Athletics of To-Day 1929

The Walks 177 miles within the hour and was an exceptionally fine oarsman. Apart, however, from his athletic ability, he should be remem– bered as one of the pioneers of the athletic movement both in London and at the Universities. Since Chambers's championship was won no University man has ever taken an English walking title, and from the late seventies onwards all interest in walking as an athletic sport has died out at Oxford and Cambridge. In r867, Chambers was beaten a foot by ]. H. Farnworth, Liverpool A. ., after a tremendous battle down the home stretch in which the style of both contestants was '' remarkably suspicious." The next champion was Walter Rye, L.A.C., 57 min . 40 secs. Rye and his chief opponent, T. Griffith, S. Essex A.. , who was to win in the succeeding years when Rye did not compete, and reduce the record to 55 mins. 30 secs. in 1870, were both tall men, and Rye walked very upright with a good straight leg action. S. P. Smith, a lad of nineteen, who was taller than eith r of them, indeed well over 6 ft. in height, proved a great sprint walker and had brought the two miles record down to 15 mins. 15 secs. by the end of r867. Thr e great figur sin the latt r seventi s were W.]. Morgan, an employee of hoolbred's, H. Venn, L.A.C., and H. Webster, Stoke A. . Morgan, who had a light, springy strid , often puzzled th judg s, while Venn and W bst r, who start d as perfectly fair "heel-and-toe, one-foot-always-on-the-ground" walkers, d t riorat d lat r on, and to such an extent that towards the nd of the championship race in 1877, which Webster won in 53 mins. 59i secs., and, again in the next year when Venn turn d the tabl s and r duced the record to 52 mins. 34! secs., it is said that cc both men were running under the nose of the refer e of walking.'' The year r88r brought over the first Am rican se kers after English titles, E. ~. Merrill, a oston watchmaker, who had held the U.S.A. three and seven miles walking titles, accom– panying "Lon" My rs, the quarter-miler, but not sharing his famous fri nd's success. Merrill was a fair and fast walker, but better suited at the shorter distances. Nevertheless, it N