CHAPTER XXV WINNING THREE FIRSTS IN ONE MEET AT PEORIA, ILLINOIS
After a week’s serious training at the Charles River Park track, following my appearance at Worcester, 1 participated in a one-mile open event at Taunton, Mass., on September 20. Although this was not a championship meet the prize money was very attractive and a galaxy of star riders was attracted to the event. After the race, which was marked by roughhouse tactics on the part of my opponents, despite which I won, I immediately entered all of the events scheduled for the Peoria, Illinois track to mark the close of the racing season. In fact, I participated in the Taunton events simply to keep in shape for this Peoria program, which was one of the biggest of the entire year.
The Peoria races were scheduled to be held on October 12, which was three weeks removed from the Taunton meet. As I was in top-notch physical condition for the Taunton event my most difficult problem as I pointed for the Peoria program, was to keep from training down too fine. I was especially anxious to be at my best for the meet in Peoria, as I was desirous of closing the season in a blaze of color. I was just as careful about my training and diet for those races as I had been for the world’s championship events at Montreal, two months previous. The last time I appeared in Peoria was as a contestant in a race for boys under 16. I was 14 years old at the time and finished in third place on that famous fast and beautiful dirt track. Now after a period of careful training, struggle and perseverance, covering seven years I returned to perform on the same track. I received a splendid ovation as I took my place at the starting line for the first race. It reminded me of the reception accorded me when I stepped on to the track as a boy several years before.
On that Peoria track as a boy of 14 I got my first glimpse of the great stars of the bicycle track. As I waited for the boys’ race on that occasion, I saw several champions deposed in thrilling finishes down that wonderful home stretch. I marveled at the cheering of the thousands of people in the grandstand as those mighty stars whirled around that famous half-mile dirt track. Little did I imagine that I would ever set foot on that track again, let alone ride there as the World’s Champion Professional sprinter.
No doubt there were hundreds in the stand that day who had seen me bolting my weary way around that same track as a boy. Imagine their surprise when I was announced as the world’s professional sprinter champion, champion American sprinter and the holder of the
