Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-17
MAN LEADS PHYSICALLY.
No Animal to Compare With Him In
Feats of Endurance.

/ Feats of Endurance.
From the Cleveland Leader.
Last Saturday in a bicycle race at Lon
don an English rider named Green made
the astonishing record of fifty miles In
1:56:45 As. His average speed for the entire
distance was almost exactly two minutes
and twenty seconds to the mile.a faster rate
than any rider had ever attained for a sim
gle mile only four year years ago.
Even now the most wonderful feature Of
this great feat Of endurance and strength
is the slight difference between the average
time for each mile Of fifty and the fastest
mile ridden under like conditions either by
the same man or by any other athlete.
There has never been a mile ridden In
race on q bicycle in any country III less
than 2:O5. 1t is not probable that the hero
CT the record-breaking ride just reported
from London has ever gone mile race IN
less than 2:1O. 1t Is evident, therefore that
he had ridden fifty miles within about ten
seconds to the mile of the fastest time ne
ever made In a race for a single mile, end
time for very mile Of flfty-mile race was
only about fifteen seconds. or thirteen per
cent, more than the best record ever made
for q single mile by any rider in competi-
ton.
It need hardly be said that any such en-
durance in speed Is entirely unknown
among the lower animals which move on
land. It Is very doubtful, indeed, whether
there is bird which can ay for two hours
at speed so nearly approaching its greatest
pace for two minutes. Horses and dogs are
utterly incapable Of approX.mating such
sustained speed. No antelope or deer couio
live through so tremendous strain. Meth
er could any wolf or fox maintain so nearly
his best pace for a mile through steady
run of fifty miles. AS for many quick and
powerful beasts Of prey. like lions and
tigers, they are not able to keep up their
swift leaps for more than q short distance.
The ostrich exhausts itself in a few minutes
Of running at it's highest speed.
These comparisons are only one more IL
lustration of the fact that man, although
much written down as an animal. by
thoughtless or ill-informed persons, is in
many respects the superior, merely In feats
of strength and endurance, of all the living
world. He is not able to lead In many sin
gle tests, but If great, all-round athletic
contest could be arranged for all animals,
represented by the best individuals OF every
species, man would surely win against all
competitors. Some would outrun him.
Others would beat him In carrying and lift
ing weights. Still others would outswim him.
The monkeys would easily defeat him in
climbing. None could match him in throw
Ing. None could so so many miles In a
week or a month. Only the apes could COM
pare with him on trapeze hars, and few llv-
ing creatures could climb rope as he
could. The animals which could beat him
In high jumping could not keep ur IN many
other contests. In wrestling and fighting,
where man Is often considered least able to
hold his own against the beasts, q Sandow
would be more than a match for many
creatures commonly deemed very formidable.
the man being entirely u,larmed. The gra nd
average would certainly give man first
place.
The truth is that there are many animals
powerful in muscles and able to accomplish
many remarkable feats. which are not to
be compared to man in the capacity Of their
hearts - I'd lungs, in proportion to their
size Therefore the human animal is the
most enduring of ALL and his bodily equip
ment. merely in matters Of strength, skill
and prolonged exertion, is the best known
In the whole animate world