Harper's Round Table, June 25, 1895 Part 8

A pleasing feature of the bicycle races was the absence of accidents.

There was not a single spill, and every man rode for all he was worth.

New men took the points; and that is a good thing. Both Freyberg and Druett broke the tape ahead of record time in the second heat, but in the finals they ran four seconds behind. The final heat, although not the fastest, was the most interesting. Six men started, and for the first quarter Freyberg held the lead. Then he was pa.s.sed by Boardman and Cunningham, who set the pace for a lap, after which the W.H.-S. rider pushed ahead, and left every one behind. The finish spurt was good, but it was evident that every rider was tired from the effects of the trial heats. It would be well next year to follow the plan adopted by the Inter-collegiate a.s.sociation of having the preliminary heats on the previous day.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A. H. HINE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: E. G. HOLT.]

None of the field events were particularly interesting, except the pole vault, in which Johnson of Worcester Academy broke Hoyt's record by a quarter of an inch. The high jumpers only reached 5 ft. 7-1/2 in., where Holt, R.L.S., and Ferguson, E.H.-S., tied for first place. Mills of Somerville High came in as an unknown quant.i.ty, and took the broad jump with a leap of 20 ft. 3 in. Andover's strong men were Holt and Hine. At the dual games at Worcester, Holt did giant's work, but at the Interscholastics he only took one first, in the shot, defeating O'Brien, whom many had looked upon as a sure winner, and a place with the hammer.

Hine's hurdling was most graceful, and both races were exciting. In the high finals the racers kept well abreast for thirty yards; then Hine forged slowly ahead, but was overtaken by Ferguson, whom he beat home by a few feet only. The low hurdles were even more thrilling. Fuller led at the start, but was caught by Hine at the fourth hurdle. Then it was jump and jump for twenty-five or thirty yards; but Hine had better form, and came in several feet ahead. The day was most satisfactory from the point of view of sport, and every performance of the New-Englanders made me wish they might meet the New York school athletes on an open track and a level field. What a contest that would be! No effort should be spared to bring it about, and the only way to do it is to form one large all-embracing Interscholastic a.s.sociation.

One correspondent urges Hartford as the most suitable place for the meeting. He believes it would be preferable to New Haven for many reasons, one of which is that the Yale field track is only a quarter of a mile around, whereas the track at the Charter Oak Park is a mile in circ.u.mference and sixty feet wide. It is a question whether, for the purposes of an Interscholastic meet of this kind, a mile track would be as good as a lesser one. The time made might be faster if the road-bed were in good condition, but the spectators would not enjoy the races so much as if the runners pa.s.sed the grand stand a number of times; and the men themselves would find greater difficulty in gauging their speed, most of them being accustomed to four or five lap tracks. A better argument in favor of Hartford is that three railroads centre there.

Of the school athletes who took part in the New York A.C. games at Travers Island, several secured places. Baltazzi won first in the high jump, clearing 5 ft. 10-1/4 in. Fisher went into the 100 and the 220, but was distanced, and Powell got a tumble in the bicycle race. Whether it was his own fault, I cannot say; but there are very few races he has ridden in this year where he has been able to keep in his saddle all the way around the course. He retained his seat in the Interscholastics and won. W. T. Laing came down from Andover, and entered the mile with Conneff and Orton. He had 40 yards handicap, and came in second, with Orton behind him. Orton, however, was pretty well f.a.gged out from the effects of his half-mile race with Walsh. F. W. Phillips, of Bryant and Stratton's, had a handicap of 6 inches in the pole vault, and by making an actual leap of 10 ft. 3 in., secured first, over Baxter at scratch, who cleared 10 ft. 6 in.

Some creditable performances were made at the field meeting of the Pittsburg Interscholastic A.A., which was held at the Pittsburg Athletic Club Park last week. Only four schools were represented, but the crowd was enthusiastic and the events well managed. Graff, of Shadyside Academy, did the best all-round work. He won the 100 in 10-2/5 sec., and the 220 in 24 sec., besides taking first in the hop, step, and jump (another of those acrobatic events which have been handed down from the Dark Ages), and third in the shot. If the Pittsburg H.-S. athletes had been better trained they would have made a more creditable showing, for there is good material there. As it was, they managed to score 21 points out of a possible 135. Shadyside Academy, the winner, got 51, and was followed by the Park Inst.i.tute with 44. Allegheny, the tail-ender, scored 19 points.

The championship of the Southern Connecticut Baseball League went to the Black Hall School again this year. The final game was played on June 1st, against the Norwich Free Academy. The Black Hall team suffered only one defeat out of the six games of the series--a very creditable performance, considering the numerical size and athletic strength of the other schools in the League. Their success was due to the steady work of the battery, their strong batting, and careful base-running.

THE GRADUATE.

ADVERTIs.e.m.e.nTS.

Highest of all in Leavening Power.--Latest U. S. Gov't Report.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Royal Baking Powder]

The _Interscholastic Sport_ Department of Harper's Round Table will be as full of matter interesting to its present readers during the summer months as it is now. Many will go to distant summer resorts where there may be no newsdealer. To insure the prompt receipt of the paper each week, send the accompanying coupon bearing your name and address with 50 cents for 13 weeks, or $2.00 for one year.

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[Ill.u.s.tration: If afflicted with SORE EYES USE Dr. ISAAC THOMPSON'S EYE WATER]

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Thoroughly revised, cla.s.sified, and indexed, will be sent by mail to any address on receipt of ten cents.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BICYCLING]

This Department is conducted in the interest of Bicyclers, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on the subject. Our maps and tours contain much valuable data kindly supplied from the official maps and road-books of the League of American Wheelmen.

Recognizing the value of the work being done by the L. A. W., the Editor will be pleased to furnish subscribers with membership blanks and information so far as possible.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Copyright, 1895, by Harper & Brothers.]

The map this week continues from the point, Tarrytown, reached on map published in No. 810 of the ROUND TABLE, to Poughkeepsie, a ride of over forty miles, which would be another and second stage on the route from New York to Albany. All routes of this nature must, of course, be divided by wheelmen reading this Department into sections of a length which is most suitable for their own special purposes. It is perfectly simple, for example, for a good rider to go from New York to Poughkeepsie in one day. On the other hand, for one who is unaccustomed to long distances the route shown on this map, from Tarrytown to Poughkeepsie, is a very good ride. When the series, therefore, covering a distance from New York to Albany is published, by putting the maps together each wheelman may choose how far he will go each day.

Running out of Tarrytown, the rider takes the Albany Post Road and pa.s.ses the Andre Monument (1), which he should pause to examine. After leaving this monument he will come to St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church. Here he should turn to the left and go down a long hill, thence following the turnpike, which is unmistakable, until he reaches Sing Sing, a distance of seven miles. If the wheelman takes time for it, he may turn down to the river, about a mile before reaching Sing Sing, and stop a moment to take a look at the State-prison. From Sing Sing the road to Peekskill is direct; but it is a difficult twelve-mile ride, with hills all along the way, especially just before crossing to Croton Point, again on the Point, and then all the way up to Peekskill. The road itself is sandy, and occasionally covered with loam. The riding is not very good, and the wheelman is wise if he dismounts frequently.

After leaving Croton, and when approaching Verplank Point, he can look across the river to Haverstraw, and see Treason Hill, where the meeting between Arnold and Andre took place, and the terms of the surrender of West Point were made. From Peekskill the rider runs out about half a mile to the north, then turns to the left and follows the telegraph poles to Garrison's. Immediately after crossing the bridges, on going out of Peekskill, he will notice on the left the State Camp (4). The road is sandy, and there are some bad hills over these eight miles.

If the rider has time to stop for a look at historic places, he should turn to the left after leaving the Peekskill encampment-grounds and run down to Highland Station, from whence he can see across the river the site of old Forts Clinton and Montgomery (5 and 6). Keeping on this road and running up to Garrison's along the sh.o.r.e, he will pa.s.s Beverly House, Arnold's old headquarters (7). At Garrison's is the old Phillipse Manor, and directly across the river is the United States Military Academy of West Point. The best road from this point to Wappinger's Falls is to follow the black route on the map, keeping to the right beyond Garrison's, and running on through Fishkill to Wappinger's Falls, a distance of eighteen miles.

It is possible, however, to keep to the left just beyond Garrison's, and following the fair bicycle route, keep to the sh.o.r.e of the Hudson. The road, however, is much more hilly through these highlands. By taking this route the wheelman may cross the ferry at Fishkill village to Newburg, where he may see the Washington headquarters (10), and Knox's headquarters and winter camp (11) just outside Newburg. On the road from Fishkill-on-the-Hudson to Fishkill itself he will pa.s.s the State Hospital for the Insane (12). The road from Wappinger's Falls into Poughkeepsie, a distance of eight and a quarter miles, is moderately good. The roads are easy riding, and the grades are not bad. The rider should turn to the right on leaving Wappinger's Falls, cross Wappinger's Creek, and take South Avenue direct into Poughkeepsie. On the way he pa.s.ses at the right of the Gallaudet Home for Deaf-Mutes (13), and if he cares to, after reaching Poughkeepsie, he may struggle up the Poughkeepsie Hills to take a look at Va.s.sar College (14).

NOTE.--Map of New York city asphalted streets in No. 809. Map of route from New York to Tarrytown in No. 810. New York to Stamford, Connecticut, in No. 811. New York to Staten Island in No. 812. New Jersey from Hoboken to Pine Brook in No. 813. Brooklyn in No. 814.

Brooklyn to Babylon in No. 815. Brooklyn to Northport in No. 816.

A CITY BOY'S CONCLUSION.

The cricket 'neath the old rail fence His song forever toots.

And sounds as if he's breaking in A brand-new pair of boots.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE PUDDING STICK]