Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-02-17

During the month of December, 1883,
I entered Is hour race at Norwich
Give hours a night managed by John
MulhOlland. The entries were George
barrow of New London, John Gleason
of Greeneville, Josh Mahoney of the
Falls and myself.
Therace was run in Lucas hall for
gate receipts. barrow was the favorite
and thought o be a sure winner. He
and l ran a close hace for 20 miles,
when l began to slowly draw away,
and at the end of five hours had COW
cred 81 IL miles, and was leading
had passed DarroW during the fifth
hour, by about mile while barrow
was half a mile behind Gleason.
After the first night the race narrow
ed down to contest between Darrow
and myself, and | finally won with a
score Of "a miles, while barrow had
rolled up 81 miles
l remained at home after this race
until March 10, 1SS9,when | went down
to RavensWood, l.. l.. and won a ten
mile race for gate receipts, at F'itZger-
AIDS track. This race was a financial
failure, the weather being unfavorable,
and I soon left for Waterbury, Conn,
in sompany with sporting man nam
cd Smith, to enter a six-day az haurs
a day. race. Waterbury in 1889 was
the busiest as well as the best sport
ing town in Connecticut, and the iny
terest in long distance races at that
time was at fever heat.
We arrived in Waterbury the day be-
fore the race was to begin, and found
everything In readiness and all the
runners in town. We obtained a room
near the rink, and formed the ac-
quaintance of an eccentric Yankee
from Bethel named Hines, who had no
trainer and Smith also assumed charge
Of him, and we agreed to occupy the
same quarters.
Fourteen of us lined up for the start
and as the clock struck u the band
struck up a lively tune. and we were
off, with George Cartwright taking the
lead, followed closely by Corners, Dav-
is, Hegelman, Adams, Elson, Norman,
Taylor, the pie eater myself and
seven others. Hegelman and Cart
wight alternated in the lead for %
miles, run in Oh. Som, when Cart
wright left the track and did not re-
turn. Hegelman, Davis, Corners and
l ran in close company for so miles,
after which Hegelman slowly increas-
ed his lead. and at the end of the first
10 hours the score stood: Hegelman 73
miles. Davis 70 miles IL laps, Nolan
1913, Corners Y, with the others far in
the rear.
Hines, who seemed to have taken
some drug, ran all around the field
during the last hour of the race, and
went raving that night, dancing jigs
and throwing his shoes at imaginary
ants on the walls of the room. We
finally succeeded in quoting him. but
the following day found him complete
ly exhausted and forced to- quit the
race. 1 was also in rather poor con-
dition, being stiff and sore, while my
right foot was cut by my shoe, at the
instep, and 1t panied me severely with
every step took.
The fast pace for the first fifty miles
had used up most Of my reserve
strength, as I was not accustomed to
these long grinds, and had foolishly
followed the leaders too closely, dur
ing the first day. 1 keut In the race.
however, during the remaining FIVE
days, finishing in sixth place with a
score Of $50 miles. for which received
$40.
After this race I remained in Wa
terbury to recuperate, and a few days
after the race had ended Mike Burns
1853 pound champion of the state and
one of the promoters Of the race, came
to see me and made me an offer Of
SIP week to assist him as bartender
in the saloon owned by Billy Perkins,
near the N. Y, and N. E. railroad de-
pot Perkins, who was The heaviest
man in the state, weighing $50 pounds,
had contracted a. cold during the race
in the rink, and was confined to his
room, over the saloon. I accepted the