The 1886 Challenge Mile
Their most famous encounter occurred in 1886, in a rematch of their 1885 mile challenge. On 23 August, again at Lillie Bridge, the two runners raced each other in front of 20,000 spectators.
The starting gun was fired by former two-mile record-holder Jack White and George, as he did the year before, led off. The first lap was in 58¼. Cummings followed closely, looking relaxed. At the half, George was at 2:01¾. As they completed the third lap, neither runner looked weak. As they passed three-quarters in 3:07¾, Cummings pulled up alongside George and the crowd went wild.
Cummings launched a kick with 350 yards to go and opened an eight-yard lead. George held back, sure that Cummings could not hold the pace. Sure enough, George closed the gap, came even and then pulled ahead by two yards. Then, Cummings collapsed and George coasted to the finish.
The spectators, in contrast to the congratulatory mob which surrounded George the previous year upon his victory, waited silently for the time to be written on the blackboard. When the time was written down—4:12¾—pandemondium broke out. Cummings' record was gone. And George's mark would not be surpassed for almost 30 years.
Cummings got some revenge on George by defeating him in a four-mile challenge race, but George lapped him in a 10-mile challenge and was forced to drop out. In 1888, Cummings defeated George in a 3/4 mile race and two one mile races, though neither time was faster than 4:30.
Read more about this topic: William Cummings (athlete)
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