MARATHON EVENTS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 22 October 1927, Page 12

MARATHON EVENTS

WALKING AND RUNNING.

INDIANS COMPARED WITH 70-YEAR-OLD ATHLETE.

(By “Physical Culturist.’ )

T +l,O Udlnr” of OctobCl - 1, I T e ' United States of America a several thousand miles, in t t 0 coincidence, t'am enabled to extract from the “World's News, also of October, a paragraph P -j----same performance with that tliej* dian Marathon runner mention U , ot /TS the Sand S man walked the fact that the UQ der 74 «“> „£ A « a day. Sad b£ £e v&ming runner ia the Jlarathou, averaged 64 miles a day far performai.ee will probably stand for all motor eycleand car, the modem tte ““s more STS “VJSSS. and sneed which is marking the decline of ion « for°on"present day sports IO "« lading to in'Sst 8‘ tiey did not include either a one or two-mile walking event, and •there were few competitors who uld not walk the measured mile in nea vicinity of eight minutes and the two miles around seventeen minutes. Men like R C. McNiven, E. McManus anc T D Quin used to be the scratch men and often vmn over the mile at neat seven minutes and two miles at lb mi utes sometimes considerably rmoe Usually there used to be big fields for these events and they used to create m tense interest as the men covered lap after lap, the placings being continuous changed as first one and then another would improve-his position. Walking races were oft-times responsible for humorous happenings, as ther were exponents of various styles, admirer would claim fair and square heS and toe for a style which another would decry as being an amble. Under one judge a competitor would pass as fair, while at the next meeting, in a race of slower time, the same man would bo pulled off the track as unfair. One of the difficulties m connection with walking races was the lack o unanimity of judges in their viewof what constituted legitimate walking. Some held the opinion that a man could walk perfectly fair for a quarter-mile in lmin BOsec, but would not concede that the same man could walk a mile under seven minutes, consequently more than one scratch man has been disqualified when nearing the finish of a race, when the judge has realised he was walking considerably faster than men ho had hitherto judged. Yet the competitors’ method of progression had not changed from his initial spurt m the early part of the race. A hotly contested walking race used to be a 3oy to witness.

INDIAN MARATHON RUNNERS. The following is an extract from the “World’s News”: —

Is the noble red man a better specimen of physical prowess than the Caucasion who ousted him from his happy hunting grounds in the forest primeval + The question has been warmly discussed on the American Pacific coast since 11 picked Indian runners staged the Redwood Highway Marathou of 4SO miles from San Francisco to Grant's. Puss, Oregon. The endurance they displayed, and the time they made, have been compared closely with results of similar contests among white men. And many a heated argument has resulted over the comparative stamina of the two races.

Mad Bull, a Karo ok Indian, one of the Oregon Cavemen entries, reached the goal first in the Redwood Highway race, his time being a little more than seven and a half days. Plying Cloud, a fellow tribesman, was second, with Meliki, a Yuni entrant, third. Sweek, Falcon and Big White Deer trailed in behind the leaders, while other picturesquely named Indians, Bushing Water, Thunder Cloud, and their companiohs were forced out of the running by the hot pace and the long grind. By way of comparison, coast sport experts recall that Edward Payson Weston, who crossed the continent at the age of 70 and covered 3700 miles in a fraction under 74 days, holds a record of 50 miles a day. Mad Bull’s average was 64 miles a day, but it was made in about a week, while Weston’s feat covered a period nearly fifteen times as long. However the races may agree or differ in physical characteristics, one striking similarity between Bed and White men of to-day was revealed by the actions of the two Indian winners. Immediately after the finish of the Marathon their first proceeding: —like many who step into public prominence nowadays —w-as to pose for the movies and to sign up for theatrical engagements,- then, with their winning purses and tlicir advance money from the impresarios, they hurried to the nearest motor sale rooms and invested in the cars that appealed most to their taste. MEMORIES OE HAPPY DAYS.

It. is voars since last we .met, but during the past week I received a reminiscent letter from A. W. (Carbine) Watts, and as he mentions a number of old opponents who, one and another, have been referred to in this column, I make no apology for using extracts. Inter alia, he remarks: “Was glad to hear you are still going strong, as I had often wondered what had become of you. Very few of the old boys are about nowadays. Dan MePhce broke up completelv and is in a home in Buckle Street. (Readers will remember the genial Dan. A good athlete and famous for MePhee’s running shoes, comparable only to Patterson’s, of Sydney, who used to make the only shoes the Australian cracks would wear.) Fred Somers is in Wellington; Jack Derungs is at Trcntham. Dorrio Leslie is still going strong, and I met Neil Austin one day last week. When you meet any of xny old opponent friends remember xne kindly to them. I had some happy days year after year in Taranaki, especially Inglewood, Eltharn and Hawera. I was only once at Stratford and Manaia. Remember me kindly to my old handicapper friend, Harry KiveLl, if he is still on earth. With

regard to my performances: 1904 at Wanganui was the finish of me, and that is a long while ago.” A.W. goes on to state that he has lost his book, of performances, from which I had hoped to have gathered some interesting data of his 13 years on the track in Australia and New Zealand. As with a nximber of other good men of past years, “Cax-bine” is somewhat reluctant to supply information as to his own performances. However, I have a number of press clippings on hand from which I anticipate in tlie near future to obtain a brief review of some of his best performances. The total would fill many columns. Billy is now on the staff of “The Dominion” and enjoying good health. He concludes. witlx:*“ One thing 1 do know and that is that the majority of athletes nowadays do not put in the same amount of w-ork as we used to. Not many of them could run seven or eight races a day, eh?” With which remark I am in complete accord. Watts will, with many of the old bi*igade, be sorry to learn that Harry Ivivell, the handicapper friend of xi host of triers, has recently passed away. Of late years he has been a resident of Napier. His death occurred only a few weeks ago. The late Mr Ivivell for many years was a prominent handicapper at Taranaki sports gatherings. He was one of Taranaki’s representative footballers. He played the game.