John Lucas

Pedestrianism and the Struggle for the Sir John Astley Belt, 1878–1879

Abstract During the eighth decade of the nineteenth century, the American sporting scene was enriched by a series of five fabulous international pedestrian races. Sir John Astley, the English sporting baron, inaugurated the transatlantic six-day and six-night marathon races. These quintuple struggles roused nationalistic pride and sporting blood on two continents, were witnessed by tens of thousands, and resulted in feats of unprecedented human endurance.

The Formative Years of the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education 1930-1938.

It is nearly impossible for a meaningful professional organization to exist and function effectively unless most of its members know something of its heritage, its history. The American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education (AAKPE) is exactly three-quarters of a century old. It is imperative for its members—Fellows—to know something of the Academys “roots.” It also may be more than merely interesting for non-Academy members, the tens of thousands of welleducated, dedicated professional men and women in our schools and universities, to take special pride in a portion of their history, an Academy 75 yeas old, an American health, physical education, recreation, and dance heritage history of one and one-half century—and a European history that harkens back 25 centuries. Much pride is taken by the AAKPE members in their relatively brief existence, one filled with service, teaching, research, and fellowship.