Robert A Young, also known as R.A.B Young, earned this championship pin for winning the one-mile heel-to-toe walk at the 1896 championships. Young, a Tacoma athlete, walked his way into record books in the rather rare sport. More commonly known as speed or race walking, the sport was Young’s specialty. He broke five world records in one afternoon of competition. Young also taught his brothers Isaac and William the sport who went on to their own success. Race walking entered the Olympic Games with the men’s 20km in 1956 to 2016, men’s 50km from 1932-2016 and the women’s 20km from 2000-2016. Young was inducted into the Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
