Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-25

MURRAY was considered in this country TO have
a very fine style, yet when he made his record
for walking one mile. which Is the best in the
worla for an amateur. Bob Rogers. who mad
been brought TO this country as trainer
for the New York athletic club. hss-
ing previously been IN a similar po-
sltion for twenty years with the London
eng athletic club. the Oldest athletic organ
izaton in the world. expressed dissatisfaction
at Murray's gait Murray was scratch man IN q
one-mIle handicap walk on the old Mott Haven
grounds OF the N.I.AC.. and on the last lap,
when IL was seen that he would make phenofn-
email time, Bob Rogers openly said that Murray's
style was only stiff-legged run and that on the
other side il never would be called walk.
Very few. at the time the performance was
made, questioned the fairness Of az. for Murray
had such a reputation for walking fairly. Tho
following year he went TO England. and Bob
Rogers prediction came true. for Murray was
not graciously received, and his method IL
locomotion was criticised so severely that he
made very poor show.
LAS DIRECTLY OPPOSITE
style shown in the first illustr alton, that dis
played in the second picture could hardly he
improved on. The latter shows a walker who
is skipping. Both feet are about an inch of
the ground and no better detector of unfair
walking can be found than instantaneous pho
Biography. by which this illustration pro-
cured. The bending and Strengthening of the
knees are just the reverse 20 that shown in the
first picture, and there can be no doubt con-
cernmg the unfairness of the style. Ii is n
weIl-known fact that when walker grows tired
in race the tendency TO lift shows itself. The
walker would not skip simply to gain speed,
but 70 ease the muscles.
As a sample of what peculiar attitudes expert
walkers sometimes assume at different periods
in making stride the third picture may be
used. The athlete looks very tired in TINS pic
ture, but at the time the photograph was taken
he was not much tatigued The picture shows
that his left foot is on the ground with straight
knee, and he is in the act of bringing hIs right
foot forward, and II happens 10 be midway in
the stride or just passing the other leg. HIS
left bip is much elevated and his left shoulder
very much dropped. One might think that IL
he made one more stride he would fall m a
heap on the track. The picture is an excellent
illustration of one OF the hundreds of peculiar
attitudes INDUCED in by speed walkers. which
make the spectators sometimes laugh them
selves hoarse. 1t would hardly be supposed
that anything could be gained by dropping the
left shoulder SO much as this picture shows,
but the walker probably unconscious OF
the dropping, and the fact of Its being there
shows that II was indispensable at the time TO
his style Of gait
The last picture shows the same athlete in
the act of completing a stride with his left
foot The right knee is even more than straight
and on account OF the formation of the bone it
is curved backward. The athlete has the repu-
tation of having very fair style, but many a
time 1t has caused merriment among the spec
tators. Still he has the satisfaction of very sell
dom receiving a caution while racing.
Ii might be supposed that length Of limb
would have much TO do with speed in walking,
for on account of both feet having TO be on the
ground at the same time no shortness OF limo can
be compensated for by extra power in bound
ing or springing, in running. 1t stands TO
reason that an athlete with a limb Sc inches in