A 100 years ago today, the Prince Regent of China issued an edict declaring that the people needed a 5 year period of education before any elections could be held. I the USA, the House of Representatives were in rebellion against the speaker, Joseph Gurney Cannon. Meanwhile the Philadelphians declared that they had found a tablet dated to 2100 BCE, containing an account of the deluges—and at the same time Barney Oldfield set at new land speed record driving a car at 211,98 km/h in Daytona. At a meeting in Petrograd, the Russians and the Austro-Hungarians agreed to resume full diplomatic relation, but few paid any attention to this in Diggers’ Rest not far from Melbourne, Australia, where Harry Houdini demonstrated aviation to an astonished audience as one of the first in the country.
At Hamar, the organisers of the traditional Spring Races had had little success in luring the top skaters to their meet. Just after the World Championship in Helsingfors they had invited Strunnikov telegraphically, but his polite refusal came just as promptly. Now the day had dawned, and there was no sign of the Kristania skaters who had been entered for the meet. The indignation was unspeakable. Sæterhaug, the only top man present, had only a few local skaters as opponents in today’s 5000m, skated under suboptimal conditions. After just two pairs it was all over for the day, and the few spectators having bothered to come could only trundle back home again.
5000m:
1.Martin Sæterhaug 9.36,0 2.Fredrik Jensen 10.06,8 3.Johan Johansen 10.11,2 Otto Monsen f,dnf
And now for today’s commercial break: