February 19, 1910, the Maxwell House Hotel, Nashville – The popularity of foot races was given a twist in the lobby of the Maxwell House Hotel. Three young men entered the hotel, along with Nashville police Sergeant George Smith. The four then "pulled off a lively foot race." It was against the rules to leave the hotel lobby so the contestants "circled around columns, around pool tables, and made numerous fifty-foot dashes about the lobby."
After a few minutes, a throng gathered to view the unusual event, which crowded the lobby and making it difficult for the participants to carry on their rare competition. As a consequence Smith and one of the other contestants "made a final dash for the bar" and the race was brought to an end. "This took the ginger out of the other two runners who wandered over to the Sergeant to explain. It developed that the young men had been drinking and that seeing a policeman decided they were in the right town, but on the wrong street, and therefore beat it. What Sergt. Smith wanted to know was simply what caused the young men to run. No arrests were made." While no was winner declared, the remaining contestants took solace by toasting one another at the rail.
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