FLYING WHEELS AROUND CURVES. - OPENING NIGHT OF THE TOURNAMENT AT THE MECHANICS PAVILION - The San Francisco Call, 19 Feb 1895

FLYING WHEELS AROUND CURVES. OPENING NIGHT OF THE TOURNAMENT AT THE MECHANICS PAVILION 19 Feb 1895, Tue The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, California) Newspapers.com

This is part of a series of articles describing the construction of a track, designed by Frank D. Elwell, at the Mechanics' Pavilion near City Hall, in San Francisco, and a significant bicycle racing tournament on that track, with a big bicycle show for the public in the same pavilion.

FLYING WHEELS AROUND CURVES

OPENING NIGHT OF THE TOURNAMENT AT THE MECHANICS' PAVILION,

CYCLISTS TOOK HEADERS.

A GREAT TEN-MILE RACE WHICH WAS SHARPLY CONTESTED BETWEEN BYRNES AND ROSE.

The opening night of the bicycle tournament at the Pavilion was noticeable for the numerous spills the riders received when rounding the sharp corners of the east and west ends of the nine-lap track. Those riders who were mounted on slender machines, among which were conspicuous the Stearns and Cleveland makes, had occasion to bless their stars that they had escaped from severe injuries. The San Jose wheelmen did not at all like the appearance of the course, which they considered dangerous. In fact, when the last event was called they refused to allow Edwards, their crack rider, to take part, and as a result much of the interest attached to the event was lost, as a large number of spectators expected to see a great finish between Edwards and Ziegler.

PREPARING FOR A START.
[Sketched by a "Call" artist at the Pavilion last night.]

When the first race was called, every seat in the Pavilion was occupied, and among the wheelmen who had assembled from all parts there was considerable enthusiasm manifested as it was whispered about that some hot racing would result in the finals of the ten-mile class A, and the one-mile class B.

The first heat of the mile novice had three starters. [Frank] Fuller cut out the pace, bụt on the seventh lap he was passed by Metcalf, who looked over his shoulder to see where his opponent was. This act disqualified him, but he won the heat easily in 2:37 2-5. When the referee announced that Metcalf was disqualified the latter's friends set up a big howl. The decision was right, however.

In the second heat Ed Mauls cut out the pace and held the lead for a few laps, when George Fuller came along with an astonishing burst of speed and took the winning position, which he held to the finish, defeating his opponents handsomely in 2 min. 33 3-5 sec. Fuller is only 14 years of age and for a youngster he is rated as being an exceptionally fast rider.

For the third heat Blakely and Byrne, who had entered, failed to put in an appearance on time and their names were consequently scratched from the list. Fred L. Day, who was listed for the fourth heat, was transferred to the third heat. which he won after a good race with Buzard. He had several yards to spare when he crossed the line a winner. The time was 2 min. 36 3-5 sec.

The fourth heat opened at a rather slow gait. Decker immediately took the lead and remained ahead for five laps, when a spurt resulted. Conger gave Decker a good rub in the last two laps, and on the finish of the final his wheel was almost on a line with Decker when the latter shot past the line a winner in 2:40.

Only two starters out of the four entrants appeared for the fifth heat. Martin Joost, a little fellow that only recently got out of his waddling clothes, took a tumble in rounding the west curve on the second lap, and his opponent, Benson, rode leisurely the remaining laps without a struggle to a finish.

The next feature of sport on the programme was the one mile, class B, invitation race, with first in each heat and second in fastest heat to start in final. Edwards, Harbottle, Haley and Delmas were the contestants in the first heat. Edwards immediately cut out a hot pace, followed closely by Harbottle. On rounding the fifth lap Harbottle got a bad fall, throwing him out of the race. Delmas next dropped out, on seeing that he had no chance. The race was now between Edwards and Haley and resulted in a grand finish. Edwards won by a foot. Time, 2:34.

Second heat - Wells took the lead with Coulter close up; the latter spurted, went ahead, and a fast pace resulted. The cyclists were flying along at the speed of a railroad train, and when rounding the east curve Coulter ran into Wells, throwing the latter. Cushing, who was trailing Wells, fell over the latter's bicycle, which left Coulter alone to make the finish, which he did in 2:37.

Third heat - Foster, Ulbricht, Smith and Terrill started and the line as started was unbroken until the final lap, when Ulbricht made a wonderful spurt on the final stretch and tied Foster at the finish. It was a grand conclusion to a great race and Ulbricht was congratulated for the fine finish he had made. The time was 2:28, which was exceedingly fast.

The fourth heat, as every one expected, was won by Otto Ziegler Jr., the champion. His competitors were Oscar Osen and Fritz G. Lacey. The latter was thrown out of the race in the second lap by taking a header when crossing the western mountain. He was going at a fast clip and ran his wheel into the fence. Osen kept the lead until the right lap,when Ziegler passed him on the east curve. It was said that Ziegler had fouled Osen, but the race was given to Ziegler, however. Time 2:24.

In the final of the mile novice the starters were: F. Fuller, G. Fuller, Day, Decker and Benson. The riders started off as if they had only one lap to go, but after they had stretched out into single file Benson got a nasty spill, coming down head over heels from the top of the east curve. He remained seemingly unconscious for a few seconds, but when picked up by friends he said he felt all right, and walked to his dressing-room. Decker took the lead, and won easily, with Day second and G. Fuller finishing third. Time, 2:30 1-5.

The ten-mile class A race had as starters: G. A. Nissen, A. N. Jones, E. Malgren, F. M. Byrne, E. Chapman, M. F. Rose and S. Thieson.

Everybody expected to see some great things happen when the pistol cracked and the riders started off as if they were out for a mile spin against time.

“Why, they can't keep this pace up long; it is killing," remarked several men who were standing near the finish line.

“Pumping Up.”

On they flew, however, shooting around the curves at each end like boomerangs until Nissen, who was riding Stearns, met with a mishap. His saddle had worked out of place and the rider having become unseated he went sprawling down the bank while his bicycle went tumbling after. Jones was next to create a sensation. He was sending his machine along at a high rate of speed when he slipped a pedal and took a beautiful header off the heights, landing all in a bunch at the bottom of the mound.

Malgren of Watsonville was the next of the ten-milers to feel the sensation resulting from a slide down the bank. He got tangled up in a brush for place and quit the company rather suddenly. The last of the unfortunate contestants who fell by the wayside was Thieson, who, although riding well within himself, fell with his Cleveland, which sustained more injury than the rider.

There were now lest among the starters Byrne, Rose and Chapman to finish it out, and as pretty racing as one could wish to see resulted between those men. Byrne was determined to keep the lead, and as Rose put on a killing pace, the head man had to keep his nether limbs working to keep Rose in the rear. Spurt after spurt resulted and the spectators went wild from excitement when Rose took the lead and Byrne again shot past and held his old stand.

The Acme Club man rode a great race, no doubt, but try as best he could he was unable to defeat Byrne of the Imperial Club, who won a magnificent race in 27 minutes 33 1-5 seconds. The best indoor record for ten miles is 26 minutes, made by Starbuck, a professional rider. Chapman, who landed third, claimed a foul against Rose, whom he accused of having run into him. The foul was not allowed.

The starters in the final of the one-mile race were Coulter, Ziegler, Foster, Ulbricht and Osen. The wheelmen had not gone far when Ulbricht slipped a pedal on rounding the first turn which threw him out of the race, and shortly after Ziegler took a tumble on the west turn, which left Foster and Osen to fight it out to a finish as Coulter withdrew after having completed a few laps. Osen took the lead, and setting a hot pace, kept the first position until he crossed the line a winner in 2 min. 26 sec. Immediately after the race Ulbrecht mounted his wheel and rode the full distance, thereby getting third place.

Edwards, one of the cracks of the Garden City Cyclers of San Jose, left the track at the solicitation of his fellow-members, as they declared the course dangerous for fast racing and did not care to hazard the life of their best racer. Edwards proposes to go for records immediately after the close of this tournament, and considered it better to take no chances of injuring himself.

Those who had sustained injuries from falls were: Ziegler, hurt in the back; Cushing, bruised arms and legs; Harbottle, sprained tendons of left leg; Jones, bruised shoulder and back.

SUMMARY

One mile novice - Starters: First heat - Frank Fuller, O. C. W.; Peter Metcalf, I. C. C.; Edmond Langer, unattached. Metcalf first, Fuller second. Time, 2:37 2-5.

Second heat - George Fuller, O. C. W.; Edward Mauls, P. V. W.; Ernest C. Barley, I. C. C. Fuller first, Barley second. Time, 2:33 3-5.

Third heat - A. J. Buzard, C. R. C.; Adam Guenther, unattached; Fred L. Day, B. C. W. Day first; time, 2:36 3-5; Buzard second.

Fourth heat - Charles W. Conger, I. C. C.; Charles Mayer, C. C. C.; E. W. Decker, A. C. W. Decker first; time, 2:40; Conger second.

Fifth heat - V. A. Benson, S. J. R. C.; Martin Joost, unattached. Benson first. Time, 3:26.

Final heat - Winners: Decker, Day, Fuller.

One mile - Class B. Invitation. First heat - Wilbur J. Edwards, G. C. C.; C. C. Harbottle,

R. C. W.; W. H. Haley, O. C. W.; Tony Delmas, G. C. C. Edwards first. Time, 2:34. Haley second. Time, 2:34 1-5.

Second heat - C. R. Coulter, O. C. W.; C. L. Davis, G. C. C.; C. S. Wells, B. C. W.; Russell Cushing, G. C. C. Coulter first. Time, 2:37.

Third heat - Walter F. Foster, O. C. C.; Emil Ulbricht, B. C. W.; Henry Smith, G.C.C.; W. A. Terrill, B. C. W. Dead heat between Foster and Ulbricht. Time, 2:28.

Fourth heat - Otto Ziegler Jr., S. J. R. C.; Fritz G. Lacey, L. A. A. C.; Oscar Osen, G. C. C. Ziegler first, Osen second. Time, 2:24.

Ten miles, class A club - Entries: G. A. Nissen, B. C. W.; A. N. Jones, G. C. C.; Emil Malgren, P. V. W.; Frank M. Byrne, I. C. C.; Ed Chapman, O. C. W.; M. F. Rose, A. C. W.; S. Thieson, C. C. C. Byrne first, Rose second.

The following are the handicaps for tonight's racing:

Two-mile, class B, handicap - Ziegler scratch, Edwards scratch, Harbottle scratch, Foster scratch, Coulter scratch, Osen scratch, Ulbricht scratch, C. S. Wells 60 yards, W. A. Terrill 60, C. L. Davis 60, H. Smith 90, F. G. Lacey 100, T. Delmas 100, W. H. Haley 100, R. Cushing 120, H. H. Dilges 150, A. C. Pillsbury 175.

One-half mile, class A, handicap - G. A. Nissen, A. N. Jones, E. Chapman, J. H. Dieckman, F. McFarland, M. F. Rose, F. M. Byrne, scratch; B. Menne 15 yards, V. A. Benson 15, E. Languetin 20, W. B. Fawcett 25, S. B. Vincent 30, W. T. Hobson 30, F. Fuller 25, George Fuller 30, P. Metcalf 25, F. L. Day 30, C. F. Lemmon 35, H. A. Goddard 35, O. L. Pickard 25, E. W. Decker 35, F. G. Dieckman 40, W. C. Howe 40, C. W. Conger 40, H. V. Ready 45, E. C. Barley 45, E. Mauls 50, A. Thiesen 50, W. L. Thompson 60, E. S. Battles 60, A. A. Agnew 60, A. Gunther 60, W. T. Blakeley 60.