97: Six-Day Race Part 5: Daniel O’Leary (1875)

Ultrarunning History

By Davy Crockett You can read, listen, or watch Daniel O'Leary By March 1875, Edward Payson Weston, from New York City, was on top of the ultrarunning world (called Pedestrianism). He had just won the first six-day race in history, was the only person who had ever walked 500 miles in six days and held the 24-hour world walking record of 115 miles. Through his efforts and the promotion of P.T. Barnum, the sport had been given a rebirth and was on the front pages of newspapers across America. Weston had won hundreds of thousands of dollars in today’s value for his exploits and obviously others wanted a piece of this action too. Was Weston one of a kind, or would others succeed in dethroning him? A true rival did emerge from Chicago, an Irishman who worked hard to try to become the best, Daniel O’Leary. Please consider becoming a patron of ultrarunning history. Help to preserve this history by signing up to contribute a few dollars each month through Patreon. Visit https://ultrarunninghistory.com/member Others Try to be Six-Day Kings After his victory in the first six-day race in history, held in P.T. Barnum’s New York City Hippodrome, Weston had established himself as the undisputed six-day king. Others attempted to match Weston’s 500-mile six-day accomplishment achieved in New Jersey, in December 1874. The press still could not resist taking a poke at Weston. “Samuel Williamson of Milwaukee imitated Weston’s attempts to walk 500 miles in six days, and the imitation was so successful that he failed ridiculously.” In April 1875, Allen Brown claimed to walk 500 miles in six days in Nashville, “the first pedestrian who has accomplished the feat without a charge of trickery.” It is very unlikely that this was legitimate. Brown was unknown and was never again mentioned in connection with Pedestrianism. Brown was just a pretender, but a true contender immerged in Chicago, Illinois. Daniel O’Leary Daniel O’Leary (1846-1933) was born in Carrigroe, Clonakilty, Ireland and as a child lived through terrible years of potato blight, causing horrible starvation and disease. It was said that he began walking very early in life, jumped out of the cradle early, and walked three miles in under an hour while still a toddler. It was written, “This was looked upon as astonishing, considering his size and years, and it was predicted that he would become a great pedestrian.” As a youth he rarely took rides and instead relied on his legs to go from place to place. Under great difficulties, he was able to get a good education in Ireland. "In the village playground, amongst his classmates, he showed quite a preeminence in athletic sports, while he was yet in his teens. He was the ringleader of all the boys in the locality and was a favorite." During his late teens he worked hard for two years in the interest of Ireland with all his energy and when free, fled the taxation coming. In 1865, at the age of nineteen, like so many other Irish, he immigrated to America. He could not find work in New York City, so he settled in Chicago, where he first worked in a lumber yard. He next sold pictures door-to-door for B. Bierfield and then sold Bibles door-to-door. After the tragic massive Chicago fire of 1871, he became financially crippled and because of so many homeless people in Chicago, he had to peddle books in surrounding villages. He built up his endurance from speed walking his routes. It was said that when he tried to sell books to people, that many told him to “take a walk,” so he did. O’Leary Takes up Long-Distance Walking Chicago In 1874, O’Leary was a tailor and toymaker in the heart of Chicago. He overheard a group discussing Weston’s walking exploits, including his attempts to walk 500 miles in six days. One person said that only a Yankee could accomplish the feat. Another commented that Weston was planning on going to Europe. O’Leary said, “If he dropped into Ireland on the way he’d get b...