Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 January 1886 — HEEL AND TOE. [ARTICLE]

HEEL AND TOE.

Nature and Characteristics of Good Walking In view of the uncertainty that pervades the minds of athletes on this coast as to what is and what is not a square walk, it might perhaps be well to give a short account of the history, nature, and distinguishing characteristics of heel-and-toe walking. In England, some years ago, Mr. Perkins walked the fastest mile ever recorded in the remarkable time of six minutes and twenty-three seconds. His gait was what is popularly known as heel-and-toe walking. In the early history of walking in this country, Mr. Stern made a mile on a New York track in seven minutes, at that time considered very fast. His style was not heel and toe, and formed quite a contrast to that of Mr. Mullen, who afterward, in a mile competition, open to all comers, walked Mr. Stern off his feet, and on the last lap spurted him out of sight. The square planting of Mr. Mullen’s legs and heels was remarked and appreciated, and thereafter heel-and-toe walking became the standard gait of New York athletic clubs. Rules were made regulating the walking gait, and flat-footed shuffling was relegated to the shades of the past. In 1876, in this country, Mr. Armstrong walked a seven-mile race in very fast time, and thereafter won the amateur championship of the United States, and held it some years, although pressed by Mr. Holske. No better examples of the two styles of heel-and-toe walking can be found than those of Mr. Armstrong and Mr. Holske. Mr. Armstrong employed the gait of Mr. Perkins, a high knee action with a strong swing of the hips and a mechanical, enormous stride. Mr. Holske's stride was more natural, with very little action of the knee and a quicker movement of hip and leg. Both ■walked heel and toe —that is, the action of the knee straightened the leg just before the heel touched the ground, throwing the toe up and necessarily lengthened the stride. The advantages of this gait are evident, and if it should be asked why it is accepted as standard and others rejected, it may be answered that the straightened limb is without a question the position of beauty, strength and skill, whereas the bent knee is the sign of weakness and the refuge of hitchers and skippers, mongrel-gaited pedestrians and* all such. In a race, if the pace be two stiff or the man tired, he naturally comes down to a flat-footed gait. The ballet dancer Uses the stiffened knee and pointed toe, and the principle of the heel-and-toe walking is exactly the same. TJie actor and orator use the extended, full sweep of the arm; the eagle and the king vulture maintain the power of their graceful flight by the wide extended pinion. The athlete lifts his 100-pound bell to the extremity of his reach, and if he did not his performance could hardly be called a feat of strength. By instantaneous photographs we find that the foreleg of the racing trotter at full speed is straightened just before the hoof touches the ground. In fact, if a man is cut out to be a walker, he takes to this straighten-ed-knee, heel-and-toe gait naturally.San Francisco Examiner.