ARRIVAL OF CELEBRATED PEDESTRIANS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7841, 10 January 1887, Page 5

ARRIVAL OF CELEBRATED PEDESTRIANS.

Among the through passengers to Sydney by the R.M.s.s. Zoalandia were W. G. George, the famous English long-distance runner, and L. E. Myers, the champion ' pedestrian of the world. The latter is accompanied by Harry Fredericks, an American fleet-foot. The former comes to the colonies on i a pleasure trip, but it is understood that he will be willing to arrange matches with the Australian champion, T. M. Malone. Myers would not enter into any races in New York with George, but is willing to meet biro in Australia. A few particulars in reference to W. G. George will no doubt be interesting, as his arrival in Australia has been looked forward to for some time. He was born at Calne, in the County of Wilts, England, on September 9, 1858. He stands sft IIJiD, and when in condition weighs about lOst 71b. It was as an amateur thai; George made a name for himself ■ as an athlete. His first attempt in public was in Birmingham in 1877, when he received 45 yards in a mile walk, and finished a dead heat with Fereday, George being beaten, in the deoiding heat by 6 inches in 6min 59aeo. He then took to running, and with a very great amount of success. On August 10, 1880, he broke the amateur running record for a mils, doing it in 4min 23 l-sth sec. In the following month he broke the four miles record, doing the distance in 19min 49 3-sth sec. Ho continued as an amateur up to 1885, when he turned professional for the sake of having a contest with the crack Gammings, of Paisley. In the mile event George won, but the Paisley man , defeated him at four and ten miles. Recently he was defeated by Myers in three great races run in Madison Square Garden, New York. He has 'also had another match with Cummiugs, winning the mile event and breaking the previous record made by Cummlngs of 4min 16 l-sth sec. Myers is ' a celebrated United States runner who has for several years been unequalled in America, and has made several visits to England, meeting the beat amateurs with success at Lilly bridge and other well-known running grounds. In a recent match in New York he met W, G. George, and as has been stated above succeeded in defeating the Englishmen. Fredericks is another American ranner of great repute, but does not equal George or Myers. Harry Hutchings, a celebrated English professional ranner, has only recently arrived in Australia to run Malone, so that, with the addition of George, Myers, and Fredericks, there will be a galaxy of athletes In Sydney soon.