Herald Race - 1895

 “Since the first cross country around the bay, instituted last Christmas, no sporting event in Hamilton has been witnessed by such crowds of people as was the cross country run yesterday for the Herald Cup.”

Hamilton Herald.   September 03, 1895.

The first Herald Race, held on Christmas Day, had gone extremely well with considerable interest bo9th among Hamilton’s sporting community and among Hamiltonians generally.

For the second Herald Around the Bay race, the officials with the newspaper decided not to wait until Christmas day 1895, but held it on Labour Day, September 2, 1895:

“ The race was in every particular more exciting and successful than it was last year. Then it was a new thing in Hamilton, and of the thirteen starters not more than a couple of them were in condition to compete in such a race, but this year the majority of the men went to the post fit and well and able to stay the distance. For weeks, every man has been in training, and has submitted himself in matters of exercise and diet to the judgment of his trainers.”¹

¹ Hamilton Herald.   September 03, 1895.

Although the Herald’s two competitors in the Hamilton daily newspaper war, the Times and the Spectator chose not to promote, much less even announce that a second road race around the bay was to take place. The Herald did indeed make its readers know about the race and the interest in it was strong:

“By 8 o’clock crowds commenced to assemble around the streets to witness the start, and at 9 o’clock there was a solid mass of people in front of the Herald office, while the course down James street to Barton, and along Barton to Wentworth street, was crowded with men, women and children. There was hardly room for the runners to get through the crowds on James and Barton streets. Vehicles drawn by fleet-footed horses went through the streets at a lively pace, men and boys on horseback rode up and down the streets, while there were scores of scorching bicyclists out.”¹

The Herald office, located on King street west, just west of James street, and the office was used by the athletes to prepare for the race while starting line was placed in front of the building:

“The Herald office was the dressing room of the competitors, and with fifteen runners, with their respective trainers, preparing for the start, the erstwhile calm and quiet editorial rooms were transformed into a Coney Island training school. The trainers had a great responsibility upon their shoulders. They had to see that their men were properly costumed, wore their correct numbers, and that they were feeling in good spirits, and ready for the great race. The small boy on the streets had an equally great responsibility, fussing about and arranging a place for himself so that he could see the whole thing.”¹

 The Herald coverage of the start of the race included naming the race officials and the competitors, including the clubs each athlete was associated with :

“At five minutes to 9 o’clock, J.M. Harris, referee and starter, Alex. Dunn and Ald. TenEyck, timekeepers, took their positions, and the competitors lined up. The following men awaited the word : F.S.Wood, 351 Cannon street east; Louis Lee, Nautilus Rowing Club; Wm. Martin, Mount Hamilton; E.B. Patterson, architect, 211 Cannon street east; John Murray, 22 Augusta street; J.A. Holland, Royal Hotel; John Cochrane, East avenue and Princess streets; D. King, Simcoe street; Bert McDonald, Chestnut avenue; R.B. Harris, Hamilton Football Club; A. Donald, Victoria avenue north; Joseph Hawkey, Times office; High Hayes, Athletic Lacrosse Club; Mike Hayes, Athletic Lacrosse Club; Wm. Baker, 101 Wilson street.

“As the City Hall clock started to strike, 9, J.M. Harris fired the pistol and the fifteen runners were off at a merry clip down James street. Hugh Hayes cut out the pace, which was slower than that of Woods last year, till about Wentworth street or Sanford avenue, when Wood came up to the front at a livelier clip, followed by Donald, Hugh Hayes and Mike Hayes. The three latter hugged Wood till the Jockey Club was reached, there being but a couple of feet separating them for each other.”¹

The Herald had reporters covering the race in detail, particularly at key points along the route, such as the Waterworks, Fitch’s Hotel on the Beach Strip, the Brant House and the Hendrie farm on Plains Road. Telegrams listing the order of the runners and their times were sent back to the office. Bulletins announcing the state of the race were placed in the windows of the Herald. 

The final portion of the race saw a duel between Wood and Donald:

““Donald hung to his man till the hill at the Valley Inn. Here Wood thought it was time to get down to work and spurted out to capture Mr. McMeekins’ prize for the man arriving first at the Valley Inn. Donald ran after him, but he hadn’t  enough reserve strength to keep up the pace, and Wood left him. He ran up the hill and down York street, through the crowds, impeded somewhat by the patrol wagon, crossing the starting point at 11.10 amid tumultuous cheers, and breaking last year’s record.

“Donald was pretty well played out coming up the hill, but he gamely continued, winning second place in 11.18. Coming down York street, one of the boys who had paced him was exhausted, and was carried away, and this led to the rumor that Donald was carried down York street. Lou Lee finished a good third at 11.20 ½.”¹

At the finish line, the runners were examined by doctors :

““The weather was delightful and the day was almost an ideal one for the race. None of the runners were much distressed by the heat, and nearly every one of them is around today feeling as active as usual.

“When the race was over, Dr. White who viewed the finish from the Herald office, examined a number of the men and found them all in good health. After feeling Wood’s pulse, he said he was in perfect condition. Donald’s pulse beat a little faster, but the doctor pronounced him strong and healthy. Lou Lee had a good strong pulse, and was in fine condition.”¹

The Herald coverage of the race included drawings of the first few runners who finished, and a drawing of Wood crossing the finish line.

The coverage which filled most of the front page concluded with a large number of short observations, giving information under the headline, Notes:

“Who’ll win the race next year?

 “Next year, if Marshall and Wood come together, what a race it will be.

“Holland received the same fair play as any other runner throughout the race.

 “Wood finished in beautiful shape and was almost fit enough to run around again.

“They say the reason Holland did not win was because John Dynes did not give him a chicken lunch.

“Bert McDonald ran quite a good race for a new man. He was looked after by his brother, Allan McDonald.

 “In a carriage, gaily decorated with bunting and ribbons, rode the following who rooted enthusiastically for Wood : C. Gardiner, H. Meldrum, F.Bevis, W. Creighton, T. Wilkes. Wood ran with the colors of St. Matthew’s Association Football Club, of which he has been captain for eight years.

 “It was a great day for England, Scotland and Ireland. Wood is an Englishman, Donald’s name betrays his nationality, while Lee has quite a dash of Irish in him.

“Lou Lee, of the Nautilus Rowing Club, rather surprised his friends. He had but two weeks’ training, and his trainer, Tommy O’Neil, was the proudest man in town last night.

“Among those who saw the finish from the Herald editorial rooms were : John Crerar, Q.C., J.E. O’Reilly, R. AE Kennedy, Dr. White, John Hendrie and many other prominent citizens.

“Sandy Donald was in the Herald office this morning looking hearty and well. He said, ‘It was a desperate race, and an awful finish to the Valley Inn. I will never run it again.’

“The distance this year was about one-quarter of a mile longer than it was last year, owing to the start being made from the Herald office. The rate was about 8 ¾ miles an hour.

“All the Beach residents were out and saw the race. The farmers along the route saw that the course was kept clear, and prevented rigs from driving immediately in front of the racers.

“Louis Lee, winner of third place, came to the referee to say that he is quite satisfied Sandy Donald ran a square race, and he has no protest to file against the position awarded him.

 “The dark horse was paced around by Carey the ice man, who drove a high-stepper. A number of the young man’s friends rode on bicycles. W. Lewis rode in the capacity of mascot, but the pace was too hot for him.

“Patterson dropped out at Wentworth street. When asked why he quit so early, he replied, ‘I was told they only intended to jog around, but, by thunder, they raced so that I lost sight of them at Wentworth street. That was enough.’

 “The talent around the St. Nicholas are all inclined to believe that Martin’s wonderful trial in 1.39 was a pipe story, and whenever it is mentioned now, one of the party will quietly say, ‘smoke up, give that fellow another opium pill and he will believe that Martin ran it in 1.39.’

“Sergeant-Major Prentice managed the crowds well. At the start a squad of policemen kept the course clean, and the patrol wagon drove down York street, opening a passage for Wood through the dense crowds, but the rest of the runners found it rather difficult to get through.

“W. Baker, 101 Wilson street, is very proud of his son’s plucky performance in finishing fifth. He is only 18 years of age, and first developed speed by running at Sunday school picnics. His father is an old-time English pedestrian , with a record, and has walked a mile in better than seven minutes.

“Trainer Jack Welsh and Lewis McDonald cannot account for Hayes’ poor showing. He appeared to be in the best of health. His training was all done in the cool of the evening, and they think it was the strong sun beating on him that caused him to take the header.

“Holland, the colored man, was one of the freshest men that finished. Had he the gameness of Wood, Donald, Lee or Baker, he would have made a much better showing than he did. He kept the same stride all the way around, and although he had plenty of strength at the finish, never increased his gait.

“Prof. Gant looked after Holland at the start, and he was requested at the finish to protest against Holland being given only fourth place, owing to a rumor that the second and third place men were assisted in. The professor is a square sport and when he investigated the circumstances saw that Holland had been treated fairly.

“Holland says if they had chickens piled up a foot thick on the Beach road, they could not stop him, and he ran past a melon patch as if it never was there. He is justly entitled to fourth honors, as he ran a good game race. Lots of money was bet that he would not finish in three hours and some that he would not go the distance at all.”

“Owing to the delay in crossing the canal last year, the majority of those who saw the race drove around and met the runners on the other side of the canal. Coming home, there was a procession of carriages and horses extending from fence to fence. Fortunately for the runners, the strong wind blew the dust behind them all the way, but it was unfortunate for the drivers for they were covered with dust.

“Each runner was accompanied all around the course by a coterie of admirers who paced him. Almost every runner had several bicyclists on his staff, while the trainers rode beside their men carrying the necessary accessories.