MONSTER MUSCULAR DISPLAYS.

Evening Post, Volume LVII, Issue 23, 28 January 1899, Page 9 (Supplement)

MONSTER MUSCULAR DISPLAYS.

One of the most interesting articles in the current number of Pearson's Magazine is that describing the gigantic athletic carnivals that are held s on the Continent. The premier 1897 carnival was held in Shaffhausen, Switzerland, Avith its grand old streets, which were gay with flags, wreaths, and joyful faces to welcome the backbone of thu nation, the strength and sinew of the brave -ace, in the persons of some 5000 or 6000 muscular, stalwart, specimens of young manhood — members of the United Federal Swiss Gymnastic Olub — who together with their affiliated branches from many parts of Germany, from France, from Italy, and a flourishing contingent even from Pittsburg, U.S.A., had assembled to their monster tournament, this being the 51st tournament held by the Associa tion. . The festival opened with an impressivi procession, which passed under triumphal arches, amid a rain of flowers scattered by fair hands from the thronged windows and Cestooned balconies above. Each club was preceded by its own flowing banner, and marched to the strains ,pf ,^ts own band, while in front of all waved the historic flag of the Association, the Turnerfahne. The march-past of guests and gymnasts took three-quarters of an hour. The competition, in which 6000 athletes took part, consisted of marching, free extension and club exercises, long jumps, high jumps, and pole jumping, feats on the bars, vaulting, horse exercise, wrestling, weight putting, rope exercise, and fencing, following in quick succession. Probably the most striking feature of the festival was formed by the combined extension exercises. The men were first marshalled in order, and their march past took 37 minutes, during which time their massed bands played continuously. The squads broke into line, distances were measured exactly, the leaders took their places, and at the word of command the 3800 bodies moved as one man ; 7600 arms were swung together in rythmic precision to the music, without any previous combined rehearsal having been held. At the prize distribution 120 out of the 200 competing clubs received laurel wreaths, and 80 similar tokens of oak leaves, which, as in the Olympian, games of old, are the only rewards acknowledged by the United Federal Club. These are proudly hung by the successful club on the banner pole, or to its floating streamers. The spirit of fellowship and common brotherhood is fostered by this system, which affords far less scope for the individual display than is found in breaking records and winning championships. It is the honour of the club, of the canton, of the nation, not the glorification of one man, that is the motive power of these col6ssal gatherings. France has 1000 of these clubs, and holds annual festivals. The German gymnastic display is, however, the largest in all the Continental countries. Last year the festival wat held at Hamburg. The magnates of the stately merchant city lavished their wealth and opened their doors to competitors from the four quarters of the Empire. There were present, over 27,000 gymnasts. The Kingdom of Savoy alone sent 4000. Every man on arrival was met by the Reception Committee and given a ticket for the quarters assigned to him. On Sunday the festival begaa^ with a monster procession, a feature of wiiic v wa* seven gorgeous allegorical cars, ali ( decked with the richness and artistic fkill for which German peasants are famous A long line of 30,000 men, with their diverse national or club badges and banners, wound though the thronged streets, on foot, and the march past took two hours and a quarter. Each day tlte ground wap occupied by competitors from 6 a.m. tiU 7 p.m. Great 'combined displays were, of course, a marked feature of the festi val; 4300 boys from the H&mburg and Altona schools, for instance, were massed on one day ; 3000 members of the junior gymnastic clubs, including boys of the age of 6, assembled in another; 1000 men and girls mustered for free exercises, and smaller bands of female gymnasts acquitted themselves with distinction in musical drill, staff and club exercises. But the crowning part of all must surely have been the combined staff exercises, in which 8000 men took part. The conductor, Herr Siepft, took up his place on the roof of the grandstand, and from his elevated position directed the operations. Signals were also given for the various figures and evolutions by the waving of flags and simultaneous sounding of electric gongs in four parts of the ground. The evenings of the festival week are enlivened by banquets, smoke concerts, games, dances, and excursions by land and water to see the sights of the neighbourhood. Nothing has been done in England to compare with the gigantic gatherings of Germany and Switzerland ; in fact, no more than 400 British gymnasts have ever been gathered together at one time.