The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-07-23
HEEL And TOE
C H A N P NOW A
WALKING SAILOR

Balboa, Canal Zone, June % -
| CUP)--Great athletes come and go
But John Michael Deni refuses to
hang up his shoes.
Deni, world-famed distance and
speed walker, ice skater, hockey
player and bicycle rider, now is a
member of the U. S. Navy, stationed
| somewhere within the Canal Zone.
A native of LaWrenceville. Pa, the
40-year -old Deni is the father of a
20-year- daughter. He has been
in Panama only a short time.
Deni is to walking what Babe
Ruth and Lou Gehrig were to base
ball The 5-foot 6-inch specialist
third class weighs ITS pounds an.
is in perfect health due to a strict
regime which forbids smoking or
drinking, and which calls for only
one meal a day at o'clock in the
afternoon. Between meals he nibbles
at raw vegetables or fruits.
Deni began his career when he
was 10 years old, when he won the
Pennsylvania State ice skating
championship, title he held for 16
consecutive years. In 1923 he won
the Diamond Skate Pin Tourna-
ment, and in 1882 was awarded a
diamond medal for holding the title
so many years.
He also owns pair of silver
skates, won in the 1888 Skates Derby
at Lake Placid, New York.
Although he was famous as a
CD nopi hic hifrnoct hid
for fame as a walker. 1t all started
by chance in 1926 when, as a men,
Der of the Pennsylvania Railroad
track team he was called upon to
take part in the mile walking race.
Wearing street shoes, he won the
event, and thereafter turned his at
tention to improving his style and
pace, which today is considered one
of the most perfect in the world.
From that day on he was strictly a
walker. forgetting all about his 9TH
err activities.
In 1882 he failed to make the u S.
Olympic team by 10 seconds. -Four
years later he was beaten by less
than a second and was named first
alternate. In 1940-at the age of 81
he finished second in the $4,000
meter National A.A.U. event which
was also the Olympic tryouts. The
first three qualified for the squad
that was slated to take part in the
games at Helsingfors, Finland, had
they been held. He wears an Olym-
pic sweater as a reward.
Deni set a worlds record at At
lantic City in 1889. Competing in
the National A.A.U. 20,000-meter
championship. he covered the dis
lance in l hour minutes SIS Sec
onds. The mark still stands. In the
same meet he was second over the
5O,OO0-meter course by l second.
On July 10, 1912, he put on an ex-
hibition at Forbes Field, walking
around the bases while Ernie Koy
of the Phils and Gully Rikard of the
Pirates ran around twice. Deni end
ed his lap while the ballplayers we're
rounding third on their second lap.
Time: 23.1 seconds.
At the Balboa stadium here on
July 4, two track men raced against
him. Deni went $50 yards while the
track stars went 1920 yards run
ming their fastest. but not fast
enough to beat the walking sailor,
who finished 20 yards in front.
Denis trophy case contains 402
medals, IS cups and IL large tro-
phies. He has taken part in % Ma
tional AAU. walking races and has
vet to finish lower than fifth.
At present he is training here for
a walk across the Isthmus. So per-
feet is his pace and timing that he
plans to predict within 10 minutes
the time it will take him.