Page:The fastest bicycle rider in the world - 1928 - Taylor.djvu/142



Knowing that my next appearance on the track was scheduled for Newby Oval, Indianapolis I trained hard that I might make a good showing before the people in my native city. In that event which was held on July 18, 1900, were entered most of the star riders of the country.

Racing in one’s home town is incentive enough for anyone to do his utmost to win. Imagine then my anxiety to lead the pack home in the two races in which I was entered, the two-mile handicap and the half-mile professional championship, as I realized that my father was to occupy one of the boxes at the track. It marked the first time that he had ever consented to see me race and that made me doubly desirous of giving one of my best performances in the track. My father who was a veteran of the Civil War, had as his guests on the occasion a number of his comrades in the Union Army.

Try as I might, however, I was unable to win my heat in the half-mile professional championship race. Fate was kinder to me in the two-mile handicap event and I picked my way through a big field to win first money in a most spectacular manner.

I quote as follows from an Indianapolis newspaper clipping concerning that race meet:

“Major Taylor and Owen Kimble Capture Professional Races at Newby Oval. Major Taylor is still the best of them all. Once in a while he fails to win, as instanced in the third heat of the half-mile professional championship last night, but all in all the black streak comes through first in a big majority of his races, and it matters but little who is competing against him.

“Major Taylor showed all his old time form in his race last night and made such a wonderful finish in the final of the two-mile handicap that he was cheered time and again by the immense crowd at Newby Oval. This was the greatest race of the evening. Major Taylor, Newhouse, Rutz, Maya, and Jimmie Bowler qualified for the first heat. Owen Kimble, Pease, Stone, Barney Oldfield, Stinemetz in the second heat.

“ ‘Now watch for the race between Major Taylor and Owen Kimble’ was the word that went around, and the crowd did watch for it with great excitement. For seven laps all Taylor did was keep his eyes open watching the other riders like a hawk to see that he was not pocketed. On the bell lap he was well in front of the bunch and riding on the outside. Then, quick as a flash, he shot up the