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http://www.npr.org/2014/04/03/297327865/in-the-1870s-and-80s-being-a-pedestrian-was-anything-but
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...e3a93a-aabe-11e3-adbc-888c8010c799_story.html
You can look the man up, long distance speed walking was a popular endurance sport of the time. Mr. Edward Payson Weston was one of the most popular and most prominent of "Pedestrians", as the athletes were referred to. He was known for covering large distances nearly non-stop in very short time-frames, something that was made possible by the chewing of Coca Leaves during his run, specifically in 1876 when he admitted to using Coca at his doctor's advice (see how long that excuse has gone for?)
It was not against any of the standardized rules of the time, but was universally and heavily frowned upon and seen as outright cheating.
It was the fallout from the use of drugs by prominent athletes that eventually led to the sports decline, paving the way for Baseball to take over as America's pastime.
Early Baseball was also famous for the athlete's use of performance enhancers, specifically the "Amphetamine Era" that took place from the 30's to the 60's. Babe Ruth himself had tried an injection from Sheep testicles, which proved to make him ill instead. Pud Galvin had admitted to using testosterone injections in 1889.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...e3a93a-aabe-11e3-adbc-888c8010c799_story.html
You can look the man up, long distance speed walking was a popular endurance sport of the time. Mr. Edward Payson Weston was one of the most popular and most prominent of "Pedestrians", as the athletes were referred to. He was known for covering large distances nearly non-stop in very short time-frames, something that was made possible by the chewing of Coca Leaves during his run, specifically in 1876 when he admitted to using Coca at his doctor's advice (see how long that excuse has gone for?)
It was not against any of the standardized rules of the time, but was universally and heavily frowned upon and seen as outright cheating.
It was the fallout from the use of drugs by prominent athletes that eventually led to the sports decline, paving the way for Baseball to take over as America's pastime.
Early Baseball was also famous for the athlete's use of performance enhancers, specifically the "Amphetamine Era" that took place from the 30's to the 60's. Babe Ruth himself had tried an injection from Sheep testicles, which proved to make him ill instead. Pud Galvin had admitted to using testosterone injections in 1889.
