Pedestrianism Pedestrianism

Pedestrianism

When Watching People Walk Was America's Favorite Spectator Sport

    • 49,99 lei
    • 49,99 lei

Publisher Description

Strange as it sounds, during the 1870s and 1880s, America’s most popular spectator sport wasn’t baseball, football, or horseracing—it was competitive walking. Inside sold-out arenas, competitors walked around dirt tracks almost nonstop for six straight days (never on Sunday), risking their health and sanity to see who could walk the farthest—more than 500 miles. These walking matches were as talked about as the weather, the details reported in newspapers and telegraphed to fans from coast to coast. This long-forgotten sport, known as pedestrianism, spawned America’s first celebrity athletes and opened doors for immigrants, African Americans, and women. But along with the excitement came the inevitable scandals, charges of doping and insider gambling, and even a riot in 1879. Pedestrianism chronicles competitive walking’s peculiar appeal and popularity, its rapid demise, and its enduring influence.

GENRE
History
RELEASED
2014
1 April
LANGUAGE
EN
English
LENGTH
272
Pages
PUBLISHER
Chicago Review Press
SIZE
5.1
MB

More Books by Matthew Algeo

When Harry Met Pablo When Harry Met Pablo
2023
All This Marvelous Potential All This Marvelous Potential
2020
Abe & Fido Abe & Fido
2015
Last Team Standing Last Team Standing
2013
The President Is a Sick Man The President Is a Sick Man
2011
Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure
2009

Customers Also Bought