Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-10-04
4 ZIG spoRrIna HEnNr.
A Brief Account Of the Professional
Career of the Worlds Champion
Pcdcstrian-Hfs First Race and

Career OF the Worlds Champion |
Pcdcstrian-Hfs First Race and |
Diet During n Contest.
From Every Evening Of yesterday.
The first bona fide long distance race |
ever neld In this city or State, will start |
at 8 o'clock tonight In the Wilmington |
Rink. The most noted pedestrians Of |
the country, namely, Guerrero, Yint, |
Noremac, Hart, Herty, Howarth snd |
others, will participate. James Albert, |
the champion long distance pedes rian Of |
the world, will referee the race and give
exhibition runs night and day. The race
will be run strictly on it's merits and will
continue without interruption from 8
O'Clock tonight until IL O'Clock On Sat-
urday night. The track was made today
and IL about inches thick. The compo.
sition is tan bark and saw. dust.
Mr.. Albert, whose right name is James
Albert OathoaPt, and vito are now GUAR
tered OF the Clayton House. The cham
pion is fine specimen Of physical man
hood and Is an exceedingly clever con-
versationalist. His wife, who 10 Of French
descent, takes o. much interest in her
husbands races as does the latter. She
is with him OF all times during contest,
and, In fact, is his only trainer. In de.
soribipg her busbaud's diet during q race,
to an EVERY EVENING reporter last night,
Mrs. Albert said: HE never takes any
solid food, not even bread. his diet 10,
calves foot jelly, ten quarts Of milk daily,
beef extract, ice cream (the latter to keep
the stomach cool as we'll as being nour-
ishing), from so to 40 bottles of impor-
ted ginger ale daily, raw oysters, &c."
The champion averages about hours
sleep out OF every "a during race.
Mr.. Albert was born in Brooklyn in
1854 and is consequently "a years OF
age. His first appearance on the tan bark
was in 1873, when he entered 6 days
go-as-you please race in the old Arcade
building on Eighth street, Philadelphia,
without having trained at ali. There
were 15 starters in this race and Albert
was the only one who finished In order
to receive share OF the gate money,
$50 miles had to be covered.
Albert was credited with 353 miles,
although m reality he travelled $50 miles.
The score was ''ixed.n This was not
the only drawback, as he never received
cent for this, his first and very
cfeditable performance. Previous TO this
he was In the broom making business on
Water street, Philsdeiphia, In company
, with Edward Roberts. Not 10 DO dis.
! mayed at the i'll success attending his
first performance, be Afterwards entered
! and won O race at Pestime Park and 1886
was O'Leary's partner la six days' race
| ia New York against Vaughn and Roveli
4 Literally it waa race between America
0 and England, in which Vsughn and
D Rowell represented the old country
/ 0'Leary aud Vaughn were the walker
a and Albert and Rowell, the runners
Albert sprained his apkle in thii
n race after going about 50 miles ani
d was forced 10 retire. Roaell woi
[ and received $40 600. Shortly after
wards Albert entered the six days
q race in the New York American Iustitut,
' in which he flushed second, John Hughe
q Winning with q record of 56S miles
v Albert made 558 About two years 40
Littlewood, the champion pedestrian @
England, and Ia this Taoe, he says
learned much valuable information. II
put bis theories into I, feet In the Madiso
II Square GARDEN race in New York II.
February and flushed first with 60
" miles laps to his credit, thus breakin
l the worlds record Of $40 miles held
J, Paddy Fitzgerald The champion WI
q in good condition at the conclusion {
n the great race aud only lost one pou,l
y during its continuance. His wife, |
70 usual, was bis constant attendant, an
y for four days and nights did nj
A. sleep bit. She then b
ID came delirjous from the lo
10 of rest and was forced to retire. Befol
breakiug the record and on the last nlgl
:, OF the raos, Albert was offered SIC, 900
% cash by the bookmsksrs to kesp belo
q. $40 miles, but he Indignantly spurned til
~ offer and said he woutd break the rsco'
or break his neck. This made his woull
N be bribers furious aud they were heard
n say that they would cripple him. A
10 beit's friends, however, had squad ,
70 poics brought into the garden and plaos
is alI along the track The champion the
& finished the race in safety and won abol
IN SII 600 He Is now worth probably ov,
$40 900, and owns cottage at Atlant
10 City, in which he and his wife liv
~ Mrs. Albert is general favori
u aud the champion ascribes b
success more to her attention than to an,
g. thing else. Mr.. Albert has many meds
and trophies. Among them may be mel
IN toned handLome gold stop watch pr
" sented to him in Philadelphia in 1881
Id gold medal which he wears on his waty
chain and which was presented to hi
u for his bravery in saving four persoI
9 from the steamer Narragansett, that vi
I'd wrecked in Long Island sound, and
70 handsome gold medal presented by Phi
ae ndelphis friends after the great race I
70 last February. The champion, after So
, ing four people from drowning at Il
~ vrecking of the Management, was on
% raft all night in mid .stream. BE VI
ns then on his way to participate in q rat
in Massachusetts,, which he won.
Mr. Albert predicts that the race at u
Wilmington rink, will be great one. T
to further says that 1t will be on its meri
and that close contest may be Q
of pected. All of the men are in good 90
rs dition. Music will be furnished by
n. local band and the admission will bs
D. cents. Good order will prevail at 9
.is times, and TWO local athletes will partic
's pate.