CHARLIE DENNY AND THE 1908 OLYMPIC GAMES. 

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At the Olympic games held at the Stadium, the honour of the Clarion Clubs has been well maintained by Charles A. Denny, of the South London Clarion C.C., who, on Saturday, finished second in the 100 kilometres race. "Charlie", as we all call him, was practically born in the club, his father having founded the South London section in 1895. At that time Charlie was quite a small boy, and one of the juvenile band. Now he is a fine, handsome young man of 22, fire feet seven in height, and weighing in racing costume ten stone six. Be is a typical athlete, and is practically a vegetarian and a nonsmoker. 

 

With him work stands first, cycling second. At his trade as a joiner, he has met with excellent success, winning at the Technical Schools and exhibitions many certificates in science and other subjects, the most prominent of which are 1st prize, presented by the Worshipful Company of Carpenters, open to apprentices in the United Kingdom, 1908, and first prize for the best specimen of student's work open to the County of Surrey, 1907. 

 

Up to last year he had 62 prizes to his credit, all on grass tracks, including the quarter mile record made at Leyton, which he still holds. This success he followed shortly afterwards at Bath, winning three heats, and in the five mile scratch race for the City of Bath Jubilee Gold Plate, value 100 guineas, finished second to Anderson, beating such well-known men as Kingsbury , and Payne. Hie prizes for last year include ten firsts, fire seconds, seven thirds, and seven paters for laps fastest heats, etc. 

 

Owing to his Technical School studies during the winter, he was somewhat late this year in getting into his stride, but new that he is "fit " has been able to give a good account of himself.

 

On Good Friday, at Herne Hill, in the ten mile scratch race for the Penrose Cup, he finished third, the winner being the great Meredith. On Whit-Monday he again finished third in the half mile scratch race at Leatherhead, and at Bath, on June 8, third in the five mile scratch race. A few weeks later at the "Three P's" meeting it the Stadium, he won the first lap prize in the five mile scratch race. A little later at Camberley, from virtual scratch, in the three miles, he finished third, and has since eclipsed this at Ravensbourne in the five miles scratch race, where S. F. Bailey cut out the pace for four miles, when Charlie rushed to the front, and never being challenged won very easily by 100 yards. On Wednesday last he put his name on the Woodbury Cup, in the two miles scratch race, beating such well-known riders as Spackinan and Buckling. 

 

Thursday saw him representing England at the Great Stadium in the 100 kilometres race (about 62 miles), and although he was brought down by an accident got into the final as the leader for the greatest number of laps. Great things were expected of him for the final on Saturday, which was run in a deluge of rain. Charlie was now competing against the world's champions. Meredith was fully expected to be the winner, but for miles and miles Denny was leading, and eventually Meredith punctured, losing a lap, witich he found impossible to make up, and retired. Charlie, who was by this time covered from head to foot in mud, looked the possible winner, when he punctured. Nothing daunted, he got a spare machine (strange to him), and although a third of a lap behind put on a wonderful effort and caught the field. Lapise, of France, was now leading, but Denny, accompanied by Bartlett (also representing England), never let him get away.

 

When the bell rang for the last lap it was a struggle for first place between England and France. Denny cut out a fast pace, got a big lead, and looked all out the winner when Bartlett sprinted away beating our man by two cycle lengths. Lapin was third and Pett fourth. Time, 2 hours 41 minutes 48 3-5 seconds. Had Denny saved his sprint  few seconds lie would now have been the world's champion, and though he was beaten by a few feet, he rode one of the grandest nuns at the Olympic Games. We of the Clarion Club offer him our congratulations, and feel proud to count such a fine athlete amongst our members. The small silver medal, only of the value of .a few shillings, is more to Charlie than all his previous successes. Bravo ! well done, Charlie.*

 

* Clarion Newspaper - Friday 24 July 1908

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Another London Clarionette who has been moving things in the cycling world is Charlie Denny, of the South London Club. Denny's performances at the Olympic Sports were useful contributions to the efforts of the British section of cyclists, and quite recently he has, at Herne Hill, won the 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21 miles world's records. He won these in the paced hour race, though the pacing in his case seems to have been somewhat of a misnomer, for his pacers could not get on fast enough for him. This was probably due to the fact that Denny could only get the assistance of two pacing tandems, while another competitor in the same race had twenty-one tandems at his disposal. This is the worst of pace races. Areal good man may easily lose the prize or the record for lack of proper pacing, and the proper pacing may be lacking for lack of influence and other things.*

 

* Clarion Newspaper - Friday 30 October 1908

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