George Tantau
Clubs
But oh, how the mighty fell on the eighth relay. When Chapman handed the Olympic packet to George Tantau at the end of the seventh, it was with a lead of three minutes. When the latter passed it to J. E. Edwards of the ninth the Garden Citys and Acmes had gone by him a minute ahead, and he had lost four minutes for his club and practically the race. It was this which held Edwards back and then Foster, and the latter's mishap at the finish could not possibly have occurred had he had these priceless four minutes as a lead.
There is no excuse for Tantau. He should, perhaps, have not been honored with a place on the Olympic team. After his fine showing and successful riding at the Pavilion indoor tournament in March, he took a pleasure trip to Los Angeles, and only returned to the City Friday. He was in no condition for a bicycle race, let alone an important place on the Olympic relay team, and all the men but two who rode the eighth relay beat him from one to four minutes.
EIGHTH RELAY.
Position
at
finish.Rider. Club. Time. Actual
Riding
Time.1 E. W. Decker Acme 12:44:23 27:23 2 Julius Smith Garden C 12:44:23 27:33 3 George Tantau Olympic 12:45:18 31:18 4 T. A. Griffiths Bay City 12:47:13 30:08 5 H. Caloway San Jose 12:50:40 30:15 6 Percy Deacon Reliance 12:51:35 29:35 7 H. A. Friedlander San Fran 12:53:13 29:50 8 L. P. Olson California 12:55:40 30:15 9 B. D. Blakeslee Imperial 12:55:53 33:33 10 A. W. Morgenstern Alameda 1:10:28 35:58 Fastest time - 1894, 36:46; 1895, 31:33.
