The New York herald., 1922-03-05

MISHAPS FEATURE
BIKE SPRINT RACES
Amateur Whcelmen Badly
Hurt in Spills in Champion
ships at Garden.

Before the usual vociferous yel-at-
anything throrc. the time honored ar-
petizer to a six day grind was held at
Madison Square Garden last night. IL
consisted Of national and international
sprint championship races and team
races with some handicap and amateur
events TO round out the program. The
damp weather did not reduce the Gus
tcfnary attendance 10 any extent. II
anything. l. served to swell il 10 greater
proportions. FOR the event offered the
cycle fans and other fans an opportun-
ity n get in out OF .he wet and be en-
terta ined.
The throng did not have to wait long
for sensations In the very first event.
the half mile amateur handicap. which
was run in half a dozen heats. one spill
followed on the heels Of another. Bikes
being twisted into shapeless masses and
riders being flung so forcibly from the
steeds that they were badly hurt. In
several instances the riders crashed into
the upper railing and went hurting
down the incline. just barely being
missed by the riders in back of them.
Two Of the amateurs were carried in
semi-conscious condition from the track
following the worst jam of all in the
final heat. Paul Ottofaro of Brooklyn
was the worst sufferer. He was jammed
up to the top of the west end of the
track and he went hurtling into post
that cut a deep cash in his head. Otto
faro fell limp 10 the bottom Of the track.
He was fortunate TO have escaped with
his life. Howard Brant of Irvington.
~ J.. was another badly shaken up and
bruised rider.
DR.. Parker of Bellevue Hospital. who
was called. said Ottofaro's Injuries in
cludcd fractured jaw, possible frac-
ture of the skull and severe lacerauons.
Ottofaro was taken to the hospital,
where his condition was said to be
serious.
Eaton In straight Heats.
Ray Eaton OF Newark triumphed in
straight heats in the first of the match
races completed He had a bit too
much speed for Walter Rutt of Ger
many and Frank l.. Kramer the vet
eran East Oranga pro. and won poth
heats by narrow but sufficient mar
gin In both heats the men iockeyed
nearly three-fourths Of the way.
Each time Eaton chose the right time
10 make his bid and in the last two
laps went earring ground the saucer
in the lead. Rutt gave him quite j
battle. The German was compelled TO
race around the outside of the track.
vet ne mace up considerable lost ground
in tn final desperate dash and almost
caught Eaton at the finish line. Both
heats were almost identical and wee
raced in almost the same time, 2:43 -
ana 2:i3 2-5. Kramer was a good third
each time
Two Brooklyn riders. Tom Bello and
Laurence Gaffncy. finished first and
second in the final of the one mile pro-
fessional handicap Each had sixty
yard allowance
Willie IIanley OF San Francisco had
TOO much in reserve for the rest of the
field in the five mile open professional
event in which a lars field circled the
( track. During the greater part OF the
race Hanley contented himself with
sixth position or thereabou while
Fred Taylor of Newark. Jacob Ma gin
OF Iryington and Peter Drobach of Bos-
ton took turns at citing the pace. so
il went practically until the last quar-
ter OF q mile when Hanley. making his
bid. shot to the front easily and then
held off all of his challengers the resi-
of the way. Taylor was second and
Laurence Gaffney Of Brooklyn third.
| Megin was fourth.