenth Race of Season
"Why. YOU ask? Because tonights
scheduled event was the THIRTEENTH
of the year. We've had frst-class
weather on the majority of the eve
nings and not a race was called on. But
tonight was the thirteenth. and what
else could one expect with that hoodoo
number hanging around? I'll be glad
when the thirteenth race is over.
If the reader has cleaned from the
above that the motorcycle and motor
paced races scheduled for last evening
at the Point Breeze Motordrome were
called off then he Is correct Rain be-
gan to fall half hour before the start
ing time, so Manager Roden and BUCK
ley decided on a postponement.
The events will be held this evening
the first of which will start promptly AZ
$50 The main race Is the annual
American motor-paced championship at
100 kilometers, or sixty-two and ONE
half miles. There will be two and hVe
mile motorcycle races and a tanuem
amateur bike event with teams from
Trenton. Elizabeth, Newark and nearby
towns competing.
New Pacemaker
It has been necessary for Manager
Jack Roden to make a slight change in
the personnel of the men who will pilot
the bike riders around that local wooden
saucer. Jimmy NORM, of Boston, was
down as one of the Ave pacemakers, but
he already had a contract calling Tor
him to ride in Boston tonight.
NORM Is a frst-class pacemaker, but
he will not be missed tonight, for Roden
and Buckley have succeede3 In obtain
ing the services of one of the best riders
in the game today. The latest addition
is no other than Glenn cTurkey'D Thur
vile. a Philadelphian, who back in 1906
was one CT the champion bike riders In
this section.
In those times Thurvlle competed
against such well-known riders as Joe
Rogers, now known as Judge Joseph
Rogers Archie McCarchon, Jack Chal-
font Eddie Bald, Tom Cooper and
Frank Starbuch. During the last years
he has turned his attention to motor
pacing and his work has made him a
great favorite on Detroit and Boston
tracks. This will be his first appear
ance in this city as a pacemaker, and
he will have to be at his best to out
speed such sterling riders as Jimmy
Hunter, Norman Anderson, Rody Leh-
man and Speedy Vanderberry.
In Great Shape
The bike riders ell are in great shape
for the grind tonight. Clarence Car
man is anxious to draw slip No. l and
get first choice on pacemakers, so as
to get a fine start in his final race until
after the war is over. 1t will be re-
membered that last summer Carman
posted a forfeit of $1,000 that he could
defeat any other rider in the world
providing he had peerless Jimmy Hunter
to pace him.
More than 5000 spectators had gath
cred at the drome last night to wit
ness the race. The riders were be-
ginning to tune up Those who COM
pete in the championship race ere
Percy Lawrence. the present champion
Clarence Carman, the 1915 and 1911
titleholder; Mendus Bedell, Elmer Col
Inns and veteran. George Wiley.