owes a duty to the spectators of announcing the results of that
scoring through the varying fortunes of the race. This is generally
done by means of a large blackboard, whereon the names and scores of
the leaders are chalked up, so that every one can see them; but where
the competitors are numerous this will not serve for all, and another
method is taken at the scoring stand where each man has his name on a
placard two feet long, underneath which are placed two more placards
one bearing the word "miles," the other the word "laps." Before each
of these is a vacancy where a number can be hung, and each name has
a man to attend to it, whose duty is to move the "mile" and "lap"
numbers as they change. In the last match dials with pointers were
substituted for the cards, with the advantage of increased simplicity.
So much for six-day professional matches, which are the best managed
as a rule. Something remains to be said about amateur walks and runs,
because they are subject to much mismanagement. The New York Athletic
Club is in fact almost the only organization in the metropolis that
gives thoroughly enjoyable entertainments, because they are properly
managed.
The reason of the trouble at most amateur matches is that the
competitors are not kept in proper discipline, but are allowed to run
over the management, violate rules, interfere, argue, protest and
grumble, till the managers lose their heads in the confusion. The
first thing for the managers of an athletic meeting to do is to make
a set of rules that will cover all conceivable cases, and then to
stick to them, and no better example of such rules can be given than
those of the New York Athletic Club, which will be found in a later
chapter.
The troubles generally arise in questions of time and precedence
among a large number of walkers, for it is in square walking contests
that the dispute generally occurs. There may be fifty or more men at
the scratch and all or most have walked fairly enough till near the
finish, when they have tried on their most knowing tricks to cover
up a run and get in first. It is here that the experience and temper
of the judges are most severely tried. They may have to rule out
as many as three or four men and give the first prize to a man who
crosses the score third or fourth, and this is a difficult thing to
do without appearing unjust.
The competitors in such matches must always wear numbers to save
confusion, and the scorers and timers have less work than in a
six-day race.
"Timing" a man _correctly_ requires two men; one to hold the watch
with his thumb ready on the stop looking at nothing else; the other
to watch the man and call out "stop" as he crosses the line. No
man can do timing single-handed. He is sure to make mistakes from
disturbance of mind on account of divided attention.
For the convenience of those without practical experience in
conducting athletic meetings we print an additional chapter
containing the most approved rules, to which we refer the reader.
RECORDS OF PEDESTRIANISM.
The first reliable record that we have of modern pedestrianism bears
the name of Captain Robert Barclay. Of course there had been walkers
before his time; but he was the first to bring walking, as a means
of locomotion, into general notice. The first public match of this
remarkable man took place in 1806, when he is said to have walked
from Ury to Craithynaird, Scotland, and return, a distance of 100
miles, in 19 hours. Three years later, we find his most notable
record. During the interval he had taken the name of Allardice in
addition to his own, and is described on the records, as Captain
Robert Barclay Allardice, who made a match of two thousand guineas
at Newmarket, England, that he could walk 1,000 miles in 1,000
consecutive hours, and did it, too. This was the first of these
endurance matches publicly attempted, and was walked in the open air
on the high road, where two inns were found, just a mile apart, near
the town of Newcastle. Captain Barclay favored himself in this match
by walking a mile at the end of one hour and going on with the next
mile at the beginning of the succeeding hour, thus giving himself an
hour and a half clear sleep or rest between each two miles. He won
his bet, beginning June 1st, and ending July 12th, 1809.
This feat remained unexcelled till 1877, when William Gale beat it
all to pieces. Starting on August 26th of that year, and ending
October 6th, he succeeded in walking 1,500 miles in 1,000 hours, a
mile and a half each hour, commencing on the stroke of the hour. This
feat was done at Lillie Bridge, England, and was followed in November
of the same year by 4,000 quarter miles done in 4,000 consecutive
periods of ten minutes each. This Gale was the same person who
trained Madam Anderson to bring the quarter-mile match to the United
States; and that lady made a great monetary success out of it, though
her feats were not remarkable, save as being executed by a woman.
The first flutter of interest in pedestrianism excited in the United
States, was when E. P. Weston started, Oct. 29, 1867 to walk from
Portland, Maine, to Chicago, Illinois, which he reached November
28th, (Thanksgiving Day) having successfully accomplished the task he
set himself.
Up to that time, while there had been some races, where good runners
had contested, walking was at a discount in the United States; but
from the date of Weston's feat, pedestrianism became a fashionable
amusement, and rich club-men were found who would walk matches on
foot, instead of lolling in carriages, or trotting their horses.
The professionals during that time had been chiefly confined to
England, where the best records had been made.
The best 100-yard sprinter of his day was George Seward, of
Hammersmith, England, who made the amazing time of 9 1-4 seconds,
Sept. 30, 1844, and did 120 yards in 11 1-4 seconds, May 3, 1847.
These records have not yet been beaten.
The other early records that are still unexcelled are those of W. G.
Scarlet, Newcastle, England, Sept. 7, 1841, who ran 140 yards in 14
seconds; Charles Westhall, Manchester, England, Feb. 4, 1851, who did
150 yards in 15 seconds, and Seward's unapproachable record of 200
yards in 19 1-2 seconds, made March 22, 1847.
Seward was one of the very few men who could keep up the rate of ten
yards a second for a distance over a hundred yards.
Since his day, records of all other distances have improved greatly.
The best 125-yard record is American; that of J. W. Cozad, made Nov.
23, 1868, at Long Island Fashion Course, in 12 1-2 seconds. The year
before, William Johnson, at Fenham Park, England, did 130 yards in
1-4 second less time.
The best 180-yard record is 18 1-5 seconds, made April 27, 1878, by
L. Junker, at London. Junker was an amateur, and his performance is
below that of Seward before referred to, not quite reaching 10 yards
a second, while Seward beat that average.
The best furlong records are made by amateurs in the same year; W.
Phillips doing the distance in 22 2-5 seconds, in London, England,
Sept. 28, 1878; and L. E. Myers at Mott Haven, N. Y., making it in 22
3-4 seconds, Sept. 20, 1879.
Beyond a furlong, no man has yet succeeded in keeping up the rate of
ten yards a second, the nearest approach being that of R. Buttery,
Newcastle, England, Oct. 4, 1873. This runner did a quarter of a
mile--440 yards--in 48 1-4 seconds, beating the best English record
by two seconds and the best American by four seconds.
The best half-mile record was made in New Zealand by Frank Hewitt, of
Lyttleton, in September, 1871, in 113 1-2 seconds, beating the best
English records by four and the best American by ten seconds.
The best mile record was made in a dead heat between Richards and
Lang, at Manchester, England, August 19, 1865, in 4 minutes 17
1-4 seconds; seven seconds better than had ever been done before.
Lang had previously made two miles in 9m. 11 1-2s., in Manchester,
England, August 1, 1863.
The best records from three to seven miles inclusive were all made by
John White, at London, May 11, 1863. They were as follows: 3 miles
in 14m. 36s.; 4 miles in 19m. 36s.; 5 miles in 24m. 40s.; 6 miles in
29m. 50s.; and 7 miles in 34m. 45s.
The best records for eight and nine miles were made June 1, 1852, by
James Howitt, of London. He ran 8 miles in 40m. 20s., and 9 in 45m.
21s. This same Howitt, next year, March 20, 1852, ran 13 miles in
70m. 31s.; 14 miles in 76m. 12s.; 15 miles in 82m.; and 16 miles in
88m. 6s.
The best times for 10, 11 and 12 miles are 51m. 26s.; 56m. 52s.; and
62m. 2s.; all made by L. Bennett (_alias_ Deerfoot) at London, April
3, 1863.
From 17 to 19 miles George Hazael is the champion, having done 17
miles in 1h. 38m. 53s.; 18 miles in 1h. 45m. and 19 miles in 1h. 51m.
14s. Hazael also made the best 20-mile record up to 1879, when his
time was beaten by P. Byrnes at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Oct. 4. Byrnes
ran 20 miles in 1h. 54m.--three minutes less than Hazael's best time.
Beyond twenty miles the running records are scanty and not remarkable.
The best records of walking are credited to William Perkins, the
present English champion, as far as 22 miles. This Perkins is as
remarkable in his specialty as was Seward in his sprinting, easily
passing all competitors. He made his first great effort in London,
June 1, 1874, when he left the best on record up to eight miles.
He did his first mile in 6m. 23s.; the second in 13m. 30s.; the third
in 20m. 47s.; the fourth in 28m. 59s.; the fifth in 36m. 32s.; the
sixth in 44m. 24s.; the seventh in 51m. 51s.; the eighth in 59m. 5s.;
thus making over eight miles an hour.
Three years later he beat his own record July 16, 1877, and placed
his name at the top of the list all the way up to 22 miles. The
records were as follows:
Ninth mile, 1h. 8m. 7 2-5s.; tenth mile, 1h. 15m. 57s.; eleventh
mile, 1h. 23m. 49s.; twelfth mile, 1h. 31m. 42 2-5s.; thirteenth
mile, 1h. 39m. 42 1-2s.; fourteenth mile, 1h. 47m. 53s.; fifteenth
mile, 1h. 56m. 13s.; sixteenth mile, 2h. 4m. 35 1-5s.; seventeenth
mile, 2h. 13m. 11 2-5s.; eighteenth mile, 2h. 21m. 55s.; nineteenth
mile, 2h. 30m. 45s.; twentieth mile, 2h. 39m. 57s.; twenty-first
mile, 2h. 49m. 18s.; twenty-second mile, 2h. 58m. 52s.
The best records from thence to twenty-five miles Perkins did not
beat. He had done the greatest distance on record in three hours and
the miles above twenty-two remained credited to John Smith of London,
sixteen years before. This pedestrian Nov. 10, 1851, finished his
twenty-third mile in 3h. 20m. 39s.; his twenty-fourth in 3h. 30m.
58s.; and his twenty-fifth in 3h. 42m. 16s.
The difference between him and Perkins is shown in the difference of
time between the 22 and 23 miles, which is 21m. 47s., whereas the
average of each of Perkins's miles was 8m. 6 3-5s.
From twenty-five up to fifty miles the best walking time on record
is credited to William Howes, who on March 30, 1868, made 26 miles
in 3h. 54m. 18s., 23 minutes ahead of all others before or since.
He made a record of 50 miles in 7h. 57m. 44 seconds. We omit the
intermediate times as unimportant; but the average of each mile was
8m. 26s. From thence to 77 miles Daniel O'Leary takes the palm, his
76th mile having been accomplished in 13h. 37m. 26s. at Chicago,
Illinois, Nov. 10, 1877.
Beyond that distance, Howes again takes the lead, with the best
records up to 129 miles, made Feb. 22 and 23, 1878, at London.
O'Leary made the best American records up to 100 miles in his Chicago
walk. Howes's record for 77 miles is 13 hours, 56 minutes and 5
seconds; while his 129th mile was walked in 24 hours 20 minutes and
30 seconds.
From thence to 173 miles Henry Vaughan takes the lead at square
walking, having accomplished that distance in 38 hours, 28 minutes
and 13 seconds.
Beyond this point Daniel O'Leary comes again to the front, in his
matches with Weston at Agricultural Hall, London, and with Crossland
at Manchester, both in 1877. His time for 174 miles was 39 hours, 5
minutes, 48 seconds, and from thence to 241 miles he made the best
walking time on record, the last distance being accomplished in 58
hours, 48 minutes, 37 seconds.
Peter Crossland then passed him and led for 46 miles, making 287
miles in 69 hours, 22 minutes, 22 seconds.
From this point upward Daniel O'Leary still remains the king of the
square walkers, having accomplished 519 miles in 141 hours, 6 minutes
and 10 seconds.
The longest distance ever walked without a rest is 120 miles, done by
Crossland Sept. 11, 12, 1876.
Our own Harriman did 160 miles with only 17 minutes rest in New York,
May 10, 1878.
Howes leads the record for one-day walks with 127 miles, and O'Leary
tops all the rest up to six days.
Perkins leads the records for one, two and three hours.
Since these records, the "go-as-you-please" race has been introduced,
where walking and running are used _ad libitum_, and the distances
gone in given times has steadily risen. George Hazael leads the
record with 133 miles in 24 hours, not likely ever to be beaten, and
Frank Hart has passed them all, by running 565 miles in six days.
The general excellence of records in these matches steadily improves,
and where there were only two men in the first match who made 500
miles or over--Vaughan and O'Leary--we have lately seen no less than
eight men beat 500 miles out of a field of sixty starters, and nine
men beat 450 miles in the same time.
The total distance made by O'Leary when he won the first match of
this sort was 520 miles and a fraction, most of it walked, but since
then the runners have passed him beginning with Corkey, who made
a fraction of a mile more in less time. Then Blower Brown did 542
miles, and people called him a marvel, till a few weeks later Weston
ran 550 miles in the same time. Since that, the limit has been passed
by Brown, in the last English match, where he made 553 miles, and by
Hart as above. Rowell, the luckiest of lucky pedestrians, who has
made an independent fortune out of his two muscular legs, has not
had to make any very remarkable records to win the $40,000 that he
carried away from Madison Square Garden. He won his first race by 500
miles and his second by a nominal 530, which proved to be only 523
on account of a short track. An overrated man; his successes have
arisen from the fact that he has always taken better men than himself
at a disadvantage in point of condition, and so has won an easy
victory. Before he can be rated as the foremost pedestrian, he will
have to beat Hart's best record.
This brief sketch of the records of pedestrianism is given to furnish
our readers with a standard of comparison by which to estimate the
value of their own performances, and a short abstract of the shorter
distances will be found convenient for use.
ABSTRACT.
Ten yards per second has been done by sprinters up to 220 yards.
A mile has been run in 4m. 17s.
Ten miles has been run in 51m. 20s.
Twenty miles in 1h. 57m. 27s.
A mile has been walked in 6m. 23s., but only once, by the same man
who walked 8 1-11 miles in one hour, 15 1-2 miles in two hours, 22
1-4 miles in three hours.
These records should be kept in the memory as convenient, so that the
amateur may gauge his own powers correctly by the best professional
work.
JUMPING AND POLE-LEAPING.
The sport of Jumping is one of those most beneficial to the health
and muscles of any commonly practiced. It is divided into three
branches: 1, Standing Jumps; 2, Running Jumps; 3, Pole-Leaping.
Standing jumps are either high or broad, the latter being the most
common. The secret of making a _high_ standing jump consists in
standing _sidewise_ to the bar or tape, and throwing the body over
as if vaulting with one hand, arching the back inward as much as
possible. The best standing high jumper on record is E. W. Johnson,
a Toronto man, now keeper of the Baltimore Athletic Club Gymnasium.
He jumped a bar 5 feet 3 inches high, at the Caledonian Games, at
Baltimore, May 27, 1878. This beats the best English records 5
inches. In jumping, Johnson leaves the ground with the right foot
first, as in the cut on next page, which shows the direction in which
his feet go over the bar. The cut also shows the common leaping-bar
and standards furnished with holes three inches apart, in which pegs
are stuck to support the bar on the side opposite the jumper. If he
strikes it by accident it falls without hurting him, being merely a
light strip of pine scantling.
The standing broad jump is made straight forward into a piece of
soft earth which has been dug up for the purpose. It is made with
or without weights in the hands, and depends on the strength of the
thigh and calf of the jumper, and on long practice.
[Illustration: STANDING HIGH JUMP.]
The best standing jump on record was made by James Emerick, Oil City,
Pa., Sept. 19, 1878. It was 13 feet 10 inches, with weights; besides
which, 13 feet 7 inches have been done by an English professional,
and 12 feet 2 1-2 inches by a California amateur.
There is but little to say about the standing broad jump except that
practice makes perfect.
Running jumps are also high and broad. The high jump is made over the
bar figured in last chapter, but in a different manner. We have seen
Johnson try to go over it sidewise, as in his standing jump, but not
with enough success to justify his method. The running high jump then
must be made square to the bar, beginning with a slow run, quickened
in the last twenty steps, till both feet spurn the ground with their
utmost force and the leaper goes over the bar. Here, also, there is
very little to be said as to proper or improper methods of leaping.
Instinct teaches the right way for a high leap better than anything
else, and nothing but constant practice will strengthen the muscles
to enable the leaper to make a good record.
The best high jump on record was made by an English amateur, M. J.
Brooks, an Oxford student, April 7, 1876. He topped a bar 6 feet
2 1-2 inches, passing the best English professionals by 3 inches
and Johnson by 4 inches. The best American amateur jump was made
by a Columbia student, Conover, in 1878, and is only 5 feet 6 3-4
inches--not much compared with the English record.
The running broad jump is made with or without a spring board,
the only official records being those made without the board, and
off level ground. The best on record is English, or rather Irish,
amateur, John Lane, of the Dublin University Athletic Club, having
made 23 feet 1 1-2 inches, June 10, 1874. The best American records
are nearly two feet behind this performance.
Pole-leaping is either high or broad, and in either case is a very
valuable accomplishment to acquire. With a pole, a practiced athlete
can make light of a six-foot wall, for its hight is well within his
powers. The art takes some time to acquire, and is one that exercises
every muscle of the body.
It calls first for a pole from six to nine feet in length, made
preferably of ash, as that is both light and tough.
To begin learning on this, the pupil rests one end on the ground,
and grasps the pole with both hands above his head. Then, jumping
up, he raises his body with bent arms, and swings as far as he can.
With a week's practice almost any young man can learn to take a jump
of eight or ten feet in breadth from a standing position. To cross a
broad ditch a short run is taken and the pole is held differently.
The right hand grasps it above the head, _thumb uppermost_, while
the left hand holds it, _thumb down_, as high as the waist. The pole
is grasped higher up in proportion to the distance to be cleared,
beginning with small ones and slowly increasing the length of pole,
till it can be taken by the very end.
This becomes still more necessary in the high pole leap, where eleven
feet and an inch have been cleared in England. To take such a leap
requires at least a thirteen-foot pole.
In pole-leaping the weight of the body on the pole is sustained by
the arms, and the whole office of the legs is to enable the body to
go high enough to carry the pole to a perpendicular. The hight leaped
is only limited by the possible length of pole carried.
Pole-leaping is coming into fashion but slowly in America; the
best records being nearly a foot behind those of England, where
there is more practice of the kind. For a sportsman in the country,
pole-leaping is a very valuable accomplishment, as it would save him
many a ducking in ditches and climb over fences.
In the chapter on athletic meetings will be found all the rules that
govern leaping contests for prizes, to which we refer the reader.
BICYCLING.
The sport of Bicycling is one that has come into rapid favor in this
country since the advent of the English riders, who have accomplished
a thousand miles a week; and the only drawback to its universal
adoption is the first cost of the machines. When that is reduced,
as it will be, to about fifty dollars, payable in installments like
sewing machines, the bicycle will become a favorite with the whole
American population as it is in England with the majority of middle
class young men.
Even now the fever is spreading rapidly thanks chiefly to the efforts
of Mr. Wentworth Rollins, the present king of bicyclists in America.
He sells machines to people he can trust on installments and has a
large stock of goods on hand which he sells below the usual prices to
beginners.
The pioneers of bicycling in the United States were the Pope
Manufacturing Company, who started factories and schools in the
cities of Boston and San Francisco, where the fever started almost at
the same time, but since that period bicycling has spread to most of
the large cities, and has training schools in all.
There is but little information that can be given to an intending
bicycler except to recommend him _not to buy a machine till he has
been at the school long enough to know the good and bad points of
every bicycle in the market_.
The prices of bicycles range from $80 to $100, according to size
of wheel; the smallest being 42 inches in diameter, the largest 60
inches. The best way to get enjoyment out of the sport is to form a
club of congenial spirits who will ride together. A single bicyclist
is apt to attract too much attention in country places, and would
often be insulted, where two or three together would meet with a
hearty welcome. Moreover, company is elevating to the spirits.
For the use of bicycle clubs we subjoin the model rules of the San
Francisco club, which can hardly be excelled for completeness and
care. They are printed on strips of cardboard, and carried by each
member of a club for reference, till he is perfectly familiar with
them.
BICYCLING RULES.
SECTION 1.--The time named for a club excursion is the exact time of
_the start_, which will in all cases be punctually observed. Members
are therefore urgently requested to be at the spot named at least
_ten minutes before_, that they may arrange themselves in order for
the start and receive the instructions of the leader as regards
signals, and any other directions that may be necessary.
SEC. 2.--At the sound of "Fall in," the members will arrange
themselves side by side upon the right of the road, with bicycle
facing inward, leaving a space of at least eight feet between each
man. At the sound of "Mount," the machines will be turned in the
direction of the proposed run, and the company will mount, beginning
at the front, each man before he starts, being careful to see that
the rider immediately in front of him has safely reached the saddle,
and proceeded at least two revolutions.
SEC. 3.--As a general rule the company should ride two abreast; but
in towns and villages; in meeting and passing vehicles (unless the
road is broad); in riding up and down hills, and where the road
is bad and requires picking, single file should be taken, _the
right-hand man_ always _quickening_, and the left-hand man dropping
in behind him.
SEC. 4.--When in single-file, an interval of at least _four_ bicycle
lengths should be kept between each rider, and in double-file, eight
lengths between each pair. In approaching a hill, whether up or
down, the leading files should quicken and the rear files slacken,
so as to allow of the company extending out to double distance, and
on reaching the level they should slacken and quicken respectively,
until the original interval is attained.
SEC. 5.--Dismounting should always be commenced from the rear, each
man passing the word forward as he reaches the ground.
SEC. 6.--It is undesirable for a company to ride down a long hill
with a curve obstructing a view of the bottom. It is better for the
leader to advance alone until he sees that all is clear, and then
whistle the others on.
SEC. 7.--The ordinary rules of the road as regards the passing of
vehicles, etc., should be rigidly adhered to, as follows:
A--In meeting a vehicle, always pass to the right.
B--In overtaking a vehicle, always pass to the left.
C--The ground in front of a horse should not be taken until the
bicyclist is at least ten yards ahead of him.
D--A horse should _never_ be passed _on both sides_ at once.
E--A _led_ horse should always be passed on the same side as the man
who is leading it.