St. Paul daily globe., 1891-12-04
The International Tug Of War
Auspieiously Inaugurated
Last Evening
Quickly Developed That Beef
Must Unite With Cunning
To Win.
Only One Of the Matches Of
the Evening Results in a
Draw.
IPiShnen Win in a Stubborn
Fight With the Eorwe-
gians.

reputation for herculean pracIivity of
the nations is Staked
Last evening was scarcely conducive
to large gathering. Jupiter Pluvius
did not smile upon the athletic diver
sertion. for the drizzling rain of the en-
tire day had increased in volume until it
was decidedly wet at o'clock,
and fifteen minutes later was the
hour set for the Inauguration of the
first exhibition of the character ever
seen in St. Paul. Despite the unfayor-
able weather, the audience in Market
hall was quite large, and there was a
gOodly SDrinkling of the fair sex. There
was a large delegation over from Min
neapOis. The battle ground was in the
center Of the hall. A platform had been
constructed for the especial purpose,
strongly spiked together. Then two-inch
cleatS were securely fastened at frequent
intervals, while the distance marks.
fixed under the rules for the sport. Oc-
cupled the very center of the platform.
The bunting which should indicate vic
tory or defeat was tied to the exact cen
ter Of the twO-inch rope, and all this
Daraphernalia was inspected with mani
fest interest by the audience as they
waited patiently for operations to begin.
The Swedish team was slow in putting
iii an appearance, creating delay of
nearly a half-hOur. Consequently, it
was just S:45 when the signal for the
initial tug was given. j. NJ. POttgeiSer
presided as referee, and his decisions,
under the rules, are final.
a tug of war to the novice would seem
to be a survival of the mightiest, but
this is a fallacy. AS in ali sporting
events Drawn must be reasonably forti-
fed by skill and experience. This was
manifest particularly in the last strug-
gle-that between the Canadians and
the BohemianS. The latter were un-
QuestiOnably the more powerful team,
but the former Outgeneraled them and
captured the bunting. But the teams
were all, it should be explained, CON-
posed of men much above the average
stature. The average was above 200
pounds, for illustration.
1t was noticed that several Of the
teams were seriously handicapped by
inexperienced anchors" They failed
10 comprehend the Importance of taking
up "Slack" eVerytime the slightest ad-
vantage was gained. and the result was
that surge by the rivals sent the silk
back again until every fraction Of gain
had been lost. and in some instances
materially. The Bohemian "anchor''
is in paint. This team started in at The
drop and scored an important lead, but
the anchor sat there helplese or in
different, with the stock in front of
him, until the CanuckS bad retaken the
bunting.
The Swedes and the Danes had the
most stubborn contest. The former
were. the more scientifically coached.
and might haV ewOn with A little more
pluck and audacity. They seemed con-
tent to remain on the defensive, and a
draw resulted.
The first burst of real enthusiasm
spread through the hall when the band
struck up The Wearing of the Green"
and the reSOlute sons OF the Emerald
Isle marched to the battle. Then cheer
after cheer rang through the old hall
that is soon to give way to st. Paul's
proud and pretentiOus auditorium,
They came on TO measure strength with
the SciOuS of the vikings. and they sue
ceeded in vanquishing them in the pre-
scribed forty minutes, and pandemon-
ium was cut loose. Irishmen yelled as
1rlShmen can.
he rules fix the outside limit of the
contests at forty minutes each. If the
five foot goal cannot be encompassed
sooner, two and half feet is victory.
Each battle had 10 be fought out to the
bitter end. The teams were so evenly
reached at all, although the Canadians
came within foot of that mark.
The first struggle was between the
scionS of Sweden and Denmark, and
they looked the gladiator, every one.
First came the SwedeS. They marched
around the ball, upon the stage and
down upon the elevated platform, and
the SwedeS in the audience applauded
as they saw their colOrs waved in
the air. The sturdy Danes fol-
lowed Straightway, and little there was
lost in assuming the post of duty to
which each athlete had been assigned.
At precisely S:45 Referee Pottgieser
fired the pistol. There was a dull, graf
ing SQUAD as the rope was forced until
the bunting showed two inches to the
credit OF the herculean Danes. But
there it remained. Capt. johnson en-
cOuraged his men in vain. They could
not regain the slight coign of vantage
captured by the giants that were bat
Ting for the fame and credit of
Denmark. Capt. Olson held his men in
steady check and it was quite evident at
The expiration Of ten minutes that IT
was fight TO the death. Bets were
freely offered that 1t would be a draw
and none Of the enthusiastic cohorts of
either team had the temerity TO take any
OF them. Now and then the Danes
eXerted every muscle and the rope
groaned, but few inches at
time was all that could
be done, and ali these light
games were shortly lost by the steady
work of the SwedeS. They were the
best coached. Each laid flat or nearly
proStratc, the position best calculated
for defensive movement. Minute by
minute the minute-hand passed. and
there was no perceptible gain until the
prescribed forty minutes had expired.
The match was declared a draw with
the ribbon an-Incb on The side of the
center clcat towards the Swedes The
result was seemingly taken as a signal
victory, for the SWedeS shouted them
selves hOarSe.
But now came the battle of the night.
II determination and vigOr counts. 1t
was between the Norwegian and the
1rishmen. The Norwegians marched
around the hall and to the extreme end
OF the mproYlSed platform. keeDing stem
to national air. And big, powerful
sons OF the Viking they were. Each
wore smile OF confidence rs they
picked up the rope and in
spected it. Then the band changed
the tune, and Wearing of
the Green" brought out the Irish lads
with WhOOp and a yell. The latter
We're somewhat smaller men than their
rivals, although they were a gigantic
ensemble also. 1t was an inspiring
sight. The muscles of the two aggre.
cations stood cut in bas relief and the
men seemed to be in condition to over
turn mountain. It reminded one of
the gladiators in the circus of Rome.
No time was lost in getting action
Each knew his station and went gal.
lantly to his work. At the pistol shot
an Irish yell rent the air and the silk
moved four inches in their direction.
But there it stopped, for tie Vikings
made sullen resistance. Not word
was uttered by them as the Irishmen
cheered. Capt. Jimmy Banning. the
coacher, directed the prowess of the