Walking Man: The Life and Times of a 19th Century Superstar Who Defied the Limits of Human Endurance

James Kennovan was a rebellious youth who went to sea as a teenager and later walked the rugged streets of the Bowery as a New York City cop. Then, in 1849, he answered the siren’s call and sailed to California intending to fill a gunnysack with gold nuggets and return East. But that’s not what happened.

Although prone to excessive drinking and brawling, Jimmy Kennovan soon ruled the sport of pedestrianism -- a popular 19th century amusement in which men (and some women) walked for days at a time without rest or sleep in a bizarre sport described in 1879 by a San Francisco journalist as ＂an absurdly fascinating pastime, for which no sane man can find a sensible reason.＂

Kennovan stretched the limits of human endurance in order to be a champion at a time when spectator sports in the United States were primarily boxing matches and horse races. He began by walking in smoky saloons, then in auditoriums, and in his final walk was cheered by 10,000 adoring fans who showered him with flowers, bottles of Champagne, generous tips, and a diamond ring.

Although Kennovan’s feats in the 19th century may seem impossible to some, Walking Man offers a documented account of one man’s amazing stamina in the American West during and after the California Gold Rush.