Athletics and Football (extract)

ATHLETIC SPORTS IN ENGLAND 37 Captain Barclay Allardiceis, of course, best known by his feat of walking1,000miles in 1,000 hours at Newmarket. The performance,no doubt, startled everybodyat the time, although it has frequently been since surpassed. He was, however, a fine all-round performer. He was born in 1779, and had such an unextinguishable love for athletic sports, that when he was only 15 he won a wager by walking six miles in an hour on the Croydon road. When twenty-one he made a match of 5,000 guineas to walk ninety miles in 2\\ houarnsd, won it with ease, amidst the plaudits of thousands of spectators. He soon afterwards beat a Mr. Ward over a quarter of a mile in 56 seconds. In 1806 he again was matched Dead beat, at that distance against Mr. Goulbourne, of the Royal Horse Guards, at Lord's Cricket Ground, and won easily in 1 min, 12 sec. He alsowon twomile races in matches with amateurs in 5 min. 7 sec. and 4 min. 50 sec., and was for the years 1796-1808, when he performed the 1,000 miles in 1,000 hours feat, the most prominent runner of the day. Nay, more, in the wordsof Thom, ' he ever evinced inflexibleadherence to strict principles of honour and integrity,and whether as transacting with mankind individually, or as a public character responsible for his opinion and conduct at the shrine of his country, he