In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Carvajal and the second or maternal family name is Soto.
Félix de la Caridad Carvajal y Soto, known as Andarín Carvajal (18 March 1875 – 27 January 1949) was a Cuban mailman and long-distance runner who competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics.[1]
Carvajal was born in San Antonio de los Baños and lived in poverty his entire life before his death in Havana.[citation needed] During his life he was a mailman who performed walking and running exhibitions in Cuba (including a journey across the full length of the island).
Carvajal traveled to the United States to compete in the Olympic marathon at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri, but lost all of his money gambling in New Orleans, Louisiana and was forced to hitchhike and walk the rest of the way. He arrived at the race dressed in street clothes and hastily cut around the legs of his trousers to make them more like shorts. Carvajal performed well in the race despite stopping to chat with spectators and snatching some peaches from a spectator's car. Later in the race he saw an apple tree and stopped to eat some apples which turned out to be rotten.[2] After stopping to nap and recover, Carvajal rallied to finish fourth.[3]
Carvajal returned to St. Louis the following year to run in the inaugural All-Western Marathon, where he finished third, in a time of 3:44.[4]
Carvajal was selected to represent Cuba in the 1906 Olympic Marathon at Athens, Greece, with his expenses funded by the Cuban government. However, he disappeared after landing in Italy, and never arrived in Athens. He was thought to be dead, and his obituary was published in the Cuban newspapers, but he later returned to Havana on a Spanish steamer. He then turned professional and would go on to defeat American distance runner Henry W. Shelton in a six-hour race in 1907.[5] On 8 May 1909, he participated in a Marathon Derby on a six-laps-per-mile track at the Polo Grounds in New York City with an international field of twelve other professional marathon runners, the most notable being Dorando Pietri. Carvajal was quickly lapped by the leaders after they had completed the first mile in 5:02. The race was won by Henri St. Yves of France in a time of 2:44:05; Carvajal finished, but was never out of last place.[6]
Legacy
The Spanish language book Félix Carvajal, corredor de maratón, by Bernardo José Mora, was written on his life.
^"Andarín Carvajal". Olympedia. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
^Abbott, Karen. "The 1904 Olympic Marathon May Have Been the Strangest Ever". Smithsonian.com. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
^Martin, David E.; Gynn, Roger W. H. (2000). The Olympic Marathon. Human Kinetics. p. 50. ISBN9780880119696.
^"St. Louis Boy Wins 25-Mile, Heart-Breaking Marathon Race, Finishing In Burst Of Speed". St. Louis Post Dispatch. 7 May 1905. p. 38.
^Edgren, Robert (11 April 1907). "Cuban Runner Comes to Life". New York: The Evening World. p. 14.
^ST. YVES ONCE MORE A WINNER - FRENCHMAN EASILY FIRST IN MARATHON RUN - Field of 13 Runners for Professional Race Before 13,000 Persons at the Polo Grounds - Svanberg of Sweden Second - Crook From Fall River Third." The Sun (New York, New York), 9 May 1909, p. 12.
External links
Media related to Felix Carvajal at Wikimedia Commons
andarín, carvajal, this, spanish, name, first, paternal, surname, carvajal, second, maternal, family, name, soto, félix, caridad, carvajal, soto, known, march, 1875, january, 1949, cuban, mailman, long, distance, runner, competed, 1904, summer, olympics, carva. In this Spanish name the first or paternal surname is Carvajal and the second or maternal family name is Soto Felix de la Caridad Carvajal y Soto known as Andarin Carvajal 18 March 1875 27 January 1949 was a Cuban mailman and long distance runner who competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics 1 Andarin CarvajalCarvajal in 1904Personal informationFull nameFelix de la Caridad Carvajal y SotoBorn18 March 1875San Antonio de los Banos Captaincy General of Cuba Spanish EmpireDied27 January 1949 1949 01 27 aged 73 Havana CubaOccupationMailmanHeight155 cm 5 ft 1 in Weight43 kg 95 lb SportSportLong distance runningEvent s MarathonAndarin Carvajal running during the Olympic Marathon Contents 1 Career 2 Legacy 3 References 4 External linksCareer EditCarvajal was born in San Antonio de los Banos and lived in poverty his entire life before his death in Havana citation needed During his life he was a mailman who performed walking and running exhibitions in Cuba including a journey across the full length of the island Carvajal traveled to the United States to compete in the Olympic marathon at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St Louis Missouri but lost all of his money gambling in New Orleans Louisiana and was forced to hitchhike and walk the rest of the way He arrived at the race dressed in street clothes and hastily cut around the legs of his trousers to make them more like shorts Carvajal performed well in the race despite stopping to chat with spectators and snatching some peaches from a spectator s car Later in the race he saw an apple tree and stopped to eat some apples which turned out to be rotten 2 After stopping to nap and recover Carvajal rallied to finish fourth 3 Carvajal returned to St Louis the following year to run in the inaugural All Western Marathon where he finished third in a time of 3 44 4 Carvajal was selected to represent Cuba in the 1906 Olympic Marathon at Athens Greece with his expenses funded by the Cuban government However he disappeared after landing in Italy and never arrived in Athens He was thought to be dead and his obituary was published in the Cuban newspapers but he later returned to Havana on a Spanish steamer He then turned professional and would go on to defeat American distance runner Henry W Shelton in a six hour race in 1907 5 On 8 May 1909 he participated in a Marathon Derby on a six laps per mile track at the Polo Grounds in New York City with an international field of twelve other professional marathon runners the most notable being Dorando Pietri Carvajal was quickly lapped by the leaders after they had completed the first mile in 5 02 The race was won by Henri St Yves of France in a time of 2 44 05 Carvajal finished but was never out of last place 6 Legacy EditThe Spanish language book Felix Carvajal corredor de maraton by Bernardo Jose Mora was written on his life A 1956 episode of Telephone Time entitled Felix the Fourth featured Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez in the title role References Edit Andarin Carvajal Olympedia Retrieved 17 January 2021 Abbott Karen The 1904 Olympic Marathon May Have Been the Strangest Ever Smithsonian com Retrieved 8 April 2015 Martin David E Gynn Roger W H 2000 The Olympic Marathon Human Kinetics p 50 ISBN 9780880119696 St Louis Boy Wins 25 Mile Heart Breaking Marathon Race Finishing In Burst Of Speed St Louis Post Dispatch 7 May 1905 p 38 Edgren Robert 11 April 1907 Cuban Runner Comes to Life New York The Evening World p 14 ST YVES ONCE MORE A WINNER FRENCHMAN EASILY FIRST IN MARATHON RUN Field of 13 Runners for Professional Race Before 13 000 Persons at the Polo Grounds Svanberg of Sweden Second Crook From Fall River Third The Sun New York New York 9 May 1909 p 12 External links Edit Media related to Felix Carvajal at Wikimedia Commons Felix Carvajal at Olympics com Felix Carvajal at Olympedia Profile permanent dead link in Spanish Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Andarin Carvajal amp oldid 1140222580, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
