ASTONISHING ENDURANCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8538, 19 March 1908, Page 7

ASTONISHING ENDURANCE.

Tom Burrows has succeeded in swinging clubs for 61 hours 39 minutes. The previous record was 61 hours 37 minutes, so the Melbourne audience who witnessed the end of the performance were quite justified in cheering him enthusiastically. ' Tho Anglo-Saxon worships records. It is not quite clear what good purpose such an exhibition serves, save to show that man is capable of astonishing feats of endurance. In his 59th hour Burrows had sufficient energy to come forward and give a brilliant exhibition of fancy swinging, which would have been a good "turn" by itself. According to the Argus, he did not draw on all'his reserve strength, and was fitter, and brighter-during tho last two hours than at any time after the first day. The greatest strain was on his legs, which were stiff and sore from standing up for so long, and on his forefingers, which were numbed for the last twenty-hours. When the previous record was equalled, he swung with all his energy. " The flame-j coloured clubs flew all round him, winding round his head, sliding over his neck and shoulders, appearing sud- : denly from under his knees, twisting and twirling like a great snake. He seemed to be surrounded with flying clubs." This lasted for two minutes, and then he sank into a chair, amid the shouts of the spectators. Burrows had a narrow escape at five o'clock on the last, day. He fell fast asleep, but the forward movement of the clubs woke him up. Burrows is a great believer in club-swinging as an exorcise. " People despise it because the kit is so cheap. A set of clubs costs 2s or 3s. If it cost- a guinea clubs would be rushed." There is one thing about his feat; it is better than playing the piano for forty-odd consecutive hours, as some person did in Australia the other day.