PEDESTRIANISM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7159, 26 January 1885, Page 4

PEDESTRIANISM.

SCOTT v. HANCOCK,

The walking match between theae two pedestrians was brought to a conclusion on Saturday evoningyin thopresonce of about2ooo apectatora The finish was not bo .close as. was- expected at the commencement of the contest, and Scott won the match with tho greatest ease, principally owing to the indisposition of hia opponent. Hancock, certainly, is deserving of every praise for the plucky struggle ho made under groat difficulties. A large carbuncle on hia left arm caused him great pain from the commencement, and later on he was 80 muoh troubled with a swelling under his arm and another in the groin that it became almost an impossibility tor him to struggle round tho track at all. Most men under the oiroumetances would have given up all hopa early in the race, but Hancock gamoly persevered till ho had comple ed 100 miles. He admires Scott's style very much, and aaya ho ia ouo of tho bost walkers he lias soen, but thinks he would piobably gst beaten at hia own distance if ha entered the Kuglish arena. There seems little doubt, howevor, that Soott is capable of accomplishing a capital record if put to the test, and it seems almost a pity he lias never had an opportunity of displaying the full extant, of hia powers. Oi the several good records ho has accomplished, he has now twice walked 11-1 miles within the 24 hours without being in the least pushed. Hancock would no doubt ba mora at home in a'l2-hours or a 50-iisilos coutast, aud he haa challenged Scott to a match of that nature. Ho attributes hia bad condition to the change of climate, ar.d when it ia remembered that he is only a few weeks out from London it will readily bo admitted that this may be the reason of hia indisposition,

Of the walking after wa wont to press on Saturday morning there io not very much to uo aaid. Scott seemed a little queer during iha trying muri/uig hours ; but though once or owica seized wiih vomiting, ho invariably alter a uiiuuto or two'n reat returned to the wick quite fresh. H.uicook retired for half au hour after ho had goue 00 miles, and Saott, r.fier gaining a le.i.d of a couple of miles, followod hia example. After this Scott continued to gain ou Hancock, whose arm was evidontly paining him a good deal. Ha, however, mr.n&ged to peg ou gamoly daring the whoio of lhe afternoon,"but shortly beforo !) o'clock he left tha track for good. Scott kept up a warm psca during tho last two hours, but he bad to stop for a fow minutes shortly after 9 o'c'.oc!:, ia consequence of ilinoss earned by the heated atmosphere (tbe main constituent of which appeared to bo tobacco smoke) which pervaded tho hall at that time. He finished hiß 114 th milo just before 10 o'clock, the performance baiog greeted with a round oi cheering. Mr Wilson, who acted ns starter, mado a short speech announcing the result of the contest, and tiiatiking tho publio on behalf of Mr Austin (who promoted the match) and the two competitors. Hancock alao addressed tho crowd, acknowledging the capabilities of hia opponent, As regarded himself, ha said ho was suffering a good deal from the gathering on his hand, aud had started on a journey that waa a little out of his distance. He would, however, be quito willing to walk Scott, say, iv three weeks' time, in a 12-hours match for £100 a side.

Appended is a table showing the distance walked by each of the competitors during every hour of the contest:— Scott. Hancock. Miles Lups. Mi'ea. s tips. 1st hour .. ..6 0 .. 6 ■ 5 2nd do .. .. 11 17 .. 12 0 3rd do .. .. 17 4 .. 1? 0 4 tli lio .. .. 22 6 .. 12 10 6th do .. .. 27 3 .. 27 6 Oth do .. .. 31 17 .. 31 14 • Ith do .. .. 36 10 .. 36 6 8th do .. ., 41 17 .. 41 11 llth do .. .. 56 8 .. 48 2 10.h do .. ..52 0 .. CO 0 llih do .. .. 62 17 ..52 0 12i.h do .. .. 63 7 .. 67 14 13th dn .. .. 61 13 .. 02 12 14th do .. ..63 1 .. 63 20 15th do .. .. 72 0 .. 70 .6 16th do .. .. 76 IS .. 75 14 17th llo .. .. 81 19 .. 1.0 0 18th do .. .. 85 lo .. S3 16 19-h do .. .. 9.1 10 .. 83 0 2oth do .. .. 1)1 3 .. 91 1 21st do .. ..89 O .. 9! 11 21nd do .. .. 1U4 0 .. 96 6 23rd do .. .. 110 0 .. 1C0 2 21th do .. .. 114 0 .. — —