The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-06-08
One LEGGED Athletes,
From Tit Bits,


Aithough most of us have seen. or
at least heard of, the one-legged crick-
eters-eleven of whom We're often wont.
i'll the days when the game was not
so strictly disciplined as it is at pres
ent, to oppose an eleven of one-armed
players one-legged athletes are by no
er is probably unique. Yet such Il
phenomenon does exist, in the person
of member of the Bulwell Artisans
club, who, it is said, plays "A very
sound game. He, in all probability,
however, acquired the rudiments of
the science when acting as caddie
in days previous to the accident that
necessitated the amputation of his
limb.
That such a handicap as the loss of
a leg does not incapacitate man
from eXcelling as a swimmer has been
conclusivcly proven on more than ono
occasion. One of the foremost expo
nents of the natatory art at the pres
ent day labors under this disadNan-
tage, and many old frequenters of
Brill's baths at Brighton will remem-
Der the head swimming master. Camp,
who, despite the fact that he had but
one leg, was not only an adept at trick
swimming, but lin the matter of pace
could give start and a beating to
many who had the normal number of
limbs
More than once has a one legged cy-
clist won race and not SO long since
such Il one, named West, used. with a
liberal start, to hold his own s:ith the
speediest professionals. Fitzpatrick,
power in his one leg as most men have
in their two. if we consider the many
daring feats he has accomplished on
his cycle, foremost among which are
his standing With his machine on the
summit of the 1907 foot-high Laxey
wheel. in the Isle of Man. and his de-
scending st breakneck speed the east
steps of the capitol at Washington.
The annals Of foot racing contain
more than one record in point. We
read how once Newmarket Heath was
the scene of a race between two Grip
pies each having wooden leg. In
the presence of a goodly throng, among
whom was the merry monarch, they
started fair. and hobbled a good pace,
which caused great admiration and
laughter among the heholders; but the
taller OF the two won by two or three
yards" Again, over a hundred years
later, in 1890. a certain one-legged
man. named Carter, backed himself to
cover six miles within the hour, and
performed the feat, with six minutes
to spare.
Some years since n wrestler named
Binet gained much kudoS among the
habitucS of continental fairs, less by
his wrestling conversational that
was not nconsderable-tha by his
being handicapped by the loss of a leg.
This notwithstanding, he always made
a gallant and not infrequen1ly a sue
cessful show, his great height. strength
and weight standing him in good stead
He eXcelled, too, in feats of strength
and was specially notable for his skill
in casting Il heavy blacksmith's ham,
mer. To a trial of skill with this i'm
| plement he was wont to issue a gem
eral challenge, and it was but seldom
| he found his master
Nothing, one would say. is more call
culated TO place boxer at a disad-
vantage than the loss of leg. Yet
Thomas kench. a burly, fifteen-stone
| man, topping six feet by some three
inches, we'll held his own with the
gloves with such as had the temerity
to face him in the arena of the booth
| with which he and other boxers tray-
eled the fairs and race courses in the
days when pugilism tlourshed.
| Not only did he take on all corners
at mimic warfare, but on one occasion
at least he stripped in the ring fol-
serious fray. his opponent being q
| LEICESTER butcher. who thought 20 com.
pensate for his inferioritv in pounds
and inches by his superior activity. 1,
| this, however. he was mistaken. fol
the long left of the cripple, which
| he WAS unable to avoid, put him Out
of time after seventeen we'll fought
| rounds.