Showdown at Shepherd's Bush: The 1908 Olympic Marathon and the Three Runners Who Launched a Sporting Craze

by David Davis

The epic clash of an Irish-American, Italian, and Onondaga-Canadian that jump-started the first marathon mania and heralded the modern age in sports The eyes of the world watched as three runners―dirt poor Johnny Hayes, who used to run barefoot through the streets of New York City; candymaker Dorando Pietri; and the famed Tom Longboat―converged for an epic battle at the 1908 London Olympics. The incredible finish was contested the world over when Pietri, who initially ran the wrong way upon entering the stadium at Shepherd's Bush, finished first but was disqualified for receiving aid from officials after collapsing just shy of the finish line, thus giving the title to runner-up Hayes. In the midst of anti-American sentiment, Queen Alexandra awarded a special cup to Pietri, who became an international celebrity and inspired one of Irving Berlin's first songs. In Showdown at Shepherd's Bush, David Davis recalls a time when runners braved injurious roads with slips of leather for shoes and when marathon mania became a worldwide obsession. Standing next to Cait Murphy's Crazy '08 as an invaluable look at a bygone sporting era, Showdown at Shepherd's Bush is a dramatic narrative aimed at the recordsetting number of marathon participants in the United States (more than 500,000 in 2010!) and other running enthusiasts, and timed nicely for the return of the Olympics to London in 2012.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sports, History, Historical

320 pages, Hardcover

First published June 19, 2012

About the author

David Davis documents the culture of sports through words, images, and sound.

His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Smithsonian Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine, Orange Coast Magazine, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, The San Francisco Chronicle, LA Weekly, The Forward, SB Nation, Deadspin, The Classical, Los Angeles Review of Books, Only A Game, LAObserved.

Currently, Dave is a contributing writer at Los Angeles Magazine and a contributing editor at “SportsLetter,” published by the LA84 Foundation.

Reviews

[Thom · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story about three fellows and the 1908 Olympics Marathon event, then the running craze that followed, and finally where they ended up. Added this to my list after reading Davis' Waterman: The Life and Times of Duke Kahanamoku - but unfortunately this isn't as good.

The core of the book is the race, very well written. Coverage of the Olympics around it is also excellent - 1908 was a heck of a year. The introductions of the three characters is a little clunky, but the ending is great. It is a good history, and I'm glad I read it.

It isn't my favorite 1908 bo0k, though - that honor goes to Crazy '08: How a Cast of Cranks, Rogues, Boneheads, and Magnates Created the Greatest Year in Baseball History. Jim Thorpe gets a few mentions in this book also. Overall review - worth reading, but make sure to get Waterman on your shelf also.

[Karyl · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging and engrossing tale of the 1908 Olympic Marathon. I am no athlete, but I have always been fascinated by people who can push their bodies to the extreme, as is the case in the modern-day marathon. It was surprising to read about the downright dangerous training and running practices of the day, including administering alcohol and coffee during a run, as well as doping the runners to stimulate and push their bodies just that much farther. It was also heart-breaking to read about one of the runners, Tom Longboat, a Native American from Canada, who endured the ugliest forms of racism during his running career. I can't even imagine what it must have done to his self-esteem to see such slander printed about him, to lay blame when he loses on the fact that Native Americans are clearly not as talented as whites. It's almost amusing now, only in that Africans have taken over as the champions of marathons and long-distance running. Anyone who is interested in running or in the Olympics would enjoy this book.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a runner for over 40 years, but have never run a marathon. I follow track and road running events closely. I had heard of the 1908 Olympic Marathon and of Dorando Pietri's collapse so close to the end, but this brought it to life. The book followed the lives of three marathoners, Pietri, Johnny Hayes, the Irish-American winner of that marathon, and Tom Longboat a Canadian Onondaga Indian of immense talent. I was appalled at some of the training methods - alcohol and strychnine! - and by the way these men punished their bodies by racing so frequently. And I was amazed by the descriptions of how they raced each other in indoor marathons on 10-laps-to-the-mile tracks with thousands of spectators present. It's a bygone era, but all of us who run today stand on these men's shoulders. I think this book would appeal most to runners or to people who follow running.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well researched and well written treatment of the 1908 Olympic marathon and the primary participants. Olympic and marathon fans know how the marathon ended, but likely not much about the three primary participants. Davis does well presenting each of the three contenders with all of their assets and liabilities and without taking sides. His recount of the '08 race makes you feel as if you are there.

[Joshua Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half was a bit interminable despite it being a good story, as the author demonstrated that he is a magazine writer attempting a book. The constant shifting point of view every few pages left me dizzy and annoyed. Thankfully, he did less of that in the last half, which made it a better read to the end.

[Rui Carlos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written, much like The Perfect Mile in a journalistic narrative style.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer, I'm a friend of David Davis, but he did not solicit me to write this review.

With London hosting the Olympic Games for the third time, I thought this book would be a good way to find out about the biggest event of that games, the marathon race.

The 1908 Olympic marathon finished in a great deal of controversy as unheralded Italian Dorando Pietri appeared to have a comfortable lead on the field as he came into the Olympic stadium (a stadium which hosted ALL the events for the Olympics, there was a pool inside the track). However, on a very hot day, Pietri was on the brink of collapse as he entered the stadium.

Pietri had to be helped to the finish line by British officials. The American team protested this action as being illegal. The protest was upheld, and the second runner to enter the stadium, Johnny Hayes of the U.S. won the gold medal.

In the end, Pietri became more famous for losing than for winning. Pietri and Hayes would engage in a series of indoor distance races to make some money as, for a time, marathon running became all the rage in the U.S. and England.

There is another important figure in the book, a Canadian runner named Tom Longboat, who was the favorite for the race, but he did not finish the race because of the heat and injuries.

The book is a great look back at a time when the Olympics were changing from being a little-known sports carnival into a major international sporting event with heated rivalries and dramatic stories.

[Michel B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual, let me preface this review by saying that I'm an ardent runner and running fan.

I greatly enjoyed this book and gave 5 stars primarily because I learned a lot of new things about 'The Marathon' but more importantly because this book clarifies and refutes a lot of inaccuracies about the 26.2 mile race. Some of these inaccuracies were repeated again this summer during the 2012 London Olympics! I must confess that I have not cross-referenced the claims made in this book yet - although they seem more than credible.

Perhaps not the best crafted piece of writing - but quite compelling and well worth a read, even if you're not a crazy running fool like me. The author did a great job of detailing the lives of the various mythic heroes in the story and his portrayal seems fair and well researched.

If you're a marathoner - you should read this book.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 1908 Olympics in London stands out for many reasons. It is considered the first truly modern Olympics that featured its own specially built stadium. It presented the first version of what would later become the Winter Games. It saw the first African American to win a medal. It was also influential in the development of marathon racing, marking the course at 26.2 miles and creating the event’s first superstars.

Read my full review at http://thecelebritycafe.com/reviews/2...

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having run my first marathon last year I enjoyed reading the history and significance of this great event. I felt that the author did an excellent job building suspense and momentum leading up the famous 1908 Olympic marathon, and the post marathon boom. Filled with historical information about the founding of the modern Olympic games and the significance of the 1908 London games the timing for the book could not be better. I recommend it as a great summer read for anyone looking forward to the Olympics.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, surprised by how much I enjoyed this. I'm starting to sound like a cynic. It's just that I come into most books with such a low expectation that I am almost always pleasantly surprised.

So I found this facinating because of the impact the Olympics have had on our society and much of the world. Well, at least from this book's perspective. I enjoyed this book, but like most books, I find that it's all about timing in our lives.

[Jack Barraclough · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was more about the early history of marathon running than about the 1908 Olympic race. It tracks three main protagonists in the years leading up to the 1908 Olympic race. The stories of how these men (and others) prepared for these races and the conditions they ran under were fascinating. I think anybody interested in the history of the Olympic movement would find this a rewarding read.

[Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up at the library on a whim. It is a very interesting history of the origins of the Marathon race and the truth about why the modern marathon is 26 miles 385 yards (hint...it has nothing to do with British Royals and their children). It also explores the topic of amateurism in the early Olympics.

[Bill Tillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this novel has it all. Mystery, suspense a true tale about the birth of modern day distance running. Based around the 1908 Olympic marathon with a heart stopping finish, you will remember this novel for years to come.

[Felicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from GoodReads first reads. It's a great book about the 1908 olympic marathon, I have a lot of friends that are runners and made me see why they might like. Great historical facts about the time period too.

[Brunhilde · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. If it is a topic your interested in, I would say it is a must read. There was so much valuable information about more than just that race but the Olympics, marathons, and sporting events of the early 20th Century.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the modern marathon and the three runners who competed for gold at the 1908 London games. Some of the stories about the post-Olympic re-matches were a little dull and went on unnecessarily. A good Olympic year read (2012).

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book for a runner to read. The events surrounding the 1908 Olympics in London and the years following are given clarity as related to the marathon and the three men whose lives were impacted by them. I will be recommending it to my running friends.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads. Though I am not a runner I do now have a deeper understanding of the sport and why so many people decide to pick it up.

[Teddi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting historical account. Not my particular cup of tea however.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Timely per London Olympics, interesting how media, money, politics trumped Olympic ideals and British sense of fair play.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Follows in the tradition of Major by Todd Balf but doesn't quite fill those footprints; still a fun, engaging read.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such an interesting time - the start of the modern Olympics and marathon running. The book was chock full of interesting facts, but it was a slow, heavy read. No regrets.

[Lauren Glowacky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having a son who is a runner prompted me to read this book. I enjoyed learning the stories of the men who ran in the early Olympics and it was fascinating to hear the history of the Olympics.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sexually suggestive title, but a decent read.

[Wally Kurkiewicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting, a much read for runners.