Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-06-15
THE CHAMPION RUNNER.
Winner Of Many Races, Intends to
Make a Record at 76.

Norman Taylor, the Vermont "Ple Eater"
Winner Of Many Races, Intends to
Make a Record at 7e.
The Minneapolis Journal Of recent issue
says Of Norman Taylor a native Of
Plymouth, VT, famous runner years ago:
Dr. Olser and his theory received a
body blow from Norman Taylor, one
time champion 2o-miler, now living in
Minneapolis.
This Osler man is wrong in this theory
I never ran a foot In my life until / was
over 49," said the grizzled veteran OF
Gettysburg and of the track. 1T was
down in old Vermont, in 1870, that
first discovered that could run made
one OF my best records when I was So
Last year, on my 18th birthday / walked
the ten miles to St Paul in one hour and
40 minutes. I guess that puts a finish to
DR.. Osler and his theory all right"
Though he is now almost rs years old
Norman Taylor Is a vigorous man, with
the slender figure Of the track man and
the reolute jaw under a grizzed beard
which tells how he was able TO stand
with the Sixteenth Vermont to meet
Pickett's wild charge at Gettysburg, reel
on his 100 miles in the first day OF a
six-day race. and at the age OF rs walk
ten miles in one hour and 40 minutes
better time than the average athlete OF
25 could make.
Worked With oId-Tlmers.
"old Sport Campana. Dan O'Leary.
"Lepper' Hughes, Vint, Pat Fitz-
gerald, Sam Day and Frank Hart were
all contemporaries OF Taylor and were
his opponents in many contests and he
can tell many stories of them.
Starting with one-mile races at coun-
ty fairs when he was 40. Taylor worked
up In the racing game both in distance
and speed until he held the title Of
worlds champion for the 20-mile four
years. He was defeated by Pat" Fitz-
gerald in 1882.
Some Of Taylor's records as he remem-
beers them, were: At the age OF So in
Williamsburg, N. Y, on New Years day
rs S-16 miles in ~ hours, winning first
out OF 81 entries and a purse of $751;
Bedford. Mass, at the age OF 50. 400
miles in six days OF ~ hours each. win
ming first over Frank Hart, Peter Haga-
man and Sam Day The purse. 1897 90
was the best money he ever got. At
the age OF ~ he finished fourth in a
24-hour race in New York against
younger men, making ITO miles. In a
six-day race at Plattsburg. N. Y, four
hours a night, he made first over Pete
Hagaman, Pete Golden and White Eagle.
winning $163. Taylor's last race was in
Minneapolis in 1892, when he won from
hours at a time, In the old Market hail.
Bridge square and First street, dis
tancing his nearest rival by 40 miles
His winning was the paltry sum Of
$3.50.
Ends His Career.
This last race ended Taylor's racing
career. Since then he has lived in Min
neapolis, keeping in training by four
mile runs to Bryn Mawr and until a few
years working as a day laborer Now
he is living on his pension, but still
keeps in training and expects to break
the record for 76-year-olds by walking
to st. Paul on his next birthday. Racing
was never a financial success with him.
and he has no savings in his old age,
but Is entirely dependent upon a meager
pension. Habits of temperance and
frugality formed on Vermont farm and
adhered to through his racing days
render his wants few and simple. In
his six-day racing Taylor was very fond
OF pies and ate them in large numbers
while on the tanbark. This won for
him the title of THE Pie Eater" which
still sticks.