Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-05
oNE-LEGGED ATHLETES.
Records Made by Men With Serious
Handicap.

From Tft-Bits.
Although most Of us have seen, or at least
heard Of the one-legged cricketers-eieVen
of whom were often wont. In the days wheh
the game was not SO strictly disciplined as
II ia at present to oppose an eleven Of one
armed players-one-legged athletes are py
no means common and a one-legged golfer
Is probably unique. Yet such phenomenon
does exist. In the person OF member of the
BuIweu Artisans Club. who, 1t Is said. plays
a very sound game. He. nall 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 leg
does not incapacitate man from eXceIiins
as swimmer has been conclusive!y proven
on more than one occasion. One OF the
foremost exponents of the natatory art at
the present day labors under this disadVan-
taRe and many old freQuenterS or BrlH
Baths at Brighton will remember the head
swimming mas.er. Camp, who, despite the
fact that he had but one leg, was not only
an adept at trick swimming. but In the mat
ter of pace could give start and a beating
to many who had the normal number of
limbs
More than once has a one-legged cyclist
won race. and not so long since such q
one, named West used. with liberal start.
to hold his own with the speediest profess
SIGNALS. Fitzpatrick. too. must be endowed
with as much 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 100-foot- high Laxey wheel, in the Isle
of Man. and his descending at breakneck
speed the east steps of the Capitol at Wash
ington.
The annals of foot racing contain more
than one record In point. We read how once
Newmarket Heath was the scene of race
bx.tx fuvn n m a
leg. In the presence of goodly throng.
among whom was the merry monarch, they
Started fair. and hobbled good pace, which
caused great admiration and laughter among
the beholders; but the taller of the two won
by two or three yards" Again. over a hum
dred years later. in 1893. certain one
legged man. named Carter, backed himself
to cover six miles within the hour and per-
formed the feat. with six minutes to spare
Some years since a wrestler named Binet
gained much kudos among the habtues of
continental fairs. less by his wrestling
prowess-although that was not inconsider-
able-than by his being handicapped by the
loss of leg. This Notwithstanding, he al
ways made gallant and not infreQuentiy a
successful 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 a
heavy blacksmith's hammer. To trial OF
skill with this implement he was wont to
issue general challenge. and it was but
seldom he found his master.
Nothing. one would say. Is more calculated
to place a boxer at disadvantage than the
loss Of leg. Yet Thomas Kench. a burly,
ffteen-stone man. topping six feet by some
three inches. well 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 boxes travelled the fairs and race
courses in the days when pusilism flour
ished.
Not only did he take on all Corners at
mimic warfare. but on one occasion at least
hn ~ tt, rsr
opponent being Leicester butcher, who
thought to compensate for his infertority in
pounds and inches by his superior activity.
In this however. he was mistaken, for the
long left OF the cripple. which he was un-
able to avoid. put him out of time after sew
enteen well-fought rounds