Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-03-27
SWISS ATHLETICS.
SWINGING" is THE NATIONAL SPORT
OF THE HARDY RACE

a lr0N'ItE IN .NllLtflNNQ VINO tlOeS not
at once rush up into the high mountains,
but fingers on a little in the towns, will be
struck with the attention which the Swiss
give to physical sports.
The youth Of the towns dIriI the good
weather, seem to devote every moment Of
leisure to some form Of physical exercise.
In the schools gymnastics is a recognized
part Of the trdIuing both of boys and girls;
and in whatever direction you 90 in the
country, you may DE sure to find school ex-
cursious, some of them for long distances.
I met one day 40 the station at Basel,
about thirty boys and youths, all looking
like young athletes, the very picture Of
hoaltL-drts=ed iu white flannel shirts,
kniclerbockers and loose coats, and all
carrying lnap9achs and alpenstoaks. One
of their teachers told me that the school
had hired a house i'm the mountains and
that during the summer each class went
there regularly Tor a fortnight or three
weeks Ht q time, spending the whole Of
every day iu Alpine excursions and return
ing at night
At all times of the day youths may be
seen In gymnasium dress or turner cos
tune Public opinion allows much lati-
tude iu this respect, and young man in
knee brooches and jersey, with bare arms,
strikes one as nothing extraordinary
either i'm crowded street or in the public
vehicle
The Swiss are by nature gregarious and
nowhere else do clubs and associations
thrive so much as among them.
Every summer day i'm large town like
Zurich seems festival, for 40 almost the
first turn of lhe street you are likely to
hear the music of band and then meet a
procession gay with banners, wreaths and
badges.
A GREAT SWISS SPORT
The greatest of an Swiss sports is I'M
doubtly wrestling, and the wrestling
match Is the central point Of interest in all
contests The moun,aineers have prac-
ticed for ages peculiar kind of wrestling
known as schuugen, or swinging OF
late year, this has been taken up by the
turner's and town gymnasts, and they are
beginning TO compete with their teachers
Between the 1.-the towusmau and the
solid heavy mouutginecr it has become al
most "a question of agility against strength.
Great was the interest all over Switzer-
land when 10 was announced that there
would Dee at Zurich @ wrestling match Of
all Switzerland between turner's and noun
taineers, especially as the gymnastic so
cietics of east Switzerland had not taken
part in these matches
The ground for the games could not have
been better chosen. Tt was the rifle range,
where there IS target practice every Mon
day afternoon broad, green plain, sur
rounded by trees, above which rose at one
end the spires and towers Of Zurich, while
at the other doomed up the ridge of the
UetIi5erg
The thousands of spectators, standing or
seated, formed p large oval, i'm the middle
Of which, during the wrestling match, was
the ring Around this lay or sst on the
ground the ccmb1t9nts aud their friends,
while at q table were seated the judges
and the umpire
Alpine wrestling or swinging differs
from other forms OF this sport, iu the first
hold being compulsory and not voluntary.
The wrestlcrS wear short trousers Of thick
cloth, which are survivals Of the old noun
tainecr peasant costume, but which are
now put over their other clothes, buttoncd
tightly around the waist and rolled up on
the thigh to the utmost. Each wrestler
must with his right hand take hold of the
band of the others wrestling trousers and
with the leiJ hand the roll on his oppo-
nent's right Lex
This position once taken, the choice Of
hold becomes voluntary, except that either
one hand or the other must if holding at
all, grasp the trousers Of the opponent No
throw counts unless the fallen man touch.
the ground with both shoulders or with
the length OF his back; and if both parties
are incapable Of further movement for
certain number Of seconds without being
thrown, &c is counted a draw
a CONTEST or EXPERTS.
At the opening pi the contests two names
are called ont, and instantly a hush of Gu
riOsity and expectation comes over the
great assemblagc. On one side rises. a
1.-the, slender built young turner, and on
the other a young peasant from Emmen-
thal-a picture of health and strength,
with muscles and sinews like those Of an
OK. They hastily don their wrestling trou-
sers, look as each other for moment, shake
hands and take the conventional hold
At first they stand rs far apart from each
other as they can, with heads down like
two butting animals, each feeling, as it
were, for some sign of yielding on the part
Of the other Suddenly, with a quick
movement, the Emmenthaler has succeeded
in getting the turner's head under one Of
his arms This lasts but for a moment;
for the turner sinks first on one knee, then
gradually lies at nearly full length on the
attempting TO pull the EmmCuthaler over.
The Emmenthaler changes his hold and
while still graspng the waistband with
one hand, seizes the turner around the
body with the other, and endeavors to roll
him over. Blu. it is impossible The tur-
ner supports himself on the ground with
his hands and toes and seems immovabe.
Finally the peasant lifts him bodily from
the ground and tries to throw him. amid
the l0ud cheers Of his hackers. But no:
the turner's hand reaches the ground first.
and he simply spins round on it like bal.
let dancer on one toe.
Finally the decisive moment comes, but
to the surprise Of every one, for il was diff
cult TO see how the feat was done. it was
the Emmcnthaier who was PROSTATE on
the grass. The two wrestlers shake hands
again aud 20 back to their places.
Another pair was called out. and then