Las Vegas optic., 1911-02-16
new DISTANCE
ROLLER SKATING
RECORD
1e-YEAR-oLD KANSAS BOY NEGo-
TlATED 167 1-2 MILES IN
rs HOURS

Winfield, Kan, Feb. 16.-What is
thought to be the championship long
distance roller skating record has been
established by Earl Petit, a boy of
Is years. Petit resides in this city,
and made his record here. Petit
skated continuously for twenty-five
hours. He covered 167 IL miles. The
previous American record was TWEEN
ty-four hours and 1876 Is miles.
Though he had not stopped skating
for moment for more than twenty
four hours. Petit finished in romp,
skating the last half hour as if he
were giving short exhibition of fast,
fancy skating. When his self imposed
twenty-five hours were UP he did not
dramatically fall over in state of ex-
haustion, but went three minutes long
er and then posed for a flash-light
picture. After a good nights sleep he
appeared none the worse for his long
exertion, and felt and looked as if he
might go skating the rest of the week.
The finish of the race was amidst
the widest enthusiasm of the large
crowd present. A good sized purse
was made up for the plucky boy who
had endured the long struggle so we'll
Perhaps it is not fair to call it a strug-
gle. 1t was so easy for him. But
something of what the exertion meant
may be nderstood when it is known
that he outskated both in distance and
time three other men, skating against
him in relays. These were Wichita
skating experts: Johnny Mack, Chas.
Yeager and Clarence Nichols. The
first lasted but three hours; the Sec
ond followed him and skated fourteen
hours the third beginning at twenty
minutes after noon skated until twen-
ty minutes after SIX, making six hours.
Petit skated forty miles farther than
the three did all together
For the most of the time Petit
skated at the rate of six or seven
miles an hour. One or two attend
ants skated with him, taking turns. His
mother prepared food for him which
was eaten on the go. Not once did
he stop. One time roller came off
one of his skates. Without even
Stacking up, he took off his shoe, un
fastened the skate, put on an I'M
broken one, replaced the shoe and
laced it on. This happened 20 be one
of his, fancy skating stunts, or he
would not have been able 70 lave
done it.
Starting heavily clothed, he gradu-
ally took off his outer garments, I'M
til in the last hour he was in skat-
ing breeches and hose, striped sweat
er, and knit cap. On his breast was
pinned a. knot of ribbons that stream
ed gaily as he romped around the
track, and some admirer handed him
a beautiful bouquet of pink and white
With these in hand he
lashed around the course at dizzying
speed, wholly careless about whether
he kept on the shortest lines of the
marked track. And there IS 10 Gorbt
that the distance actually skatad V as
far in excess of 1877 1.2 miles.
The track was markell aside by a
rope, three feet from which all around
the distance was measured, giving
twenty-five laps, or rounds, to the
mile. Petit scarcely ever touched his
three feet line, but played around out
side of it. He frequently criss-crossed
and did other stunts that ate up dis
tance But in spite of all this he made
41SS laps in the twenty-five hours.
The track was carefully measured af-
ter the race in the presence of repre-
sentative citizens and newspaper men.
It is probable that Petit will be
matched against Frederick E. Miller
of Richmond, Indiana, the holder of
the previous record. If this is done,
the race will no doubt be pulled oft in
some large CITY.