The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-11-25
JOHN HUGHES.
special Correspondence to The Press


none of these young bucks has
anything ON me. I'll challenge
Dorando or Hayes to a six day 60
as-you-please race, even if l am
old enough to be the father of
ayther of them
John Hughes, so, gray haired,
clear eyed, who recently astonish-
ed New York and himself by run
ming more than so miles in less
than 10 hours, banged his big fist
down on table as he uttered this
challenge.
Hughes, who used to be known
among the New York A. c. mem
bers as THE Lepper," is much
elated over the showing he made
in that run of so miles.
Say" he continued, while
you're writing that down, just let
'em know that the same thing
stands for Edward Payson Wes-
ton, cross country or indoors"
Then the enthusiasm of the old
runner rose high.
Make the challenge general.
I'll run anybody in the while
country, and they will have to go
140 miles in "a hours if they want
to be near me at the finish"
The run that again drew atten-
ton to the abilities of the old-time
long distance runner was made on
the asphalt around the block at
10th and Lexington avenue.
Hughes started, on dare, at $3.50
a. m, and with pause of five
minutes each hour. kept the steady
jog up till $50, when he had run
Sc miles. The pavement was COW
cred with slush. A crowd gath
cred after the race had been on
for a short time, and several small
boys made the going hard for the
old racer. He was obliged to
knock one boy over before the
youngsters would stay out of the
way.
Harlem was SO enthusiastic over
the showing of the runner, that a
purse of 5000 was taken up and
presented to him.
Hughes ran in heavy sack suit,
minus the coat. His only prepare
ton was to don heavy pair of
white socks and a ligfiht pair of
well worn shoes.
Never a bit of stiffness did |
have after the race, ayther," said
Hughes, (which shows that a fell
low who takes care of himself can
be in good trim when he's sup
posed to be a has-been."
Hughes has few theories about
keeping in condition. He drinks
little or no coffee, eats what he
pleases, drinks a little beer occa-
sionally, and take a nip of whisky
just before racing. His hardest
training stunt is to walk in place
of using the street car.
ne never SHlOheS anu never
! has. To this he gives the credit
for his strong heart and lungs. He
is five feet eight inches tall, and
! Slightly bent with rheumatism, but
his big thick neck and broad chest
are like those of young man.
His muscles are well developed.
but not knotted and hard except
Y whenhe wants them to be. His
face is lined heavily, but appar-
emily these are lines of great phys
ical strain rather than age. The
most peculiar thing about this old
timer is that he runs flat footed
instead of on his toes.
Soon after he came over from
Ireland in 1869 Hughes began to
y do 10 mile runs. In 1870 he ran
L six day race with Paddy Fitz-
+ gerald In Cleveland, and was 40
miles ahead when he quit. The
same year he ran a seven day
race, IL hours a day, in Cincinnati
and won. In 1882 he ran three six
day races In Baltimore, and in 'Sg
\ he beat Pete Gould by 0miles in
a seven day race at Coney island.
Hughes invented the "go as you
please" style OF endurance racing
and first used II at the opening of
y Madison Square garden in 1891.
Here be was is miles ahead of the
closest contestant at the finish.
THE reason OF that" he says,
was that It was st. Patrick's day."
Hughes best official records are
csc miles In six days: $50 miles in
23 hours and IL minutes. His last
big race was in 1902. when he ran
$40 miles. hour-on. hour-off, in a
; six day race in Madison Square
Garden. Last August. at Port