Hot Foot:
Walter Knox’s Remarkable Life as a Professional in an Amateur World
Walter Knox was a remarkable Orillia athlete 100 years ago, an era when Orillia was known as “the Town of Champions”. In a sports world that demanded athletes remain pure amateurs, competing solely for the love of the sport, he chose another route. Why not be able to make a little money on one’s physical talents? That attitude took Walter into the seedy world of matched racing and the violent world of gamblers associated with it.
Knox lived a brazen and adventurous life. Hustler and con man, Olympic coach three times, wealthy gold miner, developer of sport in Ontario schools and much, much more. In 1914, at age 36, he won the World All-Around Athletic Championship.
Below are five excerpts from Hot Foot, David Town's biography of Walter Knox.
Knox lived a brazen and adventurous life. Hustler and con man, Olympic coach three times, wealthy gold miner, developer of sport in Ontario schools and much, much more. In 1914, at age 36, he won the World All-Around Athletic Championship.
Below are five excerpts from Hot Foot, David Town's biography of Walter Knox.
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