The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-02-14

John Purcell, 4 noted long distance run
ner, Irish by name and English by birth.
Is training in ST. Louis for long-distance
events of the coming olympic games. es-
pecially the great Marathon race of %
miles LOO yards, which represents the
long-distance championship of the world.
Mr.. Purcell is IS years old. His father
was a crack long-distance runner in his
youth. This young Englishman is some 5
feet 10 inches in height and weighs about
fse pounds. He possesses slender lower
limbs, but a fine chest and shoulders. His
style, long. easy. semi-flat-footed. is that
fashionable among English distance run
ners. He runs with the body thrown well
back from the hips and seems to reach
forward with his feet and to pull himself
along, IL the term can be admitted. This
style Is based upon scientific principles.
To lift the heels high and behind Is a loss
of time and distance. also a waste of
strength. He who drags his legs after
him will tire in a hurry. Purcell has a
nice stride and although at his best going
over four miles and upwards, he ran a
very fine mile in the gymnasium in the
Missouri Athletic Club the other day. He
did 4:44 on a twenty-two-lap unbanked
track. excellent work. indeed.
AcEs OF, BRITISH ATHLETES
To the American eye, accustomed to the
youthful college athlete and no other. Pur-
cell seems to be an old man. for all that
=. L. on,v % onp-d,stance mon are not
., A-oIc, Tb. country c,i--
-. III ia ,oun.r,usr of the Ameri-
1919 .. aa,ins. running preat dis
m.r,o,n =. var, fast and
80 ~. p.,on nm IN the
S.n.us ..L.a t., fo,tber no seldom
IT.. go tho lei. r6ers
wins IN ala n, ,ro-
80. ~ n,o,,,d conn
-NNI,- ID. .,In.o, Mr.
-,
e tho
ConditiohS IN anericd are aSaihse LAG
production Of long-distance men. You see.
~. go On for distance work In England.
N-.an,e -. al ,o,so,s tho
The climate. equaole at ali seasois' Ii
excellent sod on the fields, the frequent
rec,,rre,ce If fences in the farms and the
..,,..,. n-;,h. tho
great popularity OF a'hie'ies ~
rural population of England explains 1t.
IL Amar,c, all tho star athletes seem to
~ III ,ho ,;,iaa In
come from the coleees Oh lhe - IA
-. ,,,u,ra, co,,ose mon seldom defeat
tne sh'ees. - ,r..,i.o
young couneryHseh OF men WI" po
athletics after leaving college.
..Ir ENGLAND the man of Q, and UPWARDS
4" $40 W - 40 -.
Is always pest. Inc poss OIL ifoIh 10 w
q, cannot compete with them. i notice
~, 80, or ,h. rreat American athletes
ID. mus ~ !, -. :. E.a,ond
are between IL ana Il. why Il" Lhsiai'
Young men of that age are not deemed
.nans ano,sh or develoned enough to
~" " - % ,r ~
compete with men OF from % 10 b. l u,
derstand Americans enter business life and
.,,. =, ,+b,,,,c. .nt,roJy EnpIishmeu keen
ei'e vi e--,.a,
them up loEg after they leave school.
las fer distance runners. l will tell you
20" Ensiaho p'ouu.ss 'net a.
does NOT. You see the country p"SS So
distance to school,. Colleges are almost
III &c, ' = access To If. When the
L. 90 70 shoe, thew have to travel from
ous tbraa mi,es from their homes.
When school is over they return home.
WWhheet ~ 49, natural Than that they
M 80. an re sat Rome as sonn as pos
sh hIo 90 sat ,.d .o r II in q certain direction
play mar ana houi ths ii,pit of The district
~ r ,,;rs.,ion for a hare 1'hey give
:; I've rninf,tes start and then chase him
home. it is a race all the way As each
w SSirNs EoR ENGLISH ATHIErE,.
.Es~,eian,Ss winter seasons are mild and
r-EiisS a,o,,5 20 atu,y Soff-peifher 700
Li,eisn sIout,u a.nrys Wn Tnn Land 10
SOL nor LOO nalu - east xnn can nick the
s,ass--ee 80. Ti,sv arc yerit bie lawns
Siass nelus. IIes IL Ssat'.it,,I rnnninp
SIeen' snort sHu anane Ia ~, the,r shoes
gssy SSnrna !, %o rofeat a small brother
and I1n ~ ~ ,be shoes NV the road
or .. 4 arc Fences eyery few hundred
mere afe leheS vrc IN come
yaras ana Toys os 5ruah ppaiI s bedeerows.
eoun.raes ths tn',r- foa. rai1 Force = wide.
Clkes, e,c- a Loui-Ioo, l IN Srn, ~ -
eiipped neuse LHm az and fiIad VIII
nIteen> Iss. "iu u nSep -sing ,nmninv AZ.
water, .hahes ~ III = frnm thSee aa fifteen