Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-17

N athlete 1O2 years old has walked
~ ten miles in two hours ana twenty
n three minutes. It
Very recently, Jem Mace, the
veteran English pugillst who was hedNy :
weight champion of the world more than
forty years ago, proved that at tne age
of "A he could box almost as vigorously
as ever.
There was speed in his arms and legs
and steam behind his blows, ana as ne
bored in, side-stepped and swung ms
rights and let's he made his opponeRt,
man fifty years his Junior, look very 1901
Within the past week or so another
very ancient athlete Mark ALI the pedes,
trian, who confesseS to 79 years, concluded
a tramp of $4,000 miles for a wager.
In the history of athletics many other
noteworthy cases are to be tound OF men
outliving the allotted span of three score
years and ten and even then setting a
pace in athletic contests which others in
their prime have been unable to follow.
"Old Joe" Spencer, for instance, at 81
made light of tramp from London to
John O'Groat's and back again, total
distance by road of about 14OO miles. Only
a few days ago DR.. f. j. Furnivall, a re,
birthday by sculling fourteen miles on
DR.. G. T. Harris, another British medi-
cal man, who lives at Kilburn, took
thousand mile spin on his bicycle few
months ago. He is rs years old.
There are probably dozens of other old
aTnleIeS
grow old. The list does not include Robert
Fitzsimmons because he is comparatively
very young man. Reference Is made
only to the athletes who were breaking
records fifty years ago and are still at
tempting TO do the same things.
Every clubman and athlete, for in
stance, knows Prof. Mike Donovan, who
has been instructor of boxing at the New
York Athletic club for twenty years.
Donovan was a fighter fifty years ago
He was nothing more than a boy at
that time, it is. true, but his heart had
already been set upon a pugilistic career
and he was trying himself out against
others several years his senior. Today
DCnovan's hair and mustache are snow
white, but his step is quick and sprfngy
His complexion is one that young girl
might well envy, and when 1t comes to
boXing-well, his friends say he is better
than he ever was.
Donovan Still Young
Every day Mike boxes hard with from
ten to twenty husky, ambitious young
men, the sons of men whom he instructed
in the same noble art thirty years ago.
If seen in the ring with a mask cover
ing his face he could readily pass for
young man of between twenty-five and
Then there is James H. O'Rourke, whose
ball playing with the Boston team used
to fascinate our grandfathers. Nobody
seems to know just how old O'Rourke
really is and he won't tell.
When asked point blank he IS likely to
change the, subject o,R9urke 9 x is still
caught in two games in an afterno Don In
Bridgeport, where he captains and man
ages and also does nearly all the catch
ing for the Bridgeport club of the Con-
necticut league.
How long do you expect to continue
playing ball?" Mr. O'Rourke was asked
recently.
The veteran thought for moment and
replied: IF I continue to feel as well as
do now don't see why 1 shouldn't keep
on playing indefinitely"
Jim ORourke's hair is tinged with gray
now, In all other respects he still looks
quite young; certainly as young and ac-
tive as when he played with the Bostons,
and that was in 1873 and thereabouts.
For many years previous to that he had
played with the Haymaker club and
other semi-professional clubs In 1904 he
caught for the Giants in one of the final
games of the season and acquitted him
self nobly.
Just one year ago this month Edward
Payson Weston. who is now in his seven
tieth year, walked from Philadelphia to
New York in twenty three hours and
twenty-six minutes. The distance by
road is ninety-six miles, and Weston
tramped the entire distance at an average