The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-28
OLD SPORT CAMPANA.
sixfy-Three Years Old and Fresh rs
Daisy-HIs Tattoo Marks.


Prominent among the celebrities. sitting
beside the swarthy Guerrero, was Old Sport
Campana, swapping tales of long ago.
when the daddIes of the younger genera
ton about him were boys. Old Sport is
one OF the characters of American pro-
tessi0nal athletics. He is the link be-
tween the present and the past, and al
though his tight for sawdust fame
began away back in the hfties he
is still very much in the swim
A queer old fellow is ''Old
Sport" In spite of his gnarled and
twisted frame, his disiocated joints and
his Rheumatic" he is the cheerest man
under the big roof and is as full Of sporting
lore as a Police Gazette almanac. His
wonderful memory returns dates. records
and events that have transpired within
the last half century. His great boast is
that he is dead game and dead square,"
and no man can pay him a more delicate
compliment than to voice his confidence
In this assertion.
Imagine spare old fellow, 40 pounds
in weight, sans a good many of his teeth
and most of his hair trussed and porous
plastered, and thrust into ring costume,
end then you have "Old Sport" But you
have got to imagine the spirits and ex-
uberance of a l2-year-old boy incased in
the ancient hulk to thoroughly appre-
ciate the picture. Most people who have
read about "Old Sport Campana" for the
last quarter of century or so, imagine
him as a sort of Anticipated tough sporting
character, whose face Is adorned with
snowy whiskers, emphasized by big cigar
stuck somewhere in their midst. broad
brimmed silk hat cooked over one eve and
vociferous costume.
But Old Sport is dead game" and not
at ali gorgeous save as to his epidermis, in
regard To which, in truth, he is a travelling
advertisement. Every part of his body is
decorated with India ink legendary in
scripiions, names of champions in the
ring, on water or on sawdust, the name of
his wife and certain climatic dates, repre-
senting triumphant periods in his check
cred career.
Thus on his breast in good-sized Roman
letters of various hues are printed in
deliDly the names of Yankee Sullivan"
whom the San Francisco vigiIantes i'm
mortalized by hanging 10 a lamp post;
John l.. Sullivan who has immort al
lied himself; John G. Dempsey" the
nonpareIl; Young Mitchell, " Tom
Hyer" and Old Sports latest hero, PRO
lessor II. h.
On his right calf he exhibits with pride
an inscription in honor of his dearly be-
loved wife: Jennie Dalton Campana,
Old Sport"
ON his left calf are the names, Jennie
Dalton Campana," done in Japan by Jap
with piece Of telegraph wire; John /.
Sullivan, ""Pete Mccoy" and "Old Sport
Campana. Al, Stag, Waterbury, Conn"
Here | am, " remarked the old sport
this morning, lust 90 years months and
, days old, for | was born in Petersburg,
Va, on September 7, 1927. I've walked.
spriuted and run for nearly fifty years,
and / can beat lots of the boys yet. I've
carried my banner over 10000 miles with
out once failing TO get a place. | made my
first six days walk in 1878, when was 81
years old, covering 52l miles and get
ting $l5,000. second money 10 Dan OLeary.
/ have walked against RowelI. Lttlewood
and all the cracks. l never LETT the track
before the wind-up and never got shut
out OF a prize. The worst / ever got was
eighth place. My last big race was from
Chicago 10 Omaha, along the Northwest
ern railway track, distance
% SGD miles, walked against
Stevens, who represented the Chicago
Herald. for stake OF $1,000 a side. Slev-
ems kept in sight of me for seVentv-seven
miles and he never saw me again until L
got into Omaha, 1877 miles ahead OF hin.
hours, and never slept but four hours dur
ing the whole trip.
Il was n the big Madison Square match
three years ago, when LittieWood made
G13sS miles. I made 800 miles and got
Sl,Ju0. The exact number of miles that |
have walked in thirty years has been
- 406. When | was 4 young fellow
was the champion 100 yards runner. and
nv record IS :lu1E l have . record
for 81 10 for ten miles. made on October D.
lS6o, at Powelton park, Philadelphia Yes,
sir; I've seen ana made friends with all
the great pugiljsts and athletes ana all the
great public men OF my day. / shook
hands with Henry Clay in 1874. I've voted
for ten presidents and shook hands with
fourteen. I've made three fortunes and
haven't cent today, All that my wife
and | want anyway = three meals 8 day
and a roof over our heads. I'm in this
race 10 stay. and / shan't take any sleep
from start 10 hnish. That's my strong
hold; and won't touch q drop Of liquor
haven't touched drop for S5xty-seyen
days. How's that? I'm going 10 do bet
ter than Jug miles