Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-05-04
Marathon Winner Trained Self


possible to use his machine. and he
Just naturally exercised the next ex-
pedicnt. that of walking and running
to and from his work. When he won
the race in 1922, much of his train
ing consisted of running from Boston
to Melrose every evening. About the
middle OF January. De Mar, pleased
with his condition, decided to train
seriously for the great race. He
trained himself. as he always has
done. If he felt tired at any time he
rested. but he managed to run an
average of five days a week through
the Winter.
Just look at that shoe, will you ."
he interposed in his recital of his life.
He exhibited his right shoe, the sole
OF which was worn almost through.
"Oh, no, they were not new shoes.
know better than that. But this
thin spot was formerly a patch, and
just look at it now, pretty nearly
worn through"
That was typical Of De Mar. He
was more interested in the damage
'chS tiiC oflOC oollHS lilC laCC Ildft
in the damage to the little toe of his
right foot. A blister had been brok-
en- and half the flesh was raw.
But that's nothing; it will soon
heal. Only now 1 remember that it
bothered me little about half way
through the rage. Did 1 think l
would win? Yes. After running
Giy1cn To IN CHI r1n
or snow, I somehow thought
could win. Really, though, thought
Mellor was going to win, but as poor
little Jimmy Henigan said before the
start, 1T is anybody's race"
Are you going to try to win the
race again next year," he was asked.
"Oh. I can't say about that. 1t
will all depend how l am feeling, but
I'd like to try to WIN another, just to
make it three victories. And then,
too, I'd like to try for the American
Olympic Marathon team again, If I
could be assured that they would al
low mo to train myself. You see, I
think 1 understand myself better
than anybody else and so maybe the
fellows train the way we like
That brought out the fact that he
was born in Madeira. O.. June Z,
1888. His mother was of
Scotch English extraction and
through his fathers veins there
flowed French and German blood.
The elder De Mar is dead When IL
yeors old Clorap r,oxyod 70 pocto,,
and except for five years in Vermont
has lived in Boston and Melrose all
his life
When he first came to Boston he
entered the Farm and Trades School
at Thompson's Island and passed
IL years there learning the print
er's trade. He then attended Maple
and was graduated in 1907. He then
took a two-ycar agricultural course
at the University of Vermont, and it
was there, in 1909, that he first took
up running and he finished fourth in
two and ur-mile cross country
runs. Prior to finishing second in
the 1910 Marathon. he won the Arm
vi a. a.. iu.Hfiic 1 uu ESDI Qdly -.
In the 1911 Marathon race he lost
IL pounds, and Immediately be-
gan strict vegetarian diet. But
after a years trial, I found the veg
etarian diet to be Impractical and
abandoned it," he said
During the war he was drafted and
as member of Co. f of the 301st
Regiment, 10th Division. saw service
overseas. In 1918. he finished sec
ond to Fred Faller in a four-mile
race. run in hob-nail shoes at st.
Armand, was fourth in the A. z. +.
eight mile tryout, which Faller won,
and at Cob1enz, he finished eighth in
race won by Chuch Mellor.
Kenneth Williams went Babe Ruth
one better by getting three home
runs in one game, but Williams fell
short of the major league record
held Jointly by Bobby Lowe of the
old Boston Nationals and Ed Dele
hanty of the ancient Phillies. Lowe
made four homers May 30, 1905 off
Chamberlain of the Reds, while on
July 10 of the following year Dele
hanty crashed four off Terry of Chi
cago. Lowe had the distinction of
making two of his homers in the
same inning.
At last America has a javelin
thrower who can beat POO feet. An
gier of Illinois was our best man at
Antwerp, but ranked only seventh.
He improved his Olympic perform
ance by over 10 feet at Des Moines
We will produce an Olympic cham
pion of these days.
That was some high jump made by
Osborne of Illinois at the Drake car
nival. Jumping 6 feet 6 inches by
Harry ellis protege undoubtedly ac-
for Johnny Murphy of Notre
Dame choosing to compete at the
Penn games instead of staying out
west.
Joe Wright. Pennsylvania's coach,
says his crew will not row any better
or any worse. no matter who fol-
lows them. AS long as there is a
seat in his launch he will welcome
anyone.