SWIMMING

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 56, 7 March 1914, Page 14

SWIMMING

(By "Floater.")

More is apparently going to be heard regarding the high-handed and unconstitutional action of the Waitemata/ Club in demanding 50 per cent, of tho gate at the recent ' carnival held under the auspices of the Wellington Swimming Centre. A member of the Auckland Centre was in. Wellington at the end of last week making enquiries about the affair. Since the matter was last referred to in this column additional particulars have come under the notice of the writer, which do not by any means strengthen the hands of tho Waitemata Club. It appears that Champion, a member of the Waitemata Club, was sent to the New Zealand championship meeting at the instance and expense of the Auckland Centre. This being tho case, that body, it is understood, wants to know why Champion, in refuting to compete, obeyed the dictates of tho Waitemata Club without consulting the northern centre. Clearly he was answerablo to the centre and to the centre ■ alone. One of the arguments used by the club was that it wished to raise money to cover the expenses of the Auckland representatives at' the"'Blenheim meeting, but this plea will not hold good in Champion's case, when the wholo matter comes to be sifted. • In any case ( the club has no excuse for ignoring its centre in the matter, and it_ is to be hoped that the latter body will take action in order to prevent a [ repetition of the occurrence. * If the 1 centre does not rise to the occasion there is a danger that ill-feeling , will .arise between northern and southern swimmerg. 1 There is something in being a bo^, after all, when it comes to competing in aquatic ' events ! At Wednesday night's meeting of tho Centre a proposal was carried to add a diving championship "to the list, and at the suggestion of Mr. L«n. Blundell it was decided to stipulate that competitors • must be over the afee of seventeen years. Mr. Blundell aptly pointed- out that it was unfair t# expect men to compete against boys in this e^ent. Members of the. rising generation, ho remarked, ' had/ by' virtue of their smallness in bulk, a natural advantage over their elders; in that they could enter, tho water almost without a splash. In a word, it takes very little skill on the part of the average small boy to-tako a heat header.' It is like entering a pebble and a 1001b- projectile in -a diving competition — the, heavier object i 3' handicapped right' out of the event ! The meeting, of- delegates, to the Centre this week lasted over two hours, and towards the end it had developed * into little, more than a " bear garden.',' v But that is beside the .point. Mr.. F. 0. Wilton,' who was one of the delegates who treated all the business serious]?, deserves' the thanks of swimmers in general for,' his action' in obtaining the meeting's expression of opinion on a master .of vital constitutional interest. Recently Mr. , Wilton unsuccessfully sought , to obtain ,f permission, to peruse the executive's minute book.V.ln mentioning this fact to delegates, ■he claimed that it was the absolute right of every delegate, to have access to the records of the Centre. Tho chairman, ruled that the granting of this permission was entirely, in the hands of. the executive. He said that if a delegate, asked in a quiet way to be allowed to peruse the minute book he would be allowed to do so., If, hotrever, he claimed it as a . right, he would ■be refused. The granting of the inquest was entirely optional. ■* Mr. Wilton differed from the chairman, ,and on his motion the majority of the meeting dissented from the . ruling of the chair. Mr. Wilton was on good constitutional grounds 'in asserting the common .right of delegates.. A similar right is in the hands of ratepayers in a municipality, and — it was stated at the meeting—is also enjoyed by shareholders ' in public companies. ' With the carrying . of Mr. Wilton's motion the meeting adjourned until next Wednesday, delegates in • the interim to have the right to . inspect, the minute book. It is understood that' amongst the matters that will be brought up for discussion will bo the action of the executive in granting the Wellington Swimming Club Z'6 1-3 per cent, of the "gate"' at the recent carnival. Last week a Sydney pressman visited old man Cavill at Spit Baths, Middle Harbour, Sydney, where he is spending the winter of his life with a devoted daughter and a good son-in-law as happily as an ailment which has practically crippled him for tho greater part of twenty years will allow. "< I remember," writes the Scribe, " Fred Cavill's arrival in this country thirty-six or thirty-seven years ago, fresh from .the performance of great swimming deeds in England — principal among them' was a. victual swim across the Channel. He reached the cliffs on the English, side •in a heavy storm on a night of impenetrable -darkness, save when lit up by frequent flashes , of lightning, and had, consequently, to be Lifted into a boat to be landed. ,Tho springs of reminiscence being tapped, the ; great swimmer , of the past talked most interestingly to."Ric" Templeton (the, American pole vaulter, hurdler, and jumper, who is. a friend of Sid Ca-vill, many years, and still, swimming instructor at tho Olympic Club, San Francisco], Dr. Graham, and others: Mr. Cavill told us of the infancy/of the sinjee famous- Trudgeon stroke, when Trudgeon brought . it across from America ; also how it was rarely' seen in * race because none thought of' using that method of propulsion beyond. 100 yds, and sprint swimming had no standing then.' The people of the time gave the 100 yds swimmer little .encouragement. As 1 such' he was nothing. I made the old man tell his audience (and he did ,so very reluctantly) of that gallant rescue of a woman in' mid-ocean many years back which stands to his credit. He had a very ( narrow escape from sharks; , Two of the monsters reached the ship's side' as the rescuer and the rescued' were hauled aboard. Mr. Fred Gavil^ia.thefather of that great family^of swimmers who invented and perfected, as far as it has been perfected, the wonderful crawl stroke, and have exhibited their powers in at least four' continents. Mr. Snowy Baker recently wrote to the Sun from Honolulu : " Have just arrived at Honolulu and had the pleasure of a long yarn with the world's champion swimmer, Duke Kahanamoku. Duke is a grand type 'of physical manhood 'and an exceedingly nice fellow to yarn with. He m ultra modest and very difficult to make talk about his own doings as a awimmer. He is ' employed .as an in-, spector in the waterworks at a salary of £15 per month, has a good boss, and can got away for swimming practice. Everyody knows Duke, who is a hero in the town. Honolulu is advertising a big city carnival for Washington's birthday, 22nd February. The posters around the city consist of ■• life-aiaa pictures of Kahanamoku shooting on a surf ■ board. I was anxious to see- him ewim, and he kindly consented to g^o along to the beach am! give me an exhibition. Duke couldnot be called a pretty swimmer — in fact, 'ono hardly sees more than splash. Holies well on the top of the .water with a good deal of the upper body out. and doesn't swim, but crawls along like a spider. 'As a swimmer, and in build, tid bomowhab resembles Daniels, the Amei'iuiri champion *printor. He is looki ma i'oi'u-aid to a trip to Australia, and itter tbi itctiisA. told 'bim cf our meat

country is more anxious than ever. I told Duke that Barry was a 'comer,' and hs would want, his best form when he paid us a, visit. Kahanamoku asked me to convey his best wishes to Eddift Marks, Cecil Hcaly, Longworth, and Hardwick. and looks forward to meeting our champions in their own water. Duke is _ah ardent motor-cyclist. Ho was pointed out to me flying along one of the suburban roads. My, he was flying ! But my car was faster, and I overhauled him." Has Oscar Dickman, the young man who, as a boy, promised to take a placo among the very, very best swimmers the world has known, lost his power? Afc tho Leichhardt League Club's third annual championship carnival' last Tuesday week they billed Oscar to make an attack on Englishman Dave Billington's world's professional record of Smin 26sec in thd 440 yds ' league championship of New South Wales, but he did not go within 25sec of it, although the ..onditiona were as favourable as most swimmers could wish. ' Fellow-competitors kept pretty close to 'him all the way, and there was deep and, calm water. Dickman had a clear course, and turned well all through the race. , He did the first 100 yds in lmin 9gec. Miss Durack's wonderful swim on last Monday evening .overshadows any previous efforts by lady swimmers in any part of tho , world, states a Bporting writer. in 'the Sydney Morning Herald. She established new records for 440 yds (6min ,17360.), 880 yds (12min 62sec), 1320 yds (19min 31sec), and a mile (26min Bsec), and; lowered tho previous best from half a. minute to over three minutes. It is likely that the figures will stand for some considerable time, and the uni* > formity of/ her. performance may , be gauged by. a study of the time taken over each 220 yds as follows : — 2min S9sec, ,3m;n 18sec, 3min 19sec, 3min 20 3-ssec, Smin 18 2-ssec, 3min 24sec, and 3radn 13sec. As Miss Durack previously held the 50yds, 100 yds, 100-metreo, 220 yds, 300 yds, and 300 metres' records, she is now the possessor of every world's record for her sex. No swimmer, either male or female, has approached Miss Durack's performance of holding all the worlds rec6rds. , Probably (writes C. Healy in the Sydney Referee) owing to the fact that Miss Durack ' is a_ - "crawl" stroke exponent, which method. of propulsion is undoubt* edly more fatiguing ' than the "trud- ' geon" for long swims, or may be perhaps because _ the International Swimming Federation does not at present take cognisance of efforts on the part of ladies beyond 300 metres, ono seldom hears of Mies Durack attempting anything, beyond the "' distanco referred to. Mis* Durack's triumphs at the Stockholm Olympic games in 1912, in addition to her extraordinary feats in the water both before' and since, have prepared the public mirtd to expect to hear of her periodically performing unusual achievements j but despite" this followers of the sport in general, were made to gasp with astonishment ;by an accomplishment for which she was responsible at the Domain Baths on -Monday night. Not so many years ago the world marvelled to learn that & man had , negotiated a mile in open water by 'means of the supposedly exhausting "crawl." And even. to this day, for an individual to utilise it for such" a distance, n« ■ matter bow slowly, is regaVded' as exhibiting great power of stamina and endurance. Therefore, well might, we> confess to, being surprised, in a sense of ' admiration, to be acquainted with the" ,f act,' that a young Amazon, had not. only 'employed the "crawl" for 16 lengths (each'llOyds) of the big Domain Baths,< but in. doing so bad moved- at such,, a rate of speed as to enable her to complete" her *ta*k in 52 seconds under the standard, set by the New South Waleß Swimming Association for men— that is to say, in 26min Bsec. Many State , championships have been won by male competitors in slower time. Needles to say, it easily constitutes a world's record for a member of her sex. The previous ,best was Miss Mabel Fletcher's (Eng.) 31min 8 l-ssec.' On the i • question of Beaurepaire competing- iii amateur ranks again, the council -6f the 1 N.S.WiA.S.A., at its last meeting,* decided to send a protest along to the Amateur Swimming Union of' Australia at Victoria being allowed to flout- the decision that Beaurepairo was ineligible. In Sydney swimming circles it is contended that the action of the V.A.S.A. was not' quite right to kindred bodies, its own swimmers, and the sport generally, and the N.S.W.A.S.A. took the 1 , view tha,t Victoria should be emphatically reminded of the breach of faith., Last week W. Longworth endeavoured to establish • a new Australian "best" performance over 150 yds. Arrangements; were made in a heat of a firstclasß handicap to enable • him to do bo. His effort' was 2-ssec worse than record. Later in the week he essayed the task of reducing tho time for 220 yds, but. was 6 3-ssec outside the figures. Tod Solomons i showed that ho is still in a winning vein, by beating 0. Husbands with a lot, to spare in the quarter-mile championship of the Manly Club. His time was ,smin 58£ see. New ,South Wales has never possessed a champion, male swimmer who could compete in such a wide, range of distances with such success as William Longworth. On 14th . February he bettered the three-miles record by 14 2-ssec, and exactly a 1 week later he failed by only 2-ssec to equal the 150 yds record. Tho • second ewim took place at the North I Sydney , carnival last Saturday week, and , the champion . showed such dash that it is clear no is improving in condition with every swim. There is no doubt he requires more swimming than any, .other performer to appe«a* at the top of "his .forni, and there never seems a. likelihood of his becoming stale. Lo,ngworth v attempts all distances with •uceess, , and as well as a triumph for tho chatnpjon,, the results must also be\ regarded as. an- advertisement for tho "crawl" stroke. Longworth has shown tho possibilities of this wonderful method of propulsion, which, when perfected and adapted to fresh as well as salt water, should revolutionise swimming times , , ' A notable, incident at the baths in Sydney reeeritly was the appearance of E. R. Oaughey, ohb of the visiting American atbMe*. w^oso forto i* putting the shot. Caugfiey, according to a Sydney writer, has immesse limbs, and when he gete'tnem rapidly in motion ho churn* up' the- element" lik© a paddlewheel stea-mer. Ho swims with his head buried, 'like'most of his countrymen, ajid u«cs tho independent leg action, now becoming familiar in Australia. Field athletes arid swimmers, of course, train on entirely different lihes, and when taking that into consideration, Caughey impressed 'the spectator as one who, if he devoted himself seriously to it, could effect great improvement, and become a front-rank sprint distance swimmer. Gaughey, who was conceded 12eec in a 66yds handicap, won easily, covering the two laps in 43 4-s«ec. without exerting- himself. Caughey is a great enthusiast, and intends, so he told the writer, to retire from the form of eport h© has been so conspicuously successful in for six' months, and ' practise swimming exclusively on his return t<> America.