- 5 Oct 1894 THE CHAMPION WEIGHT THROWER OF THE WORLD.
Death of a Great Irish Athlete.
The death is announced of William Real, New Pallas, County Limerick, which sad event took place at his residence on August 16. W. Real, Pallas Green, will be well remembered by athlete as holder of several world's records for putting heavy weights. He was one of the Gaelic team that travelled to America in September, 1888, and he gave exhibitions in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and other cities, where the team went, but the Americans fought shy of the Limerick giant. At pushing any weight from 28 lbs. upwards he was the best man ever seen, even J. S. Mitchell could not approach him in this class of competition. He won the Gaelic championships at putting the 28 lbs., 42 lbs., and 56 lbs. three or four years in succession. The following world's records stand to his name:—
At limerick on June 18, 1884, he put a 42 lbs. weight, with follow, 28 feet 1 inch.
On the same ground on August 6, 1888. he put 56 lbs. weight, with follow, 23 feet inches.
On the Manhatton A.C. Grounds, New York City, on October 20, 1888, he put the 56-lbs. 22 feet 11 inches.
At Philadelphia. U.S.A., on October 25th, 1888, he put a 25-lbs. weight, with follow, 36 feet 8& inches.
At Kilkenny on August 27, 1889, he put the 28 lb. weight, with follow, 35 feet 1 inch.
All these puts are far beyond all known records. The nearest approach to Real's efforts with the 56-lb. is W. J M. Barry's put of 19 feet 3½ inches at Mallow, on May 1, 1885, while next best to his 28 lb. record is 34 feet by the marvellous Canadian George R. Gray, at Dunshaughlin on July 8, 1888. and Dr. J. C. Daly claims second to him with the 42-lb., which he put 27 feet 4 inches at Limerick, June 18, 1888. Real stood in or about 6 feet 1 inch in height, had enormous chest expansion, was erect as a spear, and had somewhat sloping shoulders of huge width. He was unassuming almost to a fault, and surely never made an enemy. He was in a poor state of health for some time, and died in the prime of his youth, he being only 33 years of age at the time of his demise.
Email from Chuck Real: creal@cox.net
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Abt 1860 - 1894 (~ 34 years)
