Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-01-12
THE WALKING MATCH.

The woman's walking match during Sat
urday and Sunday drew very large crowds to
the Pavilion-that of last evening was one of
the largest gatherings ever seen in that ca
pacious building. The interest Saturday
evening showed decided increase over that OF
any previous day. Won Berg had been on the
track very nearly the whole of Friday night
and showed lines of suffering iu her coun-
tenance, but her step Saturday was quite as
quick and springy as at any time, and at 5
o'clock she led Tourtilott four miles She
was decidedly the favorite, and very few but
believed she would win. Saturday evening
she went to her tent early, unable to endure
another night of broken rest, while Tour
tilott hobbled and staggered painfully about
the course, and about $3.50 recovered her place
of first on the score, and at 10 o'clock led her
rival five miles. She was loudly cheered
and this brought Won Berg again to the
track, which she took with a sudden run just
beside Tourtiloet, and the two went around
the course amidst wild cheering. Won Berg,
however, now retired, and did not appear
again until yesterday morning, when she
forced a run of four miles which Tourtilott
accepted and ran out Tourtilott did what
is conceded to be a remarkable feat for
woman. She remained on the track for
twelve hours, from 9:45 A. NJ. Saturday,
with less than ID minutes rest IN all; and IN
II consecutive hours she took but one and
half hours rest. 1t was yesterday early adj
mitted that Won Berg conceded the first
place permanently to her rival. Very many
in consequence believed that she had thrown
the race purposely. The rumor became
prominent and led to inquiry Her attend-
ants and friends denied point blank the in
situation, and asserted that while she
appeared to move so easily, the fact
was she was nearly stihed with the to-
bacco smoke in the room that 1t affected
her lungs seriously, and that she had suffered
two historical fits and two fainting spells,
and could not, and would not, for all the
prizes in the land, walk out the race and
keep ahead of Tourtilott, but that in pure
atmosphere she would have won easily, and
the fact that she walked the best always be.
tween u midnight and A. NJ, when the hall
was clear of smoke, was proof OF the claim.
The referees, Higgs and Murray, gave 1t as
their opinion that there was never more
genuine, or fairer contest than between
Won Berg and Tourtilott, and Wiley and Lee,
and they were willing to go to the public on
that statement. They had observed closely,
visited the contestants at all hours, and be-
lieved fully in the honesty of the contest.
Nevertheless, the opinion remained last night
with very many people that Won Berg could
have won, and the belief will undoubtedly
continue to be entertained. Tourtilott has
shown herself to be good walker and
possessed of great endurance she won
the match by score excellent for
course with such abrupt turns and re-
quiring so many laps to the mile.
She began the race with few friends
and won it, though the popular expression
was in favor of her rival, and the encourage
ment of the audience generally went out to
her opponent. The race terminated at 10
o'clock last night amid much cheering and
hurfah. Tourtilott and Won Berg came to
the score arm in arm, as also did Lee and
Wiley, Fitzgerald and Robinson, Grafton
and Taylor. Messrs. Love and Thall, bear
ing an American flag, headed the procession,
which went once around the course, the audi
ence shouting itself hoarse meanwhile and
s1rging from side to side of the hall to catch
glimpses of the parade. At the score, the
second time, referee Murray delivered the
gold-medal badges, which are handsome spe-
cimens, awarding Tourtilott the first, Won
Berg the second. He declared his belief in
the fairness of the race, and said there had
been but one appeal, and that trivial one,
in the whole six days. He complimented
Wiley and Lee on their pluck and endurance,
and declared them third and fourth winners
respectively. This ended the scene, and the
women, supported by their attend6nts-and
they all needed support-hobbled back to
their tents, and soon after were taken from
the hall.
THE SCORE.
The following is the record of the match
for the even miles for each of the six days as
made out by the official timers, and the total
for six days in miles and laps, each lap repre-
senting one fifteenth of a mile: