WALKING MATCHES AGAINST TIME. Scott's Pedestrian Feat.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1213, 8 April 1880, Page 3

WALKING MATCHES AGAINST TIME. Scott's Pedestrian Feat.

This announcement that a number oL locaTitfhletes would try 'theft powers pr pedesftrianism over' the measured mile/ and &»at Yonng Sjcott would immediately afterwards start upon his arduous task of walking 112 miles within the subsequent 24 hours had the effect of drawing 'a large audience to the Theatre Royal oh Friday • night. The stage had' been marked off into' a circle of 55 yards/ thus rendering 32' laps necessary to complete the mile, but the sharp corners aha one or two obstructive posts proved some* what ot a hindrance to the pedestrians. There' were eight entries for .the mile handicap, but only seven competed, the scratch man (John Hendry) not' putting in appearance. , Each man walked by himself, "and another started as soon as his predecessor had finished. The result was as follows :— A Hendry, 50yds., 7min 1 T. Houston, 45yds., 7min. 4osec 2 J. Hill, 56yds., 7mm. 48sec 3 thos. Fernandez, 60yds., 7min. 4osec. ... 4 Tames Hendry, 80yds., Brain. i4sec. ... 5 \V. Hancock, 90yds., Bmin. 40SCC 6 T. Willis, 95yds., Bmin. 4osec 7 The Judge (Mr Gallagher) disqualified A. Hendry for unfair walking, and Houston consequently takes the prize. The disappointed athlete came* Defore the audience and intimated his willingness to walk any man in Auckland, barring Young Scott, for £50 a side, in three weeks time. Mr E. E. Ellis' s admirable handicapping was the subject of very favourabie comment. Mr Austin acted as time-keeper. An intermission of ten minutes ensued.* When, the curtain was again raised Mr, Lov6 T -briefly introduced Young Scott' to his 4 audience and the sigjial for' the start was then given. He, went away, the Star says, at a steady,' moderate pace, closely followedby Houston and the contrast between the action of the two Was at Once evident. Houston swung 1 his ami heavily from thigh to shoulder, and walled with the upper' part of the body inclined forward, while Scott, keeping his arms well in advance of his chest, and allowing them but slight play, maintained also an erect posture. There was no superfluous exertion perceptible, no abatement of pace, no irregularity of step, and no show. He 1 walked well within himself and with the consciousness of one who is facing a trying performance. A man seated in front or a stand kept a record of the laps by hy>ving beads from one side to the otW of the' enclosed wire upon which they were strung, while at the end of each mile JjbeU. was rung.. , Scott was dressed in the usual guernsey tnnics, and Tiose, and he wore a pair of thick soled lace up boots reaching well up on the calf and loose upon the instep: At the completion of two miles Houston dropped out, and another amateur took his place, and so on, until they had all had a turn. The Victoria Band, under the leadersnip of Mr McCpmigh, discoursed some fine music at intervals, while the audience gave vent to their applause from time to time. From 10 o'clock until midnight the spec 4 ators thinned out gradually until only a few remained. Some of these, however, were present through " the wee sraa' hours," though it mustf be confessed that their interest in the match had 'flagged considerably by that time. The judge (Mr Gallagher) gallantly stuck to his post till the morning. At 3.30 o'clock he rested for twenty minutes. Scott kept good average time all the night sometimes approaching six miles an hour and never going at less than 4 J but at noon he* seemed to.be slackened off to four miles, HeVatfnVgood. form, free fr&m drowsinecss, and mairtained a confident countenance. Up to 11.20 o'clock to-.day more tfyan }o§o p,etfson.s hod paid- for admission. "We append a table shewing the number of miles walked at the. end. of each hour from the starting time, viz. :— Hours. Miles. 10.30 ... ' 6 11.30 .'. nf 13.30 «• *n 1.30 23 2.30 ... 28 3-3° 33 4-3° 33 8 2 5-30 44 6.30 49 7.30, .«. . .... . ... ...: •*. 54- - B,J«. ~a. * w " 59' 9-3° , v 6A6 A 10.30 08 11.30 72^ A few particulars about young Scott's gareer in.ay pppve acceptatye $P fwr sporting readers, and we therefore present what we have gleaned concerning him. Ife is the son of a bqotmaker of Dunedin, pf whiph city he is a flativp, an,d his age is just 16 years and 5 months, At the age of 12 he made his first public essay at competitive walking, when he contested with seven other pedestrians a twomile match at the annual Caledonian Sports. He finished up third, and his plucky performance so pleased the spectators that a subscription was raised for him upon the ground. Austin, the trainer, was present, and so /.favorably was he impressed with the lad's capabilities, that he resolved to take him u.n.cje.r his own par.c.. This he did, and the result is* thai; the youth's powers of endurance surpass those of any opponent against whom he has been backed. He beat Edwards in a seven-mile contest, has triumphed over numerous challenges, and has carried off quite an assortment of honors. Having won the Champion Belt of New Zealand, offered for competition by the Caledonian Society of Otago, he is now fulfilling the condition imposed upon him by that body % namely, to give an exhibition of his powers in the four principal cities of the colony before proceeding to Sydney to take part in the Intercolonial Walking Match. The trainer is confident of his proteg&s success against all comers.