Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-07
WALKING FOR THE BELT.
The Relative Chances Of O'Leary, Har-
rlman, RoweII and Ennis.
New York Star.

49, "a ANeAfI
The great pedestrian contest for the
Ashley champion belt and the long
distance championship of the world,
which is to begin at Gilmore's Garden
after midnight on Sunday next, is the
topic of conversation in sporting cir
cles. The contestants are all noted
pedestrians, but neither Rowell, Ennis
nor Hartman have vet made a record
equal to 0Leary. Ennis best record
for six days is 420 miles Rowell's AGO
miles, while Hartman has never at
tempted a six days contest, and is
without a record. There is an i'm
preston among sporting men that
OLeary will never be able to cover
300 miles in six days again, and they
are backing Hartman and Rowell,
the former being the fayorite. 1t is
claimed that in a trial in England
Rowcll covered 526 miles in six days /;
Harriman's hackers also claim that
he has shown a wonderful record for
six days.
0'Leary, in his exhibition walks
and his matches with Hughes and
Campana, did not have to make a great
record, because his opponents v
pushed him. He won those contests
with ease, and was never hurried at
any time. He cannot walk as we'll
against an inferior opponent as he can
against a competitor that can hurry
him.
In the tournament in England he
proved that he could make a wonder
full record if necessary when Vaughan
was pushing him, and he will probably
do the same in the coming great race.
In all his contests, both in this coun-
try and in his races with Weston, and
for the belt in England, he started un-
trained and unprepared, but he always
won. The champion will start in the
coming contest in better condition
than he ever was in before, and no
doubt he will roll up an unprecedented
number Of miles if Rowell or Harri-
man press him.
The track for the great contest will
be laid out in Gilmore's Garden in a
few days. 1t will be eight laps to the
mile and twelve feet wide. A large
bulletin board will be placed in the
center Of the building, and every mile
will be promptly posted. Portable
houses will be placed in different cor
ners for 0'Leary and Hartman. and
Ennis and Rowell will be provided
with tents. RoWell will be attended
to during the walk by j. Simpson and
J. Asten, his English trainers. j.
Lathrop, of the Union Athletic Club
of Boston, and John Fraser, of the
Scottish American Club, will look
after Hartman. Ennis will have the
services of John Goulding, of the
Manhattan Athletic Club. O'Learv
will be attended by Matthew T. Stat
terry, his cousin, and w. L. Harding.
1t is expected that the struggle be-
tween OLeary, Rowell and Hartman
during the first t~wenty-four hours will
be one Of the grandest ever witnessed.
Rowell can run 100 miles in twenty
four hours, Hartman has already
proved hat he can cover the same
distance, while 0'Leary in the tourna-
ment in which he o the belt in
England ran and walked III miles.
Hartman is confident that he can
cover l25 miles in twenty-four hours.
so there will be big betting on who
will have the lead at the end of the
first twenty-four hours. Rowell
means to force the pace from the start.
and both Hartman and O'Leary in
tend to cover the first 100 miles with
out leaving the track. In the thirty
six hour tournament in this city
Hartman kept on the track for the
t%hirty-six hours and covered 100 miles.
with only arest Of seventeen minutes.
The general betting is 500 to $50
against 0Leary, 5000 to 800 against
Rowell, $3.50 to 5000 against Harri-
man. Mr.. Walton, Harriman's back
er, has laid several bets even that
Hartman will beat 0'Leary. Foster
Dewey is backing Rowcll heavily to
beat 0'Leary.