Page:The fastest bicycle rider in the world - 1928 - Taylor.djvu/106

 No sooner had repairs been made to my pacing machine than I went after the one-mile record again. A Chicago newspaper gave the following account of my second attack on McDuffee’s record:

“Major Taylor fails again. Pacing Machine gives out before Half the Distance is Covered. Plucky Colored Boy will go out after Mark once more. After six unsuccessful attempts to lower the one-mile world’s record at the Ravenwood Park (Ill.) track yesterday, Major Taylor shifted his affections to the Garfield Park track (Ill.) which is a half-mile cement surface. His manager, “Birdie” Munger, thought that the fewer turns on the half-mile track might possibly benefit the pacing machine. However, this made no difference and Taylor failed again. Everybody who has seen Major Taylor in action declares that the colored rider is capable of sticking to almost any kind of pace, for even when the machine Is going at its very best he keeps up to it with the greatest ease. Both Munger and Taylor are anxious to get the job off their hands, so the machine may be sent east where some alterations are to be made in its construction. Major Taylor will join the circuit chasers as soon as possible and try to get in shape for the Montreal World’s Championship Meet.”

A few days later, August 3, 1899, to be exact, I made my third and successful attempt to establish a new world’s record for the one-mile motor-paced event. Again I quote from the above mentioned Chicago newspaper:

“Major Taylor’s Fast Ride breaks One-mile World’s Record. Made Mile in extraordinary Time of 1:22 2/5. Major Taylor today at Garfield Park clipped 5 3/5 seconds from the record made by Eddie McDuffee last Saturday at New Bedford, Mass. The steam pacing machine was taken to the track early this afternoon and in a couple of trials it worked admirably. Then it went wrong again and the crowd prepared to leave, but at six-thirty the officials announced the machine was repaired and that Major Taylor would make another attempt at once.

“Taylor was sent around the track for a preliminary warming up behind a triplet team steered by Jimmie Bowler. Major rode a fast mile behind the triplet, then the motor picked up the colored rider with him sticking to the rear wheel.

“The speed was gradually increased until the three-quarter mark was reached when Munger, who was operating the steam pacer, turned her wide open. The jump was made so quickly that for a moment Taylor dropped back and when the machine and rider crossed the starting line he was a yard behind it. With a final great effort he shoved his front wheel up close to the rear wheel of the big motor a few seconds after the officials’ watches had been snapped. The eye